USA > Vermont > Washington County > Montpelier > Addresses delivered before the Vermont Historical Society and the Vermont Historical and Antiquarian Society > Part 12
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Let those who blame the operations of the Swiss Free Corps, or . Volunteers, remember what bands of worse than savages, spiritual and political despots have often let loose upon Liberals ; let them recall the invasion of Kansas by hordes of Missourian desperadoes ; and let them recollect that no sooner had the Uitramontane coalition or Swiss Sonderbund gained the advantage over the Free Corps by the "Fratricide on the Trient," than they actually forbade the practice of private worship, to Swiss Protestants, in THEIR OWN Canton. "The Grand Coun- cil of the Valais decided that the Roman Catholic religion alone should a have worship culte." Louis XIV had scarce- ly claimed more despotic authority over his Reformed sub- jects than the Ultramontanists exerted, where they had
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the power of influencing citizens to tyrannize over their fellow citizens. ZSCHOKKE says that now the assertion of the PREBENDARY of RIVAZ was made good :- " That Valais first of all was to be Catholic, then Swiss." As an antithesis to this declaration bear in mind that the ex- ponents of Slavery, at Richmond, assumed that any one who did not believe in the divine institution of Chat- telage, was an Abolitionist.
Thus it was made to appear to the world that the Liberals inaugurated the contest, whereas the opposite party had not only been long and secretly at work but were actually prepared to receive the attacks upon Sion and Lucerne which their crimes and conspiracies had oc- casioned. Are we not justified in stating that the sum- mons to arms issued by the Rebel leaders invited and justified a corresponding action in the Loyal party ? The Secessionists, both in Switzerland and the United States, acted on the principle of Cardinal RICHELIEU, that " a Lie which lasts four and twenty hours, makes great opera- tion." This sentiment is attributed to Frederic the Great, erroneously however. It did not originate with the atheistical soldier, but with a Cardinal of that church whose disciples dispersed to the winds the ashes of the martyred ZWINGLI mingled with those of swine. The Free Corps had the same plea for their organization and action that European liberals, like VICTOR HUGO, admit- ted as valid in favor of JOHN BROWN. I am not here to justify or condemn John Brown. I should not and I would not presume even farther to discuss the subject .- I have simply referred to it as an historical fact in order to show how human events repeat themselves, even as to details, and that,'therefore, a critical study of history is often equivalent to personal experience in a mind capable of close analysis and comparison.
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In many respects, even to particulars, the parallel between the ideas, assumptions and operations of the Swiss-Separate-League-Cantons and the American-Seces- sion-States has been perfect. When Switzerland's War · of Independence had been triumphantly terminated, ZWINGLI, the first and most practical of the Reformers, took his solemn stand against the Interventions of that Church, or rather Schism, which has been the Remittent Fever of the Confederation from his day to the present. In this prescience, he closely resembles our WASHINGTON, to whom Zwingli has been compared, in regard to his warnings against foreign influences and entangling alli- ances. Both alike were reverenced by the wise and the good everywhere, and respected and beloved at home .- Both were true patriots, devoted to the best interests of their several countries, and "magnanimous." What a vast scope of the highest eulogy does the last epithet, justly applied, embrace. Zwingli energetically protested, I re- peat, with intrepid persistence against the lures and wiles of foreign incitations and entangling coalitions, and fell a victim to his foresight. His warnings were prophetic. The Influences, he denounced, as susceptible of produ- cing such demoralizing consequences, equivalent to the effects of Slavery, were the causes of differences and bloodshed in Switzerland from his day to the present time, and even so Slavery, proper, has always kept our own country in a state of feverish excitement, and has ended in producing one of the bloodiest wars upon re- cord. Alas, too soon for his country and the world, ZWINGLI fell a martyr to the animosity aroused by his patriotic eloquence.
Looking back two hundred and seventy years we find that the SONDERBUND of the XVIth Century known as the Borromean or GOLDEN LEAGUE of 1586, whose pretended
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object was simply mutual protection and assistance, was not only a defensive but likewise an aggressive alliance. Just so the SONDERBUND of 1843-'6. In our own case the Slave Party, its adherents and parasites, were never .contented with the enjoyment of their own rights, but unceasingly endeavored to invade the prerogatives of others; to stem the tide of liberal progress and of free- dom; and to acquire new guarantees for their very en- croachments. In a lesser degree and sphere we have seen the same spirit germinate into the treasonable Asso- ciation of the Knights of the GOLDEN CIRCLE, a fitting title, with an object analogous to that of the Golden League, the violation of the Constitution, the extension of slavery, and the subversion of Liberty.
