Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-07-25

n lps he is not long alone. "A second adVen-
turer follows where he led his trail is
worn into track and the traveller as he
casts his eye up the mountain side from
the valley below, sees half a dozen huts
cinging TO the rock-here is Swiss village.
With the village comes the commune, a
kind of social compact not well understood
outside of Switzerland. The integer of
Swiss political society is not the individual,
nor the family, but the commune. a COM
mune is village or small tract of country,
the people of which own lands in common,
and make laws, and exercise all the func
tions of State. In the Canton Of Geneva
there are fortyfour communes, and in the
others there are more or less according to
their extent and populousness. The Swiss
communes are in some respects like our
Shaker communities; the lands are held in
common, and often there are large funds
owned in common. They make their laws
without much regard TO cantonal enact
ments, or the more dignified legislative
acts which come from Berne. The COM
munal assembly which convenes annually,
TO elect council and mayor, is composed
of the whole body Of members, and resem-
bcs in its character and functions our
"town meeting" The women cannot vote,
only the citizens whose names are inscrb-
ed in a register kept by the clerk. One
man is as good as another and has the
same rights; tho woodmen, goatherds,
weavers, carvers, all meet on common
ground, and no thought Is given TO birth,
rank, or vocation. They choose a mayor
and four citizens, who constitute the couu-
ell, and they are the sole authorities of the
place. They serve two years at least, and
may he kept in Office six. No man is free
to serve or not as suits his mood if the
citizens select n man he must serve this is
the rule and the law. The mayor o a COM
mune has despotic authority he is father
and ruler, and nothing can be done with
out his consent. Not a maiden can wed
without asking his leave; not school-boy
can leave or enter school without his per-
mission. He says who may come into their
village and who must leave; he secs that
children walk straight home from school,
and that their mothers cause them TO be
honest and industrious. The mayor and
council see that no paupers grow up among
them all drunkards, sluggards, and fools
must leave. They call such before them,
give them a sum of money, and order them
to trudge, and they dare not disobey. One
is not free to locate, and gain residence
in Switzerland. The copmunal mayor
may order any one to leave and assign no
reason for the act. There is much regard
ing this kind Of paternal government which
is curious and interesting, but we must
pass along. The houses Of the SwtZers
look picturesque as seen in engraviDgs and
photographs. but they are really gloomy
AMI uninviting. There is singular in
congruity in entering such dwellings in
| such a country and climate. The project
| ing roofs and gables, and the arrangement
Of door and windows. would serve better
purpose in Southern Italy than in the dark
valleys of Switzerland. The actual home
| comforts cannot be large in number; at
least, it would seem not, judging from
our standpoint. The Swiss are drty peo-
pie, and as regards morals, they cannot
occupy a very high position. The noun
tain men and women say but little they
seem to be oppressed with the gloom which
overspreads their valleys two thirds of the
time, and the constant dangers and peris
which surround them are not calculated
| to produce habits of cheorfulness. Educa-
| ton in Switzerland is lostered, and per.
haps in no country in Europe are there SC
few people who cannot read and write as in
| the valleys of the Alps.-Journdl Of Chem,
| j2f,,g