ALABAMA CLAIMS. §1 



in the Diet, and was .active in assertiucc the iv'-hts of 

 tlie Federation against the seceding States of the 

 Sonderbund. lie served in that war as Treasurer 

 and Payniaster-Gei eral of the Army. Displaced for 

 a while, lie resnnieci the practice of his profession as 

 advocate, but soon returned to power, in 1851, as Pres- 

 ident of the National Council, where he continued to 

 be distinguished as a close reasoner and incisive speak- 

 er, full of intelligence and of resources, supported by 

 great energy of character. In 185G, he was elected 

 President of the Confederation, and a^ain m 1850, 

 and the third time in 18G2: these repeated but in- 

 terrupted re-elections illustrating the Swiss Constitu- 

 tion, according to which the President is elected for 

 one year only, and can not be re-elected for the next 

 succeeding year, but is otherwi.se re-eligible without 

 limitation. Events of great importance to Switzer- 

 land occurred in the years of the administration of 

 'Mr. Stiumpfli; among other.«, the separation of Neu- 

 chatel from Prussia, the war in Italy, and the annexion 

 of Savoy to France. His theory of executive action 

 was characteristic of the man, namely, "When ])eril 

 is certain, it is better to advance to meet it, rather 

 than timidly to await its aj)proach." In ?i\\Q, j^ repa- 

 ration and decision are tlie distinctive traits of all the 

 oflicial acts of }»lv. St;em])fli. 



'J'lien; i.s one jK-culiarity in the jiolitical character 

 of iSIr. Stiemplli, which belongs to him, indeed, as a 

 Swiss, namely, definiteness and allirmativeness in 

 the matter of international neutrality and moralit}-* 

 Switzerland no longer permits capitulations of for^ 



F 



