, 1861-07-25
Scraps Of History.

American experiment. The Spanish. American
Commonwealths are little better than anarchies.
OF the three European 9Wasi.republics that ex.
listed before the French Revolution, all were ex.
tincuished by the arms Of the fiji Napoleon
Switzerland, however still remains to bear wit
ness on the Continent to the principles Of self
government and the inextinguishable spirit Of
liberty.
1t Is remarkable that Switzerland, few years
ago, was called upon to pass through crisis
very similar to that through which the United
States is now passing. As a federation lis COM
posed Of cantons Of quite disaimilar religious
faith and social tendencies. Some Of them are
Protestant and others are Catholic; and the pO.
litica tendencies which arise are apt TO be inten
sfed, If we may use the expression, by the an
tagonsm Of a deep religious ancor. On most
questions, however, the federal diet would move
along evenly enough If these causes Of difference
were not worked upon and fomented by dex.
ferrous, unrelenting and bgotcd body Of men
known as Jesuts. In political cunning, reck.
lcSsness and energy, they are not unlike the
Southern Disunion leaders; and they are like
them, again, in the fact that for many years they
were constant plotters Of secession. They were
always striving to arouse the prgjudices Of the
Catholic cantons, until they should formally de-
clare their separation from the others and from
the general union.
Nor were foreign influences wanting to aggra-
vate the internal d ficultes. The Pope afforded
aid by intrigues, carried on through his nuncios,
who melted the ignorant mass. The Secession
arty comprised the whole Of that part Of the
population which, dwelling in wild and noun
tain districts, had not been affected by the i'm.
provement Of the age. They rcsembled in these
respects the great mass Of the Southern Seces-
sionists, who live apart from the civilizing ill.,
iiuences Of commerce and intellectual pursuits.
Austria helped alsO not by mere hints, but open
threats Of intervention. She supplied arms,
ammunition, and even officers. The staff Of the
Secessionists was chiefly composed Of foreign
officers. France, likewise, smugglcd arms and
ordnance stores into the dsailectcd districts.
All the governments with despotic tendencies,
in fact, either openly or secretly supported the
SecessIonists. Even constitutional governments,
with the exception Of England, gave the national
party the cold shoulder. Thus abetted, Son.
| derbuud, as il was called, assembled for deliber-
alton in May, 1916, and promulgated their SC.
ccsSiOnist confedcIacy.
Nothing new, however, was promulgated, for
just as treason at the South has been germnat.
ing for thirty years. so the Sonderbund doctrine
was completely systcmatized some time before
the first attack was made upon them by the Lib
erals. Even as Secession has already arrayed
seven States, and relies with certainty OH the CO.
Union-abidng nineteen State the Sonderbund
arraye1 seven seeding ca tons faithful to the
cons tuition One canton and two half cantons,
like our doubling or doubtful Border States, re.
manned neutral. One canton, the money max
ing city Of Basle, was deferred from decided ac-
ton by fears Of trade but the BaSe country,
like rural New York, was true as steel to the
c, n titution and Union.
Here was little free country containing less
than 2,4o0,00 inhabitants, oil told, surrounded
by mighty sovereignti sympathizing with and
aiding the reyolutionists, menaced by an internal
convulsion, which arrayed 10000 people, dis
posed in natural fortresses of pr 'digious strength
and susceptible Of protracted resistance, against
1850, 900 faithful subjects and about III, 900
neutral. What was the result! In the month
Of May, 1916, as We have said, the treaty Of dis
union constituting the SOnderbund Separate
League or Secession. Union) Of UrSchWeIZ (the
switzerland Of old timc) was published. Nine
months Of conciliatory negotiation elapsed before
the Swiss Diet care TO the decision TO act BY
force Ct arms. During that time the Constitu.
tional party was gradually becoming more and
more satisfied that nothing remained but q resort
to the ultima ratio rdgGm. The attitude Of the
Sonderbundsts discovered that all other reason
ing was in vain. Much the same state Of things
existed in the Secession canton as now exist 10
the Seeding States. There, as here, there was
a minority Union party, who made themselves
heard. There, as hCre they attempted to make
themselves felt, but "whelmcd in blood and
tears" they were tramped und foot with saw.
age severity by reasonable majority. The
UnioniSts at Lucerne and in the other seeding
cantons experienced exactly what would be the
fate Of a conservative minority in Charleston.
They were either bayOneted or crushed by legal
prosecution into silence.
Slowly but surely the Unionist cantons pro.
ceeded with their preparations On the Goth Of
July, 1S47, the conservative portion Of the Diet
declared the SOndcrbund, or Separate League,
dissolved, and BY successive decrccs proceeded
to forbid the introduction Of arms into the re-
volted States, and finally TO organize its forces
for definite action. In other WORDS the loyal
and true cantons made ready 10 enforce the laws
| and cOcrce the rebels into submission. On the
! 26th October, 1S47, Gen. Dufnur, Of Geneva, is
sued his proclamation TO an army Of from 90 900
to 100000 coniclrratcd frecmen formed into six
divisions, with 2GO pieces Of artillery. To these
the secession party opposed 10000 in Lucerne.
besides an army-corps in other districts, and
mutitudes Of mere militia, melted by religious
| ianaticism. This address, "as energetic as II
was moderate" seemed like the signal of the
prompter for the rolling up Of the curtain. "On
the 4th November decree Of the niet ordered
Gen. Dnfour 10 dissolve the Sonderbundb by force
o. arms" Now the statesmen had done their
part the Sword must give the fatal blow. II
was found difficult to bring such numerous bat.
talions to the field aud pay and feed them, at
time when Switzerland was still suffering from
the effects Of year Of scarcity and pecuniary
cmbaTassmcnts; but the admirable energy Of
y rnc, The metropolis, providcdan. That canton
had alrrSly imposed on itself all kiaks Of Sacri
/ fees II had alrtady emr.ictl lis treasury and
its arsenals yr; Il lid not hcsitsic 10 lena haf
million of Swiss francs 10 the Confederation;
| proving that Il was still worthy ol the glorious
days Of is war of independence.
| On the 9th aud 10Th of November. Dui,'nr
| entered the canton ol Frihurg, aud on the l3th