GENERAL HISTORY. 



[95 



Switzerland attracts the attention 

 of foreign powers; and it daily 

 becomes more probable, that if the 

 Sv»iss confederation be not fixed 

 at that time, her constitution will 

 Tio longer depend on herself, but 

 her fate be determined without 

 her participation." He then an- 

 nounces the intention of the Diet 

 to return to Zurich on the 4th of 

 September, in order to resume its 

 deliberations on the following day, 

 and take the necessary steps to ob- 

 tain the guaranty of the indepen- 

 dence of Switzerland at the gene- 

 ral congress, and regulate its poli- 

 tical interests. 



The Diet having assembled at 

 the time appointed, was not long 

 in coming to a conclusion on this 

 weighty point ; and on September 

 8th made a decree, that the treaty 

 of alliance between the nineteen 

 cantons, of which the tenor was 

 subjoined, should be signed and 

 sealed as a true federal convention. 

 The following are the most impor- 

 tant articles of this compact. The 

 cantons reciprocally guarantee 

 each other's constitution, as ac- 

 cepted by the chief authorities of 

 each canton in conformity with 

 the principles of the alliance ; and 

 also their territories. For the 

 maintenance of the guaranty, a 

 contingent of troops is appointed 

 to be raised, in a specified propor- 

 tion for each canton, calculated at 

 two men in every hundred, and 

 amounting to a total of 30,000; 

 which pro]iortion is subject to re- 

 vision in 1815. A contribution 

 for defraying the expenses of war 

 and of the confederation is next 

 allotted for each canton, the 

 whole sum being 490,507 francs ; 

 in addition to which, a federal 

 treasury is established, to be sup- 

 plied by duties on foreign goods. 



not being articles of the first ne- 

 cessity. In case of danger, exter- 

 nal or internal, each canton is 

 entitled to claim the aid of the 

 confederates; and all differences 

 or claims between canton and can- 

 ton, not provided for by the treaty 

 of alliance, are to be decided by 

 the confederation. No alliance is 

 to be made between separate can- 

 tons unfavourable to the general 

 confederation, or to the rights of 

 other cantons. The confederation 

 admits the principle, according to 

 which, having recognized the 19 

 cantons, there is no longer any sub- 

 ject in Switzerland ; whence the 

 enjoyment of rights cannot any 

 longer be the exclusive privilege 

 of any particular class of citizens. 



The Diet is to consist of nine- 

 teen members, one from each can- 

 ton, every canton having a vote 

 by its deputy. The business of 

 the Diet is to take care of the 

 affairs of the confederation. I*. 

 declares war, makes peace, con- 

 cludes alliances with foreign states, 

 but in these important matters 

 two-thirds of the voices are re- 

 quisite for a determination ; in 

 others, a majority. It also decides 

 on treaties of commerce. It names 

 envoys from the confederation. 

 The cantons may severally con- 

 tract treaties to furnish soldiers, 

 and other minor engagements 

 with foreign powers, not infring- 

 ing the general confederation. 

 Such was the main substance of 

 this compact, which was ratified 

 by the agreement of a majority ef 

 the cantons, and on which the 

 Diet received the congratulations 

 of the ministers of the three allied 

 powers. An union of Geneva, 

 Neufchatel, and the Vallais, with 

 the Helvetic body, was afterwards 

 eflecied. 



