fess to be friendly to gradual reforms, but insist that the independence of the cantons and existing treaties, should be inviolably respected: Zurich, Vaud, Geneva, Freyburg, and the Grisons, belong to this division.

toto.

On the 22nd July, the question as to the refugees came before the diet. After a long discussion, which lasted eight hours, thirteen cantons approved of the conduct of the Vorort without qualification; three gave a conditional approbation to it; and five and a-half cantons disapproved of it, either partly or in Appenzell exterior did not vote. Bern and Luzern protested against the decision of the majority of the diet approving of the conduct of the Vorort, and they accused the diet of not supporting the dignity and the honour of the confederation. They maintained, that the notes of the Vorort had not been sufficiently energetic and explicit-that they should have been couched in a bolder tone-that they ought to have protested against the interference of foreigners, &c. This gave rise to an angry discussion, and to counterprotests from nearly all the other cantons; who, whatever might be their opinion on the refugee question, expressed their indignation at the tone which Bern and Luzern assumed towards their confede

.rates.

On the 29th July the question of Neuchatel came before the diet. Twice the legislative body of Neuchatel presented to the king of Prussia as prince of Neuchatel, a petition, supported by a declaration of the majority of the communes, for a separation from the Swiss federal body, and for a restoration of their former condition of a mere ally of Switzer

land; grounding their application on the incompatibility of the monarchical principles of government established at Neuchatel, with the democratic principle now prevailing over the rest of Switzerland; and twice had that sovereign discountenanced the proposed separation, and declined to take any part in it. At last the legislative body of Neuchatel, in March, 1834, addressed to the federal Vorort, a demand of separation, which the Vorort referred to the diet. The deputy of Neuchatel, in support of the demand, argued that Neuchatel was a constitutional monarchy, and as such, entered the Swiss confederation in 1814; that there was then no collision of principles in Switzerland; that a collision had since taken place, the cantons, that were formerly aristocratic, having become democratic, and not only democratic, but determined to enforce their principles upon the rest of Switzerland; that they desired to make a republic of Neuchatel-whereas the majority of the people of Neuchatel did not wish to become a republic; that this produced a conflict between the canton and the confederates, and, moreover, it encouraged dissension in Neuchatel itself; that its disaffected citizens, originally few, had made numerous proselytes, pointed to the federal colours as their rallying point; were encouraged by all the violent spirits of the neighbouring cantons, and assigned their exclusive loyalty to the confederation as an excuse for disloyalty towards their own. government; that the federal flag, instead of bringing security aud protection, was made a symbol of discord and civil strife; and that under such circumstances Neu

chatel ought not to remain a member of the confederation, but should become an ally as it was before 1814.

To the prayer of this petition of Neuchatel, the other cantons, even those of the right, refused their assent, though from various motives. Several cantons at the same time expressed a wish that Neucha tél should be left in the undisturbed possession of its pecus liar constitution; that no arm ed interference should be em ployed in its internal affairs; and no suggestions used to weaken its allegiance to the King of Prussia. On the other hand, Luzern and other cantons of the left, with Luzern at their head, proposed a counter-resolution, to the effect that the diet should induce Neuchatel to renounce its allegiance to the king of Prussia! The peti tion of Neuchatel and the motion of Luzern were both rejected.

The next important question was that of the federal pact. It was discussed in the sitting of the 4th of August. Four modes of altering the federal pact were proposed-1st. By the convocation of a national assembly, elected by the people in a numerical proportion. 2ndly. By a conference of deputies from each canton, with full powers. 3rdly. By a total revision of the pact by the diet, or by a committee of the diet. 4thly. By a partial revision of the pact by the diet or a committee. On the division, thirteen and ahalf cantons voted for a revision by a committee of the diet; one and a half for a national assembly; and the rest were either against all revision, or abstained from voting. Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, the Vallais, Ticino, and Neuchatel opposed all revision.

The committee was appointed; but after several sittings, the members found they could not agree upon the point of the pro portional representation. They then proceeded to discuss several other suggested improvements without coming to any votes: and the committee made its report to the diet.

Several minor matters were arranged in an amicable spirit. Schwyz had been condemned to pay nearly half a million of francs for the expenses of the federal army of occupation the year be fore: this sum being deemed too heavy a burden for a small pastoral country, was reduced to one fourth by a majority of the diet. Five cantons, Bern, Luzern, Baslecounty, Thurgau, and St. Gall voted against any reduction. It is wonderful how invariably the rule holds that the governments of the delegates of towns is, of all tyrannies, the meanest, the most unprincipled, the most stupid, and the most reckless.

The deputy of the Grisons announced to the diet, that the longpending claims of that canton on the successive governments of Lombardy, for indemnification of losses sustained by citizens of the Grisons who had property in the Valteline, which was confiscated when Bonaparte seized on that country in 1797, had been recognised by the Austrian government; and that the amount of indemnification had been fixed at a sum of about two millions of Swiss francs.

