Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-06-23
THE SWISS HIRELING SYSTEM.

INTERESTING .STATisTics-ABoLIsHNEN OF THE
TRAFFIC, &C., &c.-We received by the last steamer
a highly interesting letter from q correspondent
at Zurich, Switzerland, from which we make the
following extracts. Some startling facts are
given:
at is now believed that the Austrian Govern
ment does not intend to push hostilities against the
canton OF Tess;n, but is, on the contrary, DESTROYS
to come speedily to a friendly understanding res
pccting the differences existing between the two
countries. The export of raw silks from Lom-
hardy to the canton Of Tessin is again permitted
There is, however, little probability that this change
has been produced by the prevailing of more
friendly sentiments towards this country ut the
court Of Vienna.
"But, as this cloud disappears from the political
horizon of Switzerland, another storm threatened
her form tn, south. The King Of Naples is said
to have mcnaced with expulsion all Swiss citizen
from his domlni0ns unless the federal council will
consent that the convention which his father con-
Guided about twonty-scvcn years ago with some
OF the cantons of the confederation should now be
carried out. By that convention eight or nine of
the Swiss cantons bound themselves to tolerate for
thirty years within their boundaries recruiting off.
GERS of the King of Naples, to keep four Swiss
regiments Of fifteen hundred men each constantly
filled up by Swiss volunteers. The new constitution
of the Swiss confederation strictly prohibits thi:
revolving system of hiring out the young men OIL
a free country to become the body guard of foreign
princes and that constitutional prohibition the
King Of Naples considers a sufficient reason for thu
adoption of retaiiatory measures.
"For the last four centuries Swiss soldiers were
kept in the service of many of the States of Eu
rope. The supplying of these hirelings was as
profitable a business to the former oligarclis of The
country MS the sale of these captives is to the negro
chiefs on the Congo Coast for not only did they
receive large sums for the licences granted by then
for the opening of recruiting Offices, but the young
sons Of the particians found also Il consenial iel(
for their tastes as officers of those regiment 0
hirelings.
ITO what extent that business used to be carried
on will appear from the following list of mel
furnished by Switzerland to the diHererent sover
cigns and States Of Europe:
France had in her service, Swiss hirelings, from
HI to 1880, $4,000 men.
Spain had in her service, Swiss hirelings, from
1914 to 1880, l26, 900 men.
"Holland had in her service, Swiss hirelings
from 1856 to 1899, 10, 200.
SARDINIA had in her service, Swiss hirelings
from 1862 to 1915. 81 800 men.
"The Pope had in his service, Swiss hirelings
, from 1905 to 1913, SO, 100 men.
Austria had in her service, Swiss hirelings, iron
l496 10 1903, $500 men.
E "Venice had in her service, Swiss hirelings, from
y 1898 to this time. 80, 900 men,;
r England, Sweden, and Russia,at various time
/ l4,000 men.
The rulers of Milan had Swiss hirolings, t
this time, $4,000 men.
In all, more than 100000 able-bodied youn
= men, hired out within less than $50 years, by
people which, during that period, averaged hardl
a standing population of one million of souls
No wonder that when more just and liberal view
gained ground among the Swiss, they became dh
3 gusted with that outrageous system, and prob
: bited it altogether in their federal compact! Will
out the example Of our own humane system
G government. before them, it is not very likel
that they would even as yet have sacrificed s
many advantages to a great principle of tru
Democracy.
n 'But unfortunately, the very fact that Switzc
5 land has, within the last five years, abolished
h many abuses, introduced so many Improvement
C and given a fair promise of advancing PEACEFUL
on q career of prosperity towards rational libert
is too great and constant a source of annoyance
many of the governments Of Europe"