S W I 
S W I 
803 
particular the French and Dutch, on the plan of their con¬ 
stituting separate regiments, and not mixing with the troops 
of the country. On this footing they served in Spain until 
the revolution of 1820, when they were disembobied, in 
consequence of their attachment to the crown. 
Government. —Switzerland, though a republic, has never, 
like Rome or Athens, formed one great community; it is, 
and has all along been, a confederacy of petty states, differing 
more from each other in their respective constitutions, than 
the Dutch provinces, or the component parts of the American 
union. In addition to other distinctions, there is the leading 
one of religion, a distinction subsisting during ages when 
a difference of creed constituted a much more decided line 
of demarcation than at present. In some cantons the form 
of government is democratic, but in most it is oligarchic, 
a certain number of families retaining the chief public offices 
among themselves, and managing all the internal affairs of 
the canton. The general concerns of the republic, such as 
the conclusion of foreign alliances, the organisation of the 
militia, the defence of the country, are managed by a general 
assembly or diet, composed of deputies from each of the 
cantons, and holding its meetings at Berne, Zurich, and 
Lucerne by rotation. In a financial view, the diet has very 
little to discuss, the contingentof the cantons being furnished, 
not in money but in men ; so that, while the revenue of the 
union hardly exceeds the insignificant sum of 35,000/., the 
military establishment ready at its call amounts to 33,000 men. 
History .—The Helvetii are well known to the readers of 
the campaigns of Julius Caesar, but are less frequently men¬ 
tioned in Roman history after the empire consolidated its 
frontier on the side of Germany. After participating in the 
ravages brought on the Roman provinces by the irruption of 
the northern hordes, and passing a long period immersed in 
barbarism, the Swiss are recognized in history in connection 
with Germany, and as receiving from time to time certain 
privileges and immunities from the head of the empire. In 
imitation of the free towns of Germany, the districts of 
Switzerland entered into associations with their neighbours, 
to preserve their territory from invasion, and their property 
from seizure. The 13th century, the era of the election of 
the politic Rodolph of Hapsburg to the head of the empire, 
was that of the extension of the Austrian influence over the 
chief part of Switzerland. Rodolph’s son, Albert, a prince 
of less caution, assumed a lofty tone towards the Swiss, and 
appointed as governors or high bailiffs, men of overbearing 
character. It was the tyranny of one of these, named Geys- 
ter, that led to the insurrection of the three mountainous 
districts of Schweitz, Uri, and Unterwalden, in 1308, when 
the imperial officers were seized, conducted to the frontier, 
and obliged to take an oath that they never should return. 
The intestine troubles of Austria prevented retaliatory mea¬ 
sures; but at a subsequent date, in the year 1345, on some 
fresh provocation from these confederates, Leopold, brother 
of the reigning emperor, advanced at the head of an armed 
force. A small band of 1400 Swiss awaited his approach 
in the defile of Morgarten, between a lake and a steep 
mountain. The Austrians, relying on their superiority, 
marched forward; but, assailed by rocks and trees precipi¬ 
tated from the mountain, and attacked when in confusion 
by their intrepid opponents, they fled, with the loss of 1500 
men. Encouraged by this success, the three cantons now 
converted their temporary association into a permanent 
league, formed an alliance with Bavaria, and were joined 
soon after (see the preceding table), by five other cantons, 
of which the largest, by much, was Berne. They were now 
sufficiently strong to repel invasion, and obtained, in 1476, 
at Morat in Friburg, a signal victory over an army of Bur¬ 
gundians. The confederacy, after consisting, during a cen¬ 
tury and a half, of eight cantons, received the addition of 
five more, making 13, the number by which the Swiss com¬ 
monwealth is known in the history of Europe. Their mili¬ 