The session of the federal diet terminated on the 6th September. "The task of the Diet," said its president, Burgomaster Hirzel, in the speech with which he closed its proceedings, "was

difficult it had to maintain order in the interior, and peace in our foreign relations; to avoid collisions from abroad on subjects connected with some of our most valuable institutions. The diet has rejected the principles of the partisans of the league of Sarnen; it has rejected the demand of separation by Neuchatel; it has refused the creation of a federal council in lieu of the Vorort; it has decided, that in future Neuchatel must wear its cantonal colours. These are decisions which will acquire to the diet the gratitude of the nation. If some men will say, that the diet has made a retrograde step, they must be unreflecting persons, to whom we might reply by merely quoting our last resolution in favour of the press. Other motions for the attainment of desirable objects, it is true, have not been carried; such as the centralisation of the federal system; the uniformity of tolls and transit regulations; the definition of the guarantee of the various constitutions; and, lastly, the revision of the federal pact. Here we are at a stand. Some among us have gone far

a-head, and would not slacken their pace; others, who have remained behind, would not quicken theirs ; and the rest were not sufficient to form a rallying point for a majority. And what are the causes of this result?-the very will of the Swiss themselves; their tenacity of the sovereignty of their respective cantons, which is a feeling as strong now as it ever was; the apprehension by the cantons of any authority above themselves. The smaller the cantons the greater the resistance. What are we to do to remove these obstacles? We ought to tranquillize the partisans of cantonal sovereignty, by wise definitions concerning the extent of the competence of the federal diet; we ought to render the sacrifices required of the cantons as insensible and as light as possible; and above all, we ought not to disdain those ameliorations which proceed gradually. Many accusations are cast upon the diet, without taking into consideration its organisation; sometimes the federal pact is an obstacle in our way; sometimes we find an insuperable opposition in the very constituents of the deputies.'

I

'N January, in the present year,

a treaty was concluded between Austria, Russia, and Prussia, by which these powers mutually agreed to deliver up, on the demand of the aggrieved state, all persons accused of rebellion or treason, or of being engaged in any plot against the throne or the government. These stipulations were not to have a retrospective operation.

In the beginning of the year a congress was held at Vienna of the ministers of the several German states. No authentic statement of the subjects or results of their discussions appeared. General report said, that their deliberations were principally directed to the consideration of how far the institutions of any single state could be allowed to clash with the acts of the confederacy, and what was the course proper to be followed with respect to the press. The proposition for the institution of a tribunal of arbitration, which was laid before the Diet towards the close of the year, appears to have emanated from this meeting.

In April, Frankfort was the scene of some disturbances. The chief actors in them were strangers, collected from different parts of Germany; a considerable number of them consisting of students, animated by the principles of republican propagandism. The primary ostensible aim of the rioters was the liberation of the individuals who were in prison for taking part in the insurrection of the preceding year; the real object was to insult the constituted authorities and to take the chance of promoting the cause of democratical anarchy. The attempt was soon quelled: and, with the sanction of the Diet, a corps of federal troops, under the command of an Austrian general, took military occupation of the city, in order that its tranquillity might be secured for the future. In September a renewal of the disturbances was anticipated in consequence of the arrival of great numbers of students at Offenbach. Austrian, Prussian, and Frankfort troops were immediately put under arms, and strong patrols of cavalry

and infantry traversed the city in every direction. A battalion of an Austrian regiment was stationed in detachments from the guardhouse of the parade-guard of the Zeil as far as Schoenhausen: another battalion, with artillery, were posted at the head of the bridge, and the Darmstadt gate. The Prussians took up their position on the boulevard: three pieces of cannon charged with grape shot, were placed at the gates of the city. After two hours of great anxiety to the inhabitants, the troops returned to their respective quarters; these preparations having preserved tranquillity, if any attempt against the public peace was intended. All foreign students received orders to quit Frankfort within twenty-four hours.

In Hesse Cassel, the financial arrangements gave rise to warm contentions between the ministry and the states, who insisted on making a reduction of at least 50,000 in the army estimates. M. Mesterling, the minister of finance, endeavoured to prevent an open rupture by acceding to a diminution of $35,000 in the estimates; and it would appear that the opposition were willing to be satisfied with this concession, but his colleagues refused to sanction it, and he resigned. The states then persisted in the resolution which they had adopted as to the army budget: the members of the government on the other hand, refused to submit to them, and stated that they had been laid before the Germanic diet.

The states were

equally obstinate; they persisted in rejecting the budget as proposed by the government, and finally voted it with amendments and reductions conformable to the

resolution. The grand duke dissolved them and convoked a new assembly for the following January.

In Hesse Darmstadt, too, the government found itself in a minority; being supported only by fifteen votes, against a majority of twenty-four. The opposition directed their attention chiefly to the reduction of the army esti

mates.

In Baden a strict censorship was established; and in order to prevent the mode of its increase from being made manifest to the public eye, editors were forbidden to leave any blanks in the journals published by them.

In Bavaria, agitators and their partisans were less numerous in proportion to the whole population, and there was less tendency in the public mind to democratical ideas and sentiments; and accordingly, at the opening of the assembly of the estates, on the 8th of March, the king was received with enthusiastic plaudits. "I have been zealously occupied" said he, in his speech to them, "in forming a treaty of commerce with Prussia, Saxony, the two Hesses, and Wurtemberg. It is completed, and I announce it to you with joy, and this treaty will be a source of prosperity to Bavaria, and an additional bond to unite the Germaus to each other. I hope, for the good of my subjects, that it will extend still further, and that a commercial treaty may soon be formed with the Austrian empire. Since the last session a spirit of disorder has shown itself in some parts of the kingdom, but the loyal sentiments that prevail throughout the country show to how small a faction it is confined. I am able to distinguish the voice