ALABAMA CLAIMS. 75 



niotcncss from the Old World, niul the other l)ecau.sc 

 of its geographical position in the midst of the groat 

 military Powers of Europe, l^oth Governments arc 

 federal; and Switzerland, not content with thoso 

 modifications of her system of government adopted 

 in the year 1848, which did so much to assimilate 

 her ])olitical oigaiiization to that of the United 

 States, now manifests the i)urposo to amend that 

 Constitution so as to make it still more lil<e to ours. 

 In both countries the force of public life pervades 

 tioeiety like the blood in the human system, so tliat 

 every citizen is an active member of the llepublle. 

 Hence it is impossible to an intelligent American to 

 avoid entertaining warm sympathy for the Swiss 

 Confederation. 



Geneva is u cosmo])olitan city, — situated in the 

 very heart of Kui'ope, — distinguished for the intelli- 

 gence of its inhabitants and their love of liberty. It 

 is c/Vy, in respect of the connnodities of life: it is 

 coKiitrij, in so far as regards the locality and tlie sur- 

 rounding natural objects, Lake Leman, tlie Jura, and 

 the Alps. 



The Federal Government, as well as that of the 

 Canton of Geneva, api)reciated the honor of l)eing the 

 seat of this great international Ti'ibunal, and did not 

 fail to welcome most coi'dially tlie two Governnu'nts, 

 their Agents and their Counsel, by cons])ic'uoiis mani- 

 festations of]»olitical as well as of personal considera- 

 tion. The Cantonal Government at Geneva hastened 

 to provide suitable accoiinnodations for theTribunal in 

 the Hotel do Ville of that city; it allbrded to the mem- 