tary constitution, joined to the rugged and uninviting nature 
of their country, secured them from further attempts at in¬ 
vasion ; so that, if we except some intestine quarrels about 
religion, happily short lived, the Swiss, during nearly five 
centuries, saw very little of war, except in the service of 
foreign powers. At last, in 1798, the French directory, 
occupying Lombardy on the one side, and the Rhenish pro¬ 
vinces on the other, determined to add Switzerland to their 
acquisitions, invaded it with a force which it was impossible 
even for the mountaineers to resist, and succeeded in new 
modelling the Helvetic constitution. Next year the success 
of the Austrians brought them and their Russian allies into 
the heart of Switzerland, but a reverse of fortune obliged 
them to retire. The treaty of Amiens provided for the evacu¬ 
ation of Switzerland by the French ; but no sooner had the 
latter withdrawn, than the inhabitants began to re-assert 
their independence, by reverting to the former government; 
on this Buonaparte marched an armed force into the heart of 
their country, and imposed on them a constitution in which, 
under the plausible name of Mediator, he secured, on as 
large a scale as possible, the co-operation of the Swiss in his 
future wars. Numbers of this nation were led by him into 
Germany, Spain, Russia, and, after maintaining the high 
military character of their ancestors, fell the victims of his 
ambition. At last, in the spring of 1814, the allied armies 
approached the Swiss frontier, and entered it with an over¬ 
powering force, refusing to acknowledge the neutrality of 
Switzerland, but promising it future independence. They 
proved faithful to their engagement. The number of can¬ 
tons, increased by the French to 19, was now carried, by 
the addition of the Valais, Geneva, and Neufchatel, to 22, 
the integrity and independence of which were recognized in 
1815 by the congress of Vienna. Austria, however, reserved 
to herself the Valteline, a mountainous district in the south¬ 
east of Switzerland, and formerly a dependency of the Gri- 
sons. For full particulars of the early history of Switzerland, 
see Helvetia. 
SWITZERLAND, a county of the United States, in In¬ 
diana, bounded west by Jefferson, south by the Ohio river, 
north in part by Indian lands, and east by Dearborn county. 
Its surface is, in some places, broken by the Ohio and Silver 
Creek hills, which, however, are of a pretty good soil. It 
is watered by Venoge and Plum creeks, and several small 
runs; some running into the Ohio, and others into White 
river. Vevay is the chief town. Population in 1815, 3500. 
SWITZERLAND, New, a settlement of the United 
States, in Indiana, which was commenced by a few emi¬ 
grants from the Pays de Vaud, in the spring of 1805, for 
the purpose of cultivating the vine. As early as the year 
1810, eight acres of vineyard were under cultivation, from 
which were made 2400 gallons of wine, which in its crude 
state was thought excellent, and equal to the claret of Bour- 
deaux. A part of this wine was made out of the Madeira 
grape. The quantity of vineyard grounds has been since 
greatly augmented, and there is every prospect of still further 
improvements in this interesting and profitable branch of 
cultivation. 
SWIVEL, s. [sweif, Icel., volva, instrumentum quo 
aliquid circumrotatur; sweifa, volutare. Sereniusi] Some¬ 
thing fixed in another body so as to turn round in it. A 
small cannon, which turns on a swivel. 
SWO'BBER, s. A sweeper of the deck. 
Cubb'd in a cabbin, on a mattrass laid. 
On a brown george with lousy swobbers fed. Dryden. 
Four privileged cards that are only incidentally used in 
betting at the game of whist.—The clergyman used to play 
at whist and swobbers: playing now and then a sober 
game at whist for pastime, it might be pardoned; but he 
could not digest those wicked swobbers. Swift. 
SWOJANOW, a small town in the east of Bohemia; 94 
miles east-south-east of Prague, and 9 south-east of Politzka. 
Population ] 100., Plumbago is found in the environs. 
SWO'LLEN, or Swoln. The participle passive of swell. 
[fpollen, Sax.] 
Unto his aid she hastily did draw 
Her dreadful beast, who, swoln with blood of late. 
Came ramping forth with proud presumptuous gait. Spenser. 
SWOM, 