Just as the Ultramontanists of Switzerland first violated the spirit and transgressed the limits of Federal compact, just so the Slavocrat political leaders eluded the restraints of the American Constitution. Their unreasonable ex- actions and inexcusable violence, their cries of " Give !" "Give !" never to be satisfied, excited the Liberals, in both countries, to reprisals. In Switzerland the true Repub- lieans took up arms simply to re-establish their brethren, the Unionists, within the territories of the traitorous alli- ance, in the possessions of those privileges which had been ravished from them by force. In the same manner the American Republicans responded to the Federal call to re-establish a violated Constitution. If, in order to do 60, they were compelled to break the fetters of the Slave, what right had the chattel-owners to complain ? Had they not trampled and spat upon the very compact which protected them in their unrighteous tyranny ; their hold upon the bodies and souls of their fellow men.
As hereinbefore mentioned the Treaty of Alliance constituting the Sonderbund (SECESSION Compact or Sep-
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arate LEAGUE of UR.SchWYZ, Old or Primitive Switzer- land,) was made public at FREYBURG in May, 1846. In June it was, as it were, officially promulgated.
Nothing new however was published, for Swiss Treason, like Southern Secession, had not been deliberated in se- cret. The very publicity of its proceedings and threats led the majority to suppose that there was more in them of menace than intention. Practical men could not be- lieve that Cantofis or States would sacrifice their interests to their passions.
Honest and sober men, however, both in Switzerland and in this country, were woefully mistaken.
Even as Secession arraved ELEVEN SLAVEHOLDING STATES, and relied with certainty on the co-operation of THREE more to resist the efforts of the Union abiding nineteen Free States, the Sonderbund arrayed seven Se- ceding Cantons against twelve Cantons and two Half- Cantons faithful to the Constitution. One Canton and two IIa'f-Cantons, like our doubting or doubtful Border States, remained indifferent, and constituted what has been styled the " Neutral Sonderbund." The effect of their attitude was like that of a cold palsy, upon many in the loyal districts who ocenpied about the same unin- teresting position as the Anti-coercion Unionists among us. One Canton, the money-making city of Basle, was deterred from decided action by fears of trade, but the Basle country, like rural New York, was truc as stcel to the Constitution and Union.
It may be interesting to consider the relative position and forces of the two camps into which Switzerland was decided.
Here was a little free country containing less than 2,400,000 inhabitants, all told, surrounded by mighty
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sovereignties sympathising with, and aiding, the revolu- tionists, menaced by an internal convulsion, which ar- rayed 416,000 people, disposed in natural fortresses of prodigious strength and susceptible of protracted resist- · ance, against 1,860,000 faithful subjects and about 111,000 neutrals. The proportion was LIBERALS, FEDERALISTS Or UNIONISTS, eighteen, to Ultramontanists, Sonderbundists or Rebels, five, to Neutrals, one. The relative numbers in our own case are about the same, throwing out the slave element, Loyalists or Unionists, nineteen and one-fourth, Slavocrats, Secessionsts or Rebels, five, Neutrals, three .- Our Rebels however have this advantage, that their Slaves are a source of Strength, and the Sympathy of our Copperheads or Peace party almost divided our forces.
The relative area of loyal and rebel territory were in both cases not much unlike. The territory of the Swiss Secession Cantons was, it is true, much more dislocated than that of the Confederate States, but its actual sus- ceptibility of defence was not inferior. The Districts of the Separate League lay in a crescent shape, somewhat resembling one of the medieval hunting horns, with a very large bell and mouth-piece. The latter, to the West, rested upon the Lake of NEUCHATEL, while the LAKE of the FOUR CANTONS not inaptly represented the orifice of the former. The SONDERBUND (Secession League) certainly enjoyed the best position militarily considered, for their troops could operate on interior lines while the Federals, as in our own case, were obliged to move on difficult exterior lines.
