138 LECTURE OX SWITZERLAND. 



federation guarantees to each canton its liberty, its independence, its 

 safety from foreign aggression, and peace and tranquillity v.ithin. To 

 maintain this guarantee and to preserve the armed neutrality of Switzer- 

 land, a contingent of 33,000 inen and $1-10,000 is required from the can- 

 tons in proportion to their population and other circumstances. 

 The modified constitution declared ever}- Swiss to be a soldier, express- 

 ing only what is the fact, the military spirit being kept constantly 

 alive from the belief that it is essential to the independence of the coun- 

 try. In case of the invasion of a canton, or of violence against tho 

 actual government, the confederation is bound, upon a summons, to 

 an armed intervention; and, in case of necessity, a neighboring canton 

 may lend its aid. This provision has been a fertile source of difficulty, 

 for on the one hand the cantons claim the right of revolution, and, on 

 the other, the diet that of intervention. The cantons have no right to 

 form leagues with each other. No privileged classes may be established 

 in any of them. The transit of articles of merchandise and manu- 

 factures, and of the necessaries of life, through the ditl'erent cantons is 

 guaranteed. Such are the leading articles of the constitution. 



The diet is the highest authority of the confederacy, and consists of 

 deputies from the twentj^-two cantons, who vote, unless specially in- 

 vested with discretionary power, according to instructions derived from 

 the cantonal governments. Each canton has one vote in the diet. The 

 regular meetings of this body are held yearly', and the senior deputy of 

 the canton where the meeting is held presides. Executive power during 

 the recess of the diet may be vested in the authorities of the canton 

 vv'here the meeting of the year is to be held, or in a special executive 

 council. Tlie diet declares war and makes treaties of i)eace and alliance; 

 such measures requiring a majority of three-fourths of the votes.* 



In the summer of 1837 the diet met at Lucerne. The stormy session 

 of the year before at Berne, in which they had borne themselves so gal- 

 lantly in opposition to the demands of France, was still fresh in the 

 recollection ; but wUh the adjustment of the difficulties the excitement 

 produced by them had subsided. On that occasion it was said that 

 Switzerland had spoken even in a boasting tone, or, in the language of 

 the French journalists, as if she v/ere a first-rate i)ower instead of a 

 fourth. The national feeling which dictated this tone may be explained 

 and felt by the remark of Professor Monnard, of Vaud, by whom the 



* The foregoing remarks apply to tlie iiolitical condition of tlie Swiss Confederation 

 previous to the 12th of September, 1843, when the revised federal constitution now in 

 force was adopted. This instrument is very similar to that of the United States, only 

 paying somewhat more deference to states rights, and vesting the executive i^ower in 

 a cabinet (federal council) elected by congress in joint session, the chairman whereof 

 being denominated President of Switzerland. The legislative authority is vested in a 

 federal assembly, (congress,) composed of a national council (house of representatives) 

 and a staenderath or States council, (senate ;) the supremo court and executive au- 

 thority being both elected by the federal assembly or congress, in joint session, in which 

 is vested the supremo power of the land. Berne is the permanent capital. 



