Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-05-04
From the Baltimore American
Switzerland to Washington.

From the Baltimore American.
"A Switzerland te Washington.
rs A few days ago Swiss consul. acting in
Il behalf of his government, presented carved
SS.sstonc suitably inscribed, as a tribute to the
sSmemory of Washington, from the republic of
3 Switzerland. This fragment Of the Alps-thc
sgracious gift of The only free people of cont.
snental Europe-was suitably received 10y the
aascommttee. and will be placed in n conspicu
%,ous position in the national monument.
"A Although Switzerland is a sister republic
'FSand of course should be duly appreciated by
every American it is quite singular how little
& is really known about her hardy children or
sstheir institutions. We have some nursery
Emotions of a certain William Tell, who shot an
Iapple off the head Of his SON. and then drove
\ an arrow into the heart of the Austrian gov
E,,erner who commanded the pcrilous experiment
5sTo this romantic story We add perhaps our
n delicious experience OF Inyigorating exercise
N.amid Alpine SHOWS, and our personal admira
u lion of Swiss chG!ets and shepherds; but with
N lhesc unsatisfactory glimpses of he mountain
Srefugo OF Teutonic liberty, our knowledge of
n thc republic is very apt to end. Switzerland
q however, has just sent US n BIT of herself as
.5Sa keepsake, and accordingly while we ''setr
.Ethis precious stone" amid the marbles dedi-
!. Gated to the founder of modern freedom, let us
Grub up onr history of the Gland of Tell.
"a Mountains inspire men with their own lofti-
Sfness, for they endow the dwelerS among their
f'stnesses with the stern spirit ofindependencc.
& From the earliest periods oe reliable history
i. the Swiss have manifested this manly y. self re
n Glance, when their numbers sweled to the dig
Entity OF a nation, they strove to instil its es-
Essence into the genius of their government -
81 But in time, as modern civilization crcpt into
Il the larger towns and cantons from the border
gSing monarchies, Switzerland felt the influence
hof its corruption Before the revolution of 769,
/, the people were more oppressed by an aristo-
fscracy than many nations living under kings
n These were sovereign cantons and subject can
y Et0ns-dOmnant towns aud dominated districts
"a The subject cantons were ruled by JqlFs
.swhose authority became despotic, and who
#generaIy made it felt with all the rigor that is
q common in the administration Of power by up
s!starts. But when the French entered Swtzcr
n land, all these rival sOyercigntCs were merged
s3in central power, while the relative rank Of
Sdi-trcts were abolished forever Unluckily,
4 however, when the great Emperor fell, the holy
Ftaliahce managed orce more to difflse its po.
.ssition throughout the He}yelic territory. The
I4union was weakened; the people lost their
Erights; the arisIocracy re-a9strtcd their al
\ LEGGED "Frivlege' in the larger cantons; and in
fccrtain districts the elections were control ed
!. by electoral colleges, wherein the large land
I holders and councillors alone acted. Arcr
Efifccn years of popular dissatisfaction, in 1880
3 81, Switzerland again moved progressively
( FOR the establishment Of a true republican
federation; yet it was not until tie rcccut brirr
I but bloody conflict, that the people obtained
their rights and consolidated their power in
/. the constitution of lei8 The two millions of
3 Swiss now in reality free.
i BY this organic Jaw the legislative power is
3Yested i'll federal assembly composed of the
national council and the senate, or council OF
Sthc States The national council i, elected
tby the people of the canlons, every 10000 be-
! ing represented by member who hold, office
I for three successive years. The senate-com.
posed OF dis formed by a delegation Of mem.
..bers from each canton and each half canton.
Il The great federal assembly Of Switzerland
5sclects seven members for a federal council,
! whose Office lasts for three years; while the
President and Vice President Of the conrrderacv
care chosen annually by joint meeting of the
stwo supreme authorities, but are not rec igi-
: bic until after the expiration of an intervening
stwelvemonth. A federal bureau, whose mem.
bere are trienuially chosen by the federal a,-
laembIy, exist under he constitution. The
3federal tribunals jurisd ction extends to civil
sand between the confederation or the canions
zon the one hand and citizens on the o,her-
4 The right Of making war and peace, of enter
sing into treaties and alliances, Of regulating
sthe post Office and roads, is couGned exclusive.
Iy to the national authorities.
1 This brief sketch Of this political system of
Switzerland exhibits many resemb bIanres with
Gour Own institutions. A kindred spirit of in.
dependence animates both nations, and if the
swar Of liberation. which must some day break
4out in Europe, shall end disastrouoIy for the
satriYng people, We may cherish the hope that
I the massive walls Of the Alps will still enclose
and preserve the last spark of continental lib.
gerty. Recent occurrences in Milan show how
Emuch the Austrans dread the Swiss. Prob.
j ably more than six thousand who resided in
y Lombardy, have been expelled by the foreign
styrant that lords 1t over the north Of Italy ,an1
have been hurried across the border into the
:.eantoh OF Iicino, without even the delay he.
s.cessary to realize their little property. These
seXiles Of suspected freedom are now destitute in
/ the land of their birth. and an appeal for sue.
cor has been made in their behalf to their com.
patriots in America
4 lJ-Youve destroyed my peace of mind,