What is more, just as the Secessionists had the pick, as they supposed, of our West Point officers, the Swiss Rebels had the advantage of entrusting their commands to leaders of great experience who had witnessed and
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participated in the operations of actual war upon a large scale. Many of these officers were the more devoted to the Ultramontane party, and the more bitterly opposed the Liberals, from the fact that their talents had been exercised in the service of the king of Naples and other despotic monarchs, where their superior abilities, Swiss courage, and the confidence, which their national charac- ter justified, had given them opportunities far beyond those commensurate with their actual rank. Foreign officers also joined this unholy league.
These coincidences could be followed out much further would time permit, but one point remains to be noticed. While the Ultramontanists, like the Slave faction, Seces- sionists and Copperheads, were claiming the most unre- stricted liberty for themselves, their tyranny exceeded all bounds, They abolished the Liberty of the Press, and permitted just as much free speech as would furnish an excuse for the punishment of the speaker. PESTALOZZI, the celebrated Swiss "St. Vincent de Paul of Education," furnishes the only excuse for the excesses of the Separate League Cantons. "He saw that the principal CAUSE of the misery of the multitude was their IGNORANCE, which did not allow them to make use of their political rights, even for the amelioration of their position." The same can be the only explanation for the action and atrocities of the Rebels. Moreover had our Rebels been less igno- rant, they would not have permitted themselves to be slaughtered and expended for the interests of a wicked oligarchy.
In the month of May, 1846. as we have said, the treaty of disunion constituting the Sonderbund (Separate League or Secession-Union) of Ur-Schweiz (the Switzerland of old time) was published.
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Nothing new, however, was promulgated, for just as treason at the South has been germinating for thirty years, so the Sonderbund doctrine was completely sys- tematized some time before the first attack was made upon the Swiss secessionists by the liberals.
Nine months of conciliatory negotiation elapsed before the Swiss Diet came to the decision to act by force of arms. During that time the constitutional party was gradually becoming more and more satisfied that nothing remained but a resort to the "ultima ratio regum." The attitude of the Sonderbundists discovered that all other reasoning was in vain. Much the same state of things existed in the secession cantons as now exists in the seceding states. There, as here, there was a minority Union party who made themselves heard. There, as here, they attempted to make themselves felt also, but, "whelmed in blood and tears," they were trampled under foot with savage severity by a treasonable majority. The Unionists at Lucerne and in other seceding cantons, ex- perienced exactly what would be the fate of a conserva- tive minority in Charleston, exactly what has been the fate of such a minority in Tennessee. They were either bayoneted, or crushed by legal prosecution, into silence.
The Rebel Swiss ought to have fought well. They were fanatics in the closest application of the word, and of a race brave, under any circumstances, to a proverb. They had sharpened their swords on the tomb of the mar- tyred St. Maurice, their rifles had been solemnly blessed by their spiritual guides, visions and miracles had been reported to cheer their hopes, and human assistance from abroad, and supernatural intervention from above, were confidently expected.
Spiritual avarice, if the term be admissable, lent that vigor to the Sonderbund that the thirst for material
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wealth, borrowing the mantle of chivalry, had infused into the lords and champions of Cottondom.
Slowly but surely the unionist cantons proceeded with . their preparations. On the 20th of July, 1847, the con- servative portion of the Diet declared the Sonderbund, or Separate League, dissolved, and by successive decrees 11th August and 3d September, proceeded to forbid the introduction of arms into the revolted states, and finally 20th-29th October, to organize its forces for definitive action. In other words, the loyal and truc cantons made ready to enforce the laws and coerce the rebels into sub- mission.
Then MEYER, deputy of Lucerne, in behalf of the Sond- erbund-Seven, rose in the Federal Diet and said "The moment has come for us to withdraw." Invoking God's name, he cast upon the Federal, Loyal or Union repre- sentatives all present and future responsibility for coming events. Then the Rebel deputies departed. Had our Arch-rebel DAVIS and his associates critically studied the conduct of the Swiss secession leaders, they could not have imitated and repeated with more hypocritical solemnity the farce of an unvoluntary departure-a withdrawing, a sundering, a Secession, deliberately planned and long since resolved upon, which was to plunge a peaceful, prosperous people in flames, in blood and in tears.
The Swiss Sonderbund Campaign.
