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taken in it of the constitution. "Henceforth (the king is made to say) Sicily has a written constitution, destined to establish order in the movements of power, that they be not thrown into confusion; to assign limits to the various political functions, that they do not invade each other; to fix the grand point where private rights and public wants should meet; to protect civil liberty, and the full and entire security of persons and property. Destined henceforth to lay the foundation of the prosperity and welfare of the Sicilians; modelled after that of a great and elevated nation, which has given and continues daily to give proofs of its wealth, its power, and magnanimity, this constitution has always been the object of my affectionate and paternal sentiments." The speech proceeds to remark, that this constitution, however, has not hitherto fully answered to the general expectation, which is imputed to the effects of war, and the convulsions usually occasioned by great and sudden changes. After expressing a hope of future unanimity, it gives a summary summary view of the business which is to Occupy the present attention of the parliament, of which the most urgent is stated to be providing for the payment of the public debt. It concludes with a compliment to his august ally, the king of Great Britain, and to Lord William Bentinck, as captain-general of the united forces.

An unfortunate proof of the yet unsettled state of the Sicilian constitution appeared in the disputes which inmediately occurred respecting the elections of deputies; and the representatives of

Palermo, Messina, Catania, Syracuse, and several other towns, were excluded, as having been unconstitutionally chosen. New elections were therefore ordered, and the parliament was adjourned, or rather closed, on the 23rd. This was probably a manœuvre of party; for we are informed that after the dismission of the parliament, great discontents prevailed, the government appeared in open opposition to the English, and persons who had obtained offices through English influence were every day dismissed, and some of them arrested.

The sentiments of the Sicilian court with respect to the possessor of its former continental dominions were explicitly expressed, by an order communicated in October from the commandant of the district of Messina to the commander of the Neapolitan troops in Calabria, importing that upon no pretext whatever, should any vessel bearing the flag of king Joachim be admitted into the ports and on the coasts of Sicily.

We are destitute of regular reports of the public proceedings in this island; but an account from Palermo, dated November 10th, mentions that the parliament was then continuing its sittings; and that it had passed a decree recognising as a national debt, the loan negociated with Great Britain by the princes of Castelnovo, and Bonano, but without meaning to authorize the illegal conduct of those ministers, who, by contracting this debt without the consent of the parliament, had violated its constitutional privileges. If that body manifested a vigorous character in this point, it gave a proof

of the existence of much bolder views, at least in some of its members, by a measure brought forwards in the Chamber of Commons on November 7th. The large proportion of landed property in Sicily possessed by the ecclesiastical corporations is the cause that the number of landholders is very inconsiderable, to the great detriment of agriculture. As a remedy for this evil, the plan of a law was proposed, enacting the perpetual alienation of all ter

ritorial property, domainal or feudal, held by churches, pious foundations, orders of knighthood, episcopal sees, and universities, under the condition of an annual payment to the present titulars, calculated upon their existing emolu ments. There seems, however, little probability that such a sweeping innovation, so contrary to the spirit elsewhere prevailing, will be adopted in an assembly of which the noble and ecclesiastical orders are a constituent part.

CHAPTER VIII.

Switzerland.-Federal Compact published.-Opposition of the Canton of Bern.-Dissentions in the Cantons.-Interference of the Allied Powers.-Diet assembled.-Compact amended and signed.-Its principal Articles.-Geneva restored to Independence.-Its Constitution and Union with the Swiss Confederacy.-Seven United Provinces.Meeting of the States General.—Speech of the Sovereign.-State of Finances.-Dutch Colonies restored.-Catholic Netherlands.-Their projected Union with Holland.-Prince of Orange constituted their Provisional Governor.-His Address to the Belgians.-Occupation of Belgium by Troops.-Decree concerning French Settlers.-Decree respecting the Press.-Garrisons in the different Towns.— Session of the Dutch States General.

WHILST the greater part of

the subordinate states on the European continent were waiting, in suspense, and under provisional occupation, the decision of the great powers respecting their future condition, the Swiss confederacy was employed in settling at a national diet the terms on which they were hereafter to exist as an independent community. In the beginning of July, a Federal Compact of the Cantons was accepted by the Grand Council. The sovereign cantons composing the confederation, in number nineteen, were thus enumerated Uri, Schweitz, Underwald, Lucerne, Zurich, Glaris, Zug, Bern, Friburg, Soleure, Basil, Schaffhausen, Appenzel, St. Gall, the Grisons, Argovia, Thurgovia, Tessin, and Vaud.

