New-York tribune., 1886-07-05
THE SFvJ-NJILENNIAL OF SEMPACH.

Another anniversary is celebrated to-day. besides
our own, and one for which it Is fitting we should
have q kindly thought. Switzerland. the elder
sister of the family of Republics, is in estal attire
on her fivc-hundredth birthday. Every schoolboy
has heard of that
Day immortal in Hevetia day to every switzer dear
Day that Duke Leopold before SEN pach appear"
Well 1t will be just 500 years on Friday next since
Arnold Won Winkelred gathered the Austrian
snears to his bosom and made way for liberty"
Eighty years before the Ed genossen of Tells time
had struggled against the tyranny of Austria, but
il was not until Leopold and the Bower OF his chiy-
airy fell on the bloody field of SER pach that Swift
erlapd became free from the yoke. From that
battle she has ever since dated her independence,
as Americans theirs from the council in Independ-
ence Hall.
The history of celebrations Of this event presents
a curious epitone of Swiss national life Never
until to-day has the anniversary been generally OBJ
served Each year, in recognition of vow made
by the Eid gencssen at tho close of the hard-won
fight, solemn service has been held Ill the little
chapel hich marks the spot where Winkerled fell,
and masses have been celebrated for the repose of
the souls Of all who were slain. the invading Duke
Leopold as well as the heroic Knight Of Inter
walden. But these observances were purely local,
confined to Semrach aud Lucerne CantOEal feuds
and local lealousics kept the rest OF Switzerland
aloof from commemoration in which all portions
of the Comm OF wealth were interested. Not even
on the several centennial anniversaries did any
national festival occur. One was proposed la l4oG.
But Switzerland was then a close ally of Austria,
and thousands Of Swiss soldiers were lighting the
battles of Maxman in Flanders, so that it was
not deemed lifting to glorify the overthrow of the
Austrian Duke q hundred years before Again in
1886 the subject was broachel but then Swiss
soldiers arrayed in France both for and
against Henry of Navarro William the Silent had
just been slain, the march OF Alexander Farnese
across the Alps and the defence and fall of Antwerp
were fresh i'll memcry. and the Spanish Arm adj was
being fitted ont. With Europe In arms over the
two Confessions, the Catholic and Protestant can
tons could not unite even to celebrate Sempach.
la 1856 the Turks menacing Vienna, and
Switzerland was too much in sympathy with Aus
tria to revive memories of their ancient wars; and
in $50 Europe was trembling upon the brink OF
revolutions " hch threatened to destroy tho Alpine
Common wealth with fire and sword, and proposal
for a general celebration was rejected in the Great
Council at Lucerne.
TO the close of its fifth century, then, Switzerland
has postponed the doing OF national honors to the
anniversary of its national BIRTH Tho actual date
is July O. but the Government has decided to hold
the high festival today partly. it is said III order
that the occasion may coincide with the celeDra-
ton Of American Independence. All the twenty
two caDtons will unite in the demonstration. and
there will be performed programme far surpassing
in elaborate magnitcence anything the day will
witness IN America. There will be, doubtless
many allusons to the growth of republican institu
tions throughout the world since the days of Win
kelried. and to these we. in land not yet then
known To European voyaeers. can heartily respond
with congratulations the day that finds the
Swiss Confederation ut its seni-millennial more
prosperous, more united and more secure in its in
dependence than before in its long and honor
able history.