Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-03-05
DIR. BA1RD's LECTURE ON SWITZERLAND

its railroads. its steamboats, its pleasant cities and
towns and its wellpoised political system which is
now almost identical with our own % cantOns, each
being a small council as to executive, and great
council, which is the legislative, and over all there
IS "Diet," or Congress, consisting of two Houses;
The upper or Council Of the States" has A mem
bers, that is two from each canton, and the lower
House, or National Council 4" has 100 members,
elected Onthe basis Of one for 10000 inhabitants.
But the political economy Of Switzerland differs
from ours in the fact that the canons have no gov
errors, but directing "councis" OF committees,
each called the "sman council;" and there is no
President but Directing Committee of seven mem
bers, which fulflls the functions of a President
with US
Switzerland is like an island in some respects, and
has three great natoualites contiguous: the French
on the West the Italians on the South, and the Ger
mans on the North and East. Admirable roads
connect Switzerland with Italy, France, and Ger
many.
The Swiss Confederation began in 1907, when the
three Forest Cautons" Of Uri, UnterWaden, and
Schioeigy, led by William Tell and 5thers, resisted
the attempts Of the House Of Hapsburg, originally
Swiss family but then living at Vienna las now,
one Eof whose members, the Archduke Albert, Was
Emperor Of Germany, and the author of the War
of the Revolution. Dr. B. sketched that war, and
pointed out the city Of Altorf, near the head Of
lake of Luzerne, or the "Lake Of the Four Can
tons as 1t is often called, in the market place Of
which William Tell shot the apple off the head Of
his boy. He pointed out the "ChapeI Of William
TELL which his couutrymcn built on the spot where
he jumped ashore aud kicked the boat back in which
Gessler was in the hope that it might be enguphed
in the raging pillows Of the lake and drown the
/ agent Of the tyrant.
The Swiss had many and successful wars with the
Dukes of Burgundy, Of Milan, and with the Kings
Of France. In.the year A. D. I444, they fought the
battle Of their TlsnopyZas in the church yard Of St.
James. near Basic where 1900 Of their brave cOun-
tryuen defeated many thousands Of French. In the
last years Of the last century, the French Republic
conquered the Western half Of Switzerland and an
nezei It to France. The Congress Of Vienna re-
stored the old state Of things, and added three
oautons, making the number to be twenty-five
Since 1850, every canton has been revOlutiOnized
and made quite dsnosrqtic. This process led to
some serious troubles in 1915 and At, Of which Dr..
B gave d full account Switzerland is in very
d5urisbtng state at present.
FRANCE
Dr. Baird next ske.ched the progress Of France
u civilization from the earliest times to our days,
showing the immense progress in every thing which
contributes to the elevation Of Humanity. He then
gave brief notice of the history Of France, from
the conquest Of the country by the Romans.
The Romans did much for Gau as they called
France. Under their sway good roads we're made,
the Roman laws we're imposed, and Christianity
spread
Upon the downfall Of the Western Roman Empire,
the Germans under Clovis founded the Kingdom of
France Rheims at first, and Paris afterwards being
the capitol Dr. sketches the history of France
under the Nerovingian, Calg7ingian, Capetian,
Valois, Bourbon, and Oreano-Bourbon Dynastics,
and gave q minute accoun, Of the Revolution Of
1888, the Republic, the Consulate, the Empire,
.un5er B5aaPartc,) the Restoration, the Revolution
Of 1890 t5er.En of Louis Philippe the Revolution Of
L5fS he Republic under Louis Napoleon, the CoUPs
IEtat of 1851 and -, and the Empire since. 4
splendid mp of Paris aided greatly in making in
tai-5e the details Of the scenes OF the three great
Revolutions Of France
We cauaa. attempt to give any details of this Lee
ture. which. although long of necessity, was well
attended and listened 90 with fixed attention to the
last Dr. B IS account of the horrible scenes Of the
first Revolution was graphic: the G-iLoaas and the
Czateras Camp port are words which, when pro-
n0unccj. make Old Frenchmen SILVER as the words
Cagag. aux armas, intensely excite them. He
related an ausedote of the late DR. Nesbo Carlisle,
a Scotch Presbyterian Divine, who had great alb
h1rreaas of the French Revolution. It was to the
efes that he STAGED at Dinner party in Philadel-
paia, a. O time when that Revolution was at its
height. ana Ea5esgie-re and the Jac3bius carrying
every thing before tbem that Iious old lady Of his
church fu Carlisle dreamed that She had died. and
found herself contrary to her expectations, in the
regions of the lost, and that she wandered long in
the place before she met with any inhabitants: ar
Ia. coming across wandering imp, she asked him
where Satan and all The other fallen Spirits were
"tL4lam," said DE-, " they have all gone up to help
forward Inc French Revolution" Dr.. B. said he
could readily believe ,hst great many, if not ez-
...E .. them all, we're here.
Such is a.. tle sketch which we can give of this
lecture ar pre- eat. We will Try 10 give OUT readers
some detailed episIes when We have more room.
lo-liga. Or. B. lectures on ITALY.
THE VIRGINIA WASHINGTON STATUE.
The Washington atge, which vas iaaugurated
on the --- srsa, las tie following colossal
dimensions:
The .-..u.a Of Washington, including the horse,
is twenty feet L u, length g-h1rSe. FROM nose 90 the
end OF t twenty-five feet. The granite pgdestalTesr
upon q star shaped elevation with six rg-lts, upon
which are ultimately 20 stand colossal statues of
Lee Mason. Nelson, Jefferson, and Patrick Henry
Henry -.la.ln- with his arms raised and extended