Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-01-23
The Impending War between Prussia and Syyitz-


hat diplomatic relations had been suspended between
Prussia and Switzerland, and that they were on the |
verge OF war 10 show the origin of the difficulties
between the two powers we subjon the following |
article written by correspondent of the New York
Commercial few weeks ago:
What awful thing has been done by our sister re. |
public OF swtzerland to stir up the wrath of the
despotsms that encompass her! How happens il |
that the little strip of territory called Neufchatel
territory thirty miles long by nine or ten miles broad
has become an apple of discord among the great
powers OF Europe? What is there about this little
community Of seventy thousand watch makers that
should render 1t an oh jeCt Of much Importance in
the eyes of politicians and diplomatiss The ge.
ographles set down NeufchateI as a canton of Swtz-
erland and, and on maps it is marked and colored as
one OF The Swiss cantons 1t is bounded on one side
by France and on three others by Swiss cantons
Inc parties Immediately interested in this contro-
Versy are the Swiss Confederation and the King of
Prussia. But what has Prussia to do with Neufcha-
tel! In geographical point of view, not whit
more than the State of New York has to do with the
State of Kentucky. The kingdom of Prussia is not
contiguous TO Nsufchael, to any part of the Swiss
territories, in a single point And vet Frederick
William the Fourth claims 10 be the rightful sover-
egn of Neufchatel; and on the third day of Septem
Der last an lnsurrecton raised against the fede-
raj authorities in furherance of his pretensions. The
lnsurrectIon was promptly suppressed. Several of
the consprators were arrested, and are now awaiting
their trial The King, through his ambassador at Berne
has demanded the unconditional liberty of the prison
ers, without trial. and in this demand he is sup
ported by the governments of Austria and Baden
| lhe last steamer from Europe brought the news
of the unanimous refusal of the Federal Council
(Which answers 10 our PresidenD to accede to the
demand 1t is generally understood that the Coun-
Gil Will not release the prisoners except upon the
condition that the King renounce, once and for
ever, his pretensions to the sovereignty of Neuf-
chatel Thus it seems that the little cloud which
a short time ago, seemed no bigger than mans
hand, has grown so large 10 overshadow tenn
porarly other subec of controversy, and serious
ly threaten the peace of Europe.
In history only can be found the origin and char
acter of these pretensions of the King of Prussia
The county or principally of Neufchate ief
OF the old kingdom of Burgundy. In the year 1888
1t passed to the house of Chaona and still later
that of Longueville Henry II. OF Longueville was
the husband of the celebrated lady whose memoir has
recently been written by M. Cousin. On his de
cease and that of his and daughter the last of
whom died in the year 1907, the house of Tongue
Vile became extinct Several pretenders to the
erelgnty of Neufchael then appeared and 1t is i'm
portat t to bear in mind that the decision upon the
claims of these pre;enders was not left to Congress
of European powers, but to NeGtchatel itself The
right of the Neufchateois TO choose their rulers
as well as their own form of government, does not
seem a. that time 10 have been disputed.
They were too independent TO be overawed ever
by the declaration OF Louis XIV, that he would no
suffer them to select any other person for their SOY
ereign than of his own subjects. There wer
. two parties in Neufchatel at that time the one
monarchal party composed of the feudal aristocra
cy; the other, republican party, composed of tn
IL burghers of the towns. who were in favor of eecn
~ the principality into Swiss Canton. For tha
TWO hundred years previous to this period Neufchate
= had been united in close alliance with the Swiss can
TONS though il was not actual member of the con
i, federacy So far back as l476 it had Joined tn
d Swiss in their against Charles the Bold. Bu
these considerations haf tile wei ght with the part
!, of the monarchsts, who dominant in the as
sembly of the three estates, and they fixed upon Fred
% erick |. of Prussia.
IS For nearly century Neufchatel continued to b
governed by viceroys sent thilher by the Prussia
l. kings. But in 1906 Frederick William ILL.,, BY
IS treaty bearing date February 18Th, passed it wit
10 other possessions to Napoleon Bonapare in return o
4 the Kingdom Of Hanover Napoleon conferred
i. upon Marshal Berthier. On the fall of Napoleon
the people OF Neufchate were not allowed to choos
! tn eIr own government but were handed over to th
~ ~ Congress of Vienna. They Il ID fared much bette
q under the French than under the Prussian regime
and they therefore preferred to remain with France
y rather than subject themselves again to the sway
% the naughty aristocracy that had been upheld b
Prussia But it was not the business of the Congres
of Vienna 10 contribute to the aggrandizement
T. Franco Neufchate restored 10 the King {
Prussia and then, in order TO concliate its inhab
tants, 1T was annexed as a canton to the Swis
Confederation.
The anomalous and complicated relations thus es
tduIleHeu oeGWeeH NeuICnatel switzerland ana Prue
:, sla continued until 1848, when the people of tn
" canton overthrow the government of the king, tor
20 down the Prussian flag and hosted the Swiss has
~ its place. Between 1907 and 184S the municipal an
- republican element had outgrown the feuda aristC
>. Cracy and reduced it to an insignificant minority
The people OF the canton declared themselves Swil
III republicans, and adopted the constitution fran
- ed BY the Swiss Confederacy in l84s. From thu
3 year until now the King Of Prussia has taken n
= means to assert his claims by force of arms
50 80 He now calls upon the parties to the treaty
S Vienna to support him in his emand for the bers
W tion OF the persons implicated in the conspiracy
last September. But the treaty of Vienna is utterl
- dead. 1t has been broken down and tramped upol
over and over again. by the parties who had pledge
Vi themselves to support it, The dethronement of tn
~ Bourbons of France and the dsmemberment of tt
a' kingdom of the Netherlands in 1880, the annhi
- tion OF the kingdom of Poland in 1892 and of II
II republic of Cracow in 1916, and the restoration
! the Bonapartists 10 the throne of France, were
violations of the treaty of Vienna and acquiesced
~ by the Great Powers. The people of Neufchat
I' b had as good rig to ignore it any other
H. hind this treaty the King of Prussia has nothil
~ whatever to fall back upon in support of his dyna
tic pretensons. He has lost his hereditary claims
in the act of his father, who ceded Neufchatel 10
er poleon.
ed 1t is thus seen that Neufchate by it's geographic
K position, by it's historical associations, and most
lr- all by the choice of the people, belongs properly
IN Switzerland. Mention is often made, by the adv
Gates of the King of Prussia, of protocol signed
x the Great Powers at London in May, 1852. tt
IN protocol, however does not guaranty but it smp
recognises the claims of the King with the EXPIRE
m reservation that the powers shall not be bound to
tor him in enforcing them. He finds no sympathy
Ill England. He can hardly hope for support flom I,
oW Emperor Of France, whose reversioaary interest
IN Neufchatel would naturally take precedence of
lss claims OF the king. 1t remaLsto be seen wheth
T. Austria and the other German powers will afford
oYf nt fho1 snoia nrofon