Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

La vigilia del '48
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previously to have coniributed the mediation of England, as soon as he was apprized of the capitili ali on of the Sonderbund, he considered the matter at an end, and declined ali farther interference.31) But such was not the case with the representatives of the other powers, who stili persisted in urging their mediation; but the matter was terminated hy the pronipt and spirited reply of the Swiss Diet to the note of the French Ambassador, in which they declined the offered mediation, in the following terms viz, although the Diet is very grateful for the solioitude, which the high powers deign to express for Switzer-land, it can not accept the offer that is made to it; because the facts supposed by the government of the king [of France] and Iris allies do not exist, and especially because the prinoiple ilself of the proposed mediation is not in harmony either with the position recognized for the Swiss nailon in Europe, by treaties, or with the constitution of the confederalion .32 Order seems again to be restored, through out the cautons of the confederation, and thus with but little dimculty or bloodshed, has an important step been achieved towards the emancipati on of Europe. There is a ciroumslance arising out of the matter which can mot but be interesting to our government at 'this tóme; it is to witness not only the example set us by a government, in the very heart of Europe, but to behold at the sanie time the perfect indifferenee with which ali the other powers of this continent regard the course taken by the Swiss Diet in making the citizens of the Sonderbund, their own fellow country men, defray ali the expenses of the war, whilst they pretend to look with such holy horror upon a shnilar step proposed by the United States against a foreign and aggressing nation.. The following are the terms laid down by the Swiss Diet, for their vanquished brethren, and which I have thought of sumcient importance at the present time, to communicate.
lst The Sonderbund shall bear ali the costs of the war, as well as ali the expenses resulting from their opposition to the wili of the Diet.
2nd They shall secure the payment in advance and make the sanie according to the scale of Swiss eurrency.
3rd By the 3rd of December 1847 one milMon of Swiss francs shall be paid.33)
4th The halance shall be paid upon the conclusion of the Diet, either in cash or secured paper.
5th Untai these terms shall be complied with, the military occupation of the country shall be continued.
6th The Sonderbund sball repair or make amends for ali the dama gè committed by the military in plunder or destruction.
The expenses from the 25th of October to the 3rd of December 1847 amount to 3,163,000 francs and by the end of the occupation will reach 5,011,000 franca.
31 ) La politica inglese nella guerra del Sonderbund è trattata a fondo in KARL ECKINCER, Lord Palmerston und der Schtveizer Soiulerbundskrieg, Berlin, 1938; per un più recente esame del problema, vedi ANN G. IMLAH, Britain and Switzerland, 1845-1860, Hamden, 1966, pp. 19-41.
32) Stiles cita direttamente dalla risposta della Dieta alla nota francese del 80 no* remore; vedi British Sessione! Papers, House of Common, 1847-1848, voi. LXV, pp. 647-650.
33) Secondo le condizioni della resa accettate dal cantone di Valais, la somma di un milione di franchi svìzzeri doveva essere pagata dal Sonderbund prima o il 20 dicembre 1847, e non, come riporta Stiles, il 3 dicembre; vedi ibidem, voi. LXV, p. 662.