ALABAMA CLAIMS. 81 
in the Diet, and was active in asserting the rights of 
the Federation against the seceding States of the 
Sonderbund. He served in that war as Treasurer 
and Paymaster-General of the Army. Displaced for 
a while, he resumed 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 1856, he was elected 
President of the Confederation, and again in 1859, 
and the third time in 1862: these repeated but . 
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 otherwise re-eligible without 
limitation. Events of great importance to Switzer- 
land occurred in the years of the administration of 
Mr. Steempfli; among others, 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 peril 
is certain, it is better to advance to meet it, rather 
than timidly to await its approach.” In fine, prepa- 
ration and decision are the distinctive traits of all the 
official acts of Mr. Steempfii. 
There is one peculiarity in the political character 
of Mr. Steempfli, which belongs to him, indeed, as a 
Swiss, namely, definiteness and affirmativeness in 
the matter of international neutrality and morality. 
Switzerland no longer permits capitulations of for- 