The plan of confederation, consisting of a number of articles, was based upon a principle of equality of rights among all the communities forming the Hel

vetic body, which, however wise

in theory, as conducive to a solid union, could scarcely fail of exciting discontent in such of the cantons as were reduced in their relative importance, and especially those which had possessed subjects. At the head of these was Bern, long the most wealthy and populous of the cantons, and the sovereign of several dependent districts which it had ruled as a master. Not long after the publication of the federal compact, the Avoyer and Council of the republic of Bern issued a proclamation addressed to "their faithful and dear subjects of the Canton," which began with reciting the infraction of the ancient Swiss confederation by the power of France in 1798, and the restoration of the legitimate government in Bern, under the influence of the allied powers, in the last December. It then complained of the renewal of all the former acts of injustice towards the canton by the new

federal pact, which had parcelled out the canton of Bern still more than heretofore, had stripped it of rights over countries acquired by their ancestors, and separated it from its ancient subjects. After stating some other grounds of complaint, the proclamation proceeded to mention the sacrifices which the canton had been willing to make for the sake of union. The grand council had not only abandoned the rights of the state over the ancient common seignories, but had expressed their intention to leave, upon equitable conditions, its liberty to the country of Vaud. They could not, out of gratitude to their subjects of Argovia for their fidelity, renounce the Bernese part of that country, but they had opened a plan for their union with the canton, and had offered them a share in all the rights and advantages of Bernese subjects. The paper concluded with expressing a desire to defend the constitution and rights of the canton against all attacks, and called upon all to whom it was addressed, for their support.

Switzerland was at this time far from being in a tranquil state. The Vaudois and the Argovians were resolute in asserting their independence on Bern. Some time before, a conspiracy was formed at Soleure for taking possession of the town, and deposing the ruling party, which was disconcerted by an accident; and its ill success was said to have prevented the execution of a similar plot at Bern. The canton of St. Gall having made a demand of a federal aid from the Diet, on account of a spirit of disobedience manifested in the districts of Uznach and

Sargans, the ministers of the allied powers thought it proper to interpose by a note addressed to the Diet on August 8th. In this, the ministers express their regret for the doubts they have been compelled to entertain of the firmness with which they hoped that body would maintain the arrangements of their circular of May 31st, which established the immutability of the status quo of the possessions of every canton, and inhabitants, till the definitive setof the political relations of their tlement of affairs in general; and in a tone of authority they require the preservation of the public peace by a vigorous execution of position, together with the disthat provisory law. This interturbed state of Switzerland, appear to have excited very serious apprehensions in the political leaders, and on August 16th, the President of the Diet addressed in his own name (that body not then sitting), a circular to all the governments of the cantons. reciting the violent opposition After which the Federal Compact had met with, and the necessity under which the Diet had found itself of fraining a new plan with various modifications, the President warmly exhorts the cantons to unanimity, and proceeds to say, "A note of the ministers of Austria, Russia, and England, officially communicated to the deputashews the danger which a longer tions in our sitting of this day, division may draw down upon our country. The opening of the General Congress, a period of the land in particular, as well as to greatest importance to SwitzerEurope in general, is approaching.

Switzerland attracts the attention of foreign powers; and it daily becomes more probable, that if the Swiss confederation be not fixed at that time, her constitution will no longer depend on herself, but her fate be determined without her participation." He then announces the intention of the Diet to return to Zurich on the 4th of September, in order to resume its deliberations on the following day, and take the necessary steps to obtain the guaranty of the independence of Switzerland at the general congress, and regulate its political interests.

The Diet having assembled at the time appointed, was not long in coming to a conclusion on this weighty point; and on September 8th made a decree, that the treaty of alliance between the nineteen cantons, of which the tenor was subjoined, should be signed and sealed as a true federal convention. The following are the most important articles of this compact. The cantons reciprocally guarantee each other's constitution, as accepted by the chief authorities of each canton in conformity with the principles of the alliance; and also their territories. For the maintenance of the guaranty, a contingent of troops is appointed to be raised, in a specified proportion for each canton, calculated at two men in every hundred, and amounting to a total of 30,000; which proportion is subject to revision in 1815. A contribution for defraying the expenses of war and of the confederation is next allotted for each canton, the whole sum being 490,507 francs; in addition to which, a federal treasury is established, to be supplied by duties on foreign goods,

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not being articles of the first necessity. In case of danger, external or internal, each canton is entitled to claim the aid of the confederates; and all differences or claims between canton and canton, not provided for by the treaty of alliance, are to be decided by the confederation. No alliance is to be made between separate cantons unfavourable to the general confederation, or to the rights of other cantons. The confederation admits the principle, according to which, having recognized the 19 cantons, there is no longer any subject in Switzerland; whence the enjoyment of rights cannot any longer be the exclusive privilege of any particular class of citizens.

The Diet is to consist of nineteen members, one from each canton, every canton having a vote by its deputy. The business of the Diet is to take care of the affairs of the confederation. It declares war, makes peace, concludes alliances with foreign states, but in these important matters two-thirds of the voices are requisite for a determination; in others, a majority. It also decides on treaties of commerce. It names envoys from the confederation. The cantons may severally contract treaties to furnish soldiers, and other minor engagements with foreign powers, not infringing the general coufederation. Such was the main substance of this compact, which was ratified by the agreement of a majority of the cantons, and on which the Diet received the congratulations of the ministers of the three allied powers. An union of Geneva, Neufchatel, and the Vallais, with the Helvetic body, was afterwards effected.

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