The Opelousas courier., 1886-10-16
A Model Republic.

Louisville Courier-Journal, says:
The Swiss Confederation is, next I'd
San Marine, which is q mere toy repub4
lie, the oldest representative govern
ment of the modern world. 1t is d
model of Jeffersonian simplicity. The
Congress meets twice q year, and rarely
extends its sessions over three weeks.
Its members receive 81 a day during its
sittings. There is a Federal Council OF
seven, one of whom is chosen as Presi 7
dent for one year. This council is
elected by the Congress. There is no
cumbrous Electoral College, as with us,
and no long or second or third terms.
The popular elections are held in the
churches, and the corruption of voters,
or the stuffiiug Of the ballot boz, OF riot
ing about the polls is unknown. Acivil
service law unwritten, but real, prevails,
and good men grow old and die in the
public service. Nowhere, except in the
army, is ago a disqualifer. The Swiss
statesmen are all gray haired, and a cur
sorry glance at a sitting of the Swiss
Congress gives the impression Of a small
human snow storm.
DESTINATIONS display, either of oratory
or of living, are as unheard of as official
mannerism, inaccessibility or bombast.
The beggar on horseback has never
penetrated these Businesses. The cor
ner-stone of the circumlocution office
has not been laid. There are no public
debt and no surplus. My dear old
friend, the Hon. A. Dudley Mann, who
negotiated the first treaty between the
United States and Switzerland, and who
still lives in Paris, Intellectually as clear
and strong at 81 as he was thirty-three
years ago, when | knew him as Under
Secretary of State at Washington, told
me a characteristic and amusing story
of a dinner given him by the Federal
Council just before his departure from
Berne, which nearly bankrupted the.
national treasury. | think he said
that, ont of a surplus IN hand of $275,
this banquet left less than 800 subject
to the Presidents draft. Mr.. Winches-
ter, to whom | mentioned this, declared
that time has in no wise lessened the
frugality of the Swiss authorities.
They receive the most meagre salaries,
and make no pretense at ceremony.
The local society of Berne is poor
and proud, and having lost both its IT,
ties and its fortunes, it shuts itself
within stone walls and closed blinds,
hugs it's traditions and its patricianism
to its bosom, disdains the world, ostra-
cises the stranger, and, when put to it,
sells, clandestinely and anonymously,
some heirloom at a sacrifice to obtain
the more pressing necessities of life.
The official society emulates the ex-
clusiveness of tie local society. Out
side of the diplomatic corps there are
no dinners, or gay equipages, and alb
solutely no routs or balls. The fami-
lies of the Federal councilmen neither
receive nor return visits with the fami-
lies of the diplomatic corps, but live
solely within themselves. Many years
ago a member of the Cabinet, who had
married a rich wife, undertook to dis |
plot himself, and to make a display of
hi ssudden wealth and elevation. The
innovation not only destroyed him,
politically, but overthrow the govern
ment of which he was an ornament.
Since then no n has dared to violate
the unwritten law of the land, which
puts an extinguisher upon sWeIlheads
and swellheadism.
In transacting business with the
Swiss Government, one does not have
to cool his heels in an ante-room or
the gauntlet Of a line of in~solent
.underlings to reach the head Of a de-
partment. The Swiss Senator is not a
at home, bowling and cring-
ing to the dear people, and a lordlet at
too busy to do anything and too
great to be useful. He is the same
among his constituents and at the Fed
oral capital. The country is too small
Tor little thunderbolts to put on airs,
md the people are too straightforward
and intelligent to tolerate the shams
Ind frauds which pass current in larger
ind more complicated systems. Yet
his simple, free and happy, this up
and economic system has -four
shed for 500 years, and is at this mo-
nent as stable and mistaken as it ever
vas, a pure democracy and a perfect
'epnblicanism. Americans, take off
FOUR hats and salute i'll +
Miscegenation is a. crying evil,