9i] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814.. 



The restoration of the repub- 

 lic of Geneva to a state of inde- 

 pendence, was a consequence of the 

 overthrow of French usurpation, 

 which cannot fail of giving plea- 

 sure to all who have been inte- 

 rested by the moral and literary 

 character of that city. Occupied 

 provisionally by theAustrian troops 

 on their entrance into France, and 

 burdened by the usual military 

 requisitions, it was soon permitted 

 to entertain hopes of a favourable 

 change in its condition. On May 

 1st, the envoys extraordinary of 

 their imperial and royal majesties 

 addressed a declaration to the syn- 

 dics and council of Geneva, in 

 which, referring to an address pre- 

 sented by the citizens of Geneva 

 on April 22nd to the provisional 

 council, expressing their wishes for 

 the restoration of the republic, 

 and its aggregation to the Hel- 

 vetic body, they congratulate the 

 Genevans on the accession of the 

 provisional council to their desires. 

 They affirm that the allied powers 

 are desirous that the republic of 

 Geneva, strengthened by a libe- 

 ral constitution, and by a suit- 

 able increase of territory, should 

 offer itself to Switzerland as a 

 co-estate ; for which purpose they 

 advise that the provisional council 

 should employ itself in preparing 

 the plan of a constitutional act for 

 the republic, the cantons be- 

 ing now engaged at Zurich in 

 drawing up their federal compact ; 

 and they declare th it Geneva shall 

 be authentically acknowledged in 

 the possession of its political rights, 

 and of the territory which the allied 

 powers intend to assign it. 



The full concurrence of the 

 court of England to this dispo- 

 sition of the other allies was made 

 known on August 4th, by a note 



to the provisional government, 

 transmitted by M. d'lvernois from 

 Mr. Stratford Canning, minister 

 plenipotentiary from the Prince 

 Regent to the Swiss Confedera- 

 tion. In this paper his Royal 

 Highness expresses in the most 

 obliging terms his friendly senti- 

 ments towards Geneva, and pro- 

 mises his efforts at the congress to 

 bring to effect the purposes in its 

 favour declared by his allies. 



On August 18th, two companies 

 of Zurichers arrived at Geneva to 

 form its garrison ; and on the same 

 day was published the constitution 

 of the Genevan republic. The fol- 

 lowing are its most important 

 articles. The Protestant religion 

 is the predominant. There shall 

 be at Geneva a church appropria- 

 ted to the Catholic worship ; it 

 shall be maintained at the expense 

 of the state. The constitution 

 recognizes neither patricians nor 

 privileged classes. All the Gene- 

 vese are equal in the eye of the 

 law. The liberty of the press is 

 acknowledged, but every work 

 must be signed. Should circum- 

 stances require it, the representa- 

 tive body shall have power to limit 

 the exercise of that liberty. The 

 legislative power is vested in a 

 representative council, composed 

 of 250 members, or 268, includ- 

 ing the syndics and council of 

 state. The legislative council shall 

 conform to the general laws of the 

 Helvetic confederation ; it shall 

 possess authority to fix the taxes 

 annually, to accept or reject trea- 

 ties, to coin money, to appoint to 

 the administrative and judicial of- 

 fices that are reserved for it, to 

 regulate all matters relative to the 

 ordinary and extraordinary diets, 

 and to name the deputies to the 

 latter. The representative council 



