Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-12-12
NUMBER al.
r ICH MOND WHIG.
From fhs london TImss, Nor. ~.
THE NEUCHATEL QUESTION

| Tue NEUCHATEL QUESTION
something must be done about NeuchateI The incl.
dent Is In itself tring enough but il NAV be turned N
account by the unplaced dplomatis whose calling in nc,
Is 70 dsturoe the peace Of Europe. We presume that
even our friends Of the Assemble, Natonale can SCARCELY,
maintain that Great Britain has any direct interest In the
settlement of this question We not ingenious enough
10 sugges; the solution Of periy which che kc,
wits OF these gentlemen may ultimately supply Perhsp,
the inevitable effect OF our egotsc policy msy be 20 sub
stue Cheddar cheeses 10 place OF the Neuchate article
throughout Europe perhaps Lord Clarendon il at the
present moment celebrating Punc design against tho
clocks OF that time keeping canton with the view of and
ing an additional vent Tor British mainsprngs in the
tihental markets. Perhaps he meditates sending Mr.
D. Denison, T., as Penpotentiary Bern with an ult.
ina'rm on the escape movement applied the Neu-
ehate rebels We wait for advces from the other sid; f
the Channel before give ourselves w to the full
enjoyment of per6dy Our readers however NAV h
scre that the British Government Is wide awake and our
foreign-oiee not quite fast asleep that are long va
sn De eh9ekng over our gains in this matter Of Neuch-
ate With the additional qualification OF having added one
more link to the letters which British diplomacy has al
ready vetcd upon the limbs outraged humanity Near
She III orcer the better TO mask our designs English
men should write and speak though Neucatel clocks and
checses had not attracted their cUpity What have NC
then, to do with Neuchaiey Save In far a. the set
iement u; its affairs may become bone OF contention A
mohS tie great military Powers OF the Continent we re-
ally cannot dzcern that have any inter Ia the affair
AL On this accountit might he supposed that the hos
tile parties world be disposed to lend ear to Our
counse being persons entirely without interest in the
solution of the question What the rights claimed nv
Prussia Neuchatel or What value 10 Prussia IA tho
conservation OF those rights such they may be In
our Pa,1 correspondence read the authority of
the King of PRussA Prince of NErcnArKL was at all
| times limited -
ut had reference the internal administration o ,b
Principally, but in wise controlled or inerfered with
the relations Of the canton OF Neuchate with the Federal
oFernnent NeIchate it s1id, recognized the author
y OF the King Of Prussia and paid him certain annual
tribute but the relations OF the Federal Council were al
WAYS with the Government which la its sea at Neucha.
| tel, whatever that Government might be-"
This is not very precise but the confusion ia no donbt
rather IN the state OF things than in the representation
We see clearly that the canton oNeuehae was TO all in
tents and purposes OF foreign policy aud
connected with the Swiss Confederation aud that was
bound TO pay certain aanue tribute the King Of Pus
sia, but more than this with any certainty
Under such order Of things the Swiss
might have been in state OF with Prussia Tn. xota
OF Neuchatel might have been oveborne by the majority
OF the votes of the Cantons Neuchate would have been
dragged into with Prussia and still in stctness tho
annual tribute must have been paid We are wholly ig-
noran whether or no there may be any especial articles
| Of convention which would hberae Neuchafel from 40
anomalous position. We have not vet seen anv Pyus
sian statement which forth with precision the exac,
nature and extent of the rights claimed by Prussia over
the internal affairs othe Of ofNeuchael-riebt after
all, which, again TO quote Paris correspondent vere
obtained by fraud Whether these questionable rights
are exhausted by :he appointment OF chief Off or and
certain subodnates or whether Prussian authority is 10
oe continuously eXerted throughout every department Of
internal administration, we ae as YET unable affirm
The probability IS that there has apy clear
understanding on the subject but that both sides have
been content 10 let matters work in the hope of c
wing advantage from the chapter Of accidents and the
lapse OF time. In writing upon former occasion on this
subject laid before readers the mednya history of
the cancn and showed how il passed by inheritance tn
the reignng family Of Prussia. The conue1ion between
Prussh and Neuchate has been affair of war or d
Domacy but OF inheritance There is no higher mo-
tive OF public policy why Prussia should continue to ex-
erce authority in this little canton than in the shire Of
Huntingdon or the department OF the Nievre In l7O7
the King OF Prussia who of all the claimants had the
title succeeded in his claim by fraud In the great stfug
le with NAPOLEON it was ceded to him by the King of
Prussia in 1919, and by him given Marshall Berthier
la 1914 it restored to Prussia in 1918 il became
canton of the Swiss Confederation certain rights AZ we
have above stated, being reserved to the King of
| Prussia In the year lS4s the canton assumed
| the republican form OF government and a short
time aiter the King OF Prussia formally permitted
his faithful subjects in the take share in the
administration OF public Affairs, under the Repub-
order OF things From that period to the present the
canton has been the OF undehand struggle be-
tween the Royalists and the Republicans much In the
same way as in old Greece in the outlying States thoro
aoot contention for power between the oil
garchs and the democratic party At length the smoul-
derng fire broke out for moment into actual flame
The emissaes and partisans OF the King OF Prussia
the standard Of nsurrection in his There was
fighting and blood shed. The King Of Prussia now
claims the release of his defeated partsans in the
Of his suspended authority We should think the racz
milton Of his claims cheapy purchased st the cost of
mite settlement which would put end for ever TO these
unhappy dsputes The faith OF treaties aud the inerven
ton OF diplomacy invoked 1t has Just been
in German journal that Prusson be read to
the Council claiming the liberation of the prisoners.
and 1t u said that II its requsons be not Instant
| ly complied with the King of Prossi. IA
guarantee One would have thought that the contnep
tai Soveregns had had enough Of 'maerial
for some time to come, and to speak the truth attach
but little importance to the II the affair Of Neu.
chatc Is to be submitted TO the decision OF Congress
within few weeks days il is scarcely probable thu
the King Of Prussia will be III advised a. TO fy in tho
face Of Europe by any Premature Of violence which
would be tautamOun to denial OF the Jurisdiction of the
tribunal before which he has himself desired to plead his
cause We can wei understand that great should
be felt at Berlin upon the subject proud Court can
scarcely be expected TO acesce ancy in the defeat an
captivity OF it, psrsaus however rcprehensbe their de-
signs may have been, however ockessy carried out
for ourselves We repeat t. have but ono wish
which s tor the pcaclbie settlement OF this affair Ws do
not desire 20 see any udguy the King Of Prrs-
sA, although upona recent occasion found in him no
very ally when the interests Of England aud of Eu-
ope stake. IL j. ccrtsn that tho y,,t ma,
ority Of the inhabitants OF the canton of Neuchael desire
20 remain under Republican form Of government and
that the canton should continue sogetber aud TO an in
tents and purposes member Of the Swiss Confederation
The Prussian Government may be strong enough to inn
pose us will upon the NeuchatelOs the bayonets poin
and the great Powers can be persuaded 10 adont ,bf
Prusln view Of the question: armed opposition 10 he
will would OF course be out Of the question What has In
rope to gain by such dccisionl II the faith Of treaties b,
invoked what does Prussia say 10 the affair OF Crscov
II the claims OF humanity be taken into account Il would
be most cruel thing TO dragoon the inhabitants of
this little province distant as is from the Prns,n
frontier into submission to an authority from which hoy
desire to escape Surely release Of the prisoners com
bned With recognition OF the future independence Of the
canton would meet the eSgenccs Of the on either
side We do not write Ia any upiriendy spirit to tho
Prussian Government, but, their our ovn w
should recommend our rulers % retro from untcnable
position aud TO yield gracefully the ovefpouerng force
circumstance Neuchaic can never add in the sght
est degree to the strength security Of Prussia on n
other hand 70 enforce Pfussan Authority In the province
would be simply 20 inhict misery upon its inhabanh
without result Besides, Switzerland is sleepn dog
.ith poWeru teeth and the good old proyerb bids Us 70
''let sleeping dogs lie"