The political difficulties in Switzerland had now reached their climax. The analogous period of our own struggle was the time of President Lincoln's inauguration. 'To use the quaint but emphatic old English phraseology, Loyalty and Disloyalty looked one another in the face. Both parties felt that the question, now, could not be
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determined without bloodshed. The Federal Dict might, with reason, have addressed to the Rebel Administrative Council, the words of King JOHN to the French monarch, before the walls of Angiers:
Peace be to France ; if France in peace permit
Our just and lineal entrance to our own ! If not ; bleed France, and peace ascend to heaven ! While's we, God's wrathful agent, do correct
Their proud contempt that beat His peace to heaven.
These sentiments of England's King convey the very gist of Lincoln's inaugural. What a difference, however, between the immediate consequents of the declaration of the Swiss Federal Diet and those of the Presidential Address.
The first Swiss Federal Call for Volunteers was for 50,000 men, equal in proportion to our population to a levy of 550,000. President LINCOLN's first demand was for 75,000 men, equal in proportion to the Swiss popula- tion to less than 7,000.
This was the GREAT MISTAKE of our War.
The second Swiss Federal Call was for 90,000 men, equivalent in the United States to a levy of 1,000,000; 100,000 responded.
Literally,-
"The drum was beat ; and lo !
The plough, the work-shop is forsaken, all Swarm to the old, familiar, long-loved banner."
and bound upon their left arms, above the elbow, the red band, emblazoned with the white Helvetian cross, the symbol of National or Federal service. This Armlet is a token that the Militiaman is no longer at the disposition of the individual Canton or State, to which he belongs, but of the whole Confederation or Union.
On the mountains and in the valleys, in the marts and in the manufactories of every loyal territory, the cry " To
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Arms ! the country is in danger !" was universal. Every- where men felt and acted up to the sentiment.
"Ever constant, ever true, Let the Word be No SURRENDER ! Boldly dare, and greatly do : This shall bring us greatly through : NO SURRENDER ! NO SURRENDER !"
On the 26th October, 1847, General DUFOUR, of Geneva, the Federal Commander-in-Chief, issued his proclamation to an Army of from 90,000 to 100,000 confederated free- men, formed into six divisions, with two hundred and sixty pieces of artillery. To these the Secession party opposed 30,000, in Lucerne, besides an army corps in other districts, and multitudes of mere militia filled with ra- ging enthusiasm. The bloodthirstiness evinced long beforehand by the Ultras of the Sonderbund was horrible, as repugnant to civilization as that of the majority of our Secessionists. "All means were employed to excite fana- ticism. . The Papal Nuncio himself blessed the banners · of those going to the frontiers, as formerly before the fra- tricidal war of Villmergen. Jesuits were appointed field- .chaplains. Blessed amulets were distributed to the hordes of the Landsturm, to protect them from shot and sword, and preachers from the pulpit assured all the people of the assistance of the Virgin Mary to preserve them from death and make their victory sure."
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The regularly organized forces of the Sonderbund have been estimated as high as 36,000, supported by a Lands- turm of 48,000. Total disposable numbers 83,000. From a comparison of all the different statements, between regu- larly organized troops, militia proper, &c., out of a popu- lation of 2,400,000, at least 200,000 must have been in the field, or in garrison, or doing duty with the armies in the opposing camps. This would be equivalent to 2,250,
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000 out of the population of our whole country, North and South.
It may seem surprising that a comparatively poor country like Switzerland could set in motion so large an army at so short a notice. The explanation is clear and convincing. The Cantons possess a Militia so admirably organized that it can be placed on a war footing at once. The Swiss motto is one which should be ours, "no Regu- lar Army but every Citizen a Soldier." Our constitution contemplated this result. The Swiss Federal triumph was undoubtedly due to this preparation for WAR in time of PEACE.
Dufour's address, "as energetic as it was moderate," seemed like the signal of the prompter for the rolling up of the curtain. Through what a series of magnificent scenery, rolled on the vigorous action of the short but startling, stringent but splendid, drama of Swiss military coercion.
Strong in the Righteousness of their cause, the Loyal columns. marched out from their homes to extinguish Secession. Moving proudly on, battery to battery, squad- ron to squadron, battalion to battalion answered with,-
"A martial song like a trumpet's call."
From street and door-step, window and house top, hill and valley, matrons and maids, and all incapable of bear- ing arms, echoed encouragement .-
"Singing of men that in battle array,
. Ready in heart and ready in hand,
March with banner and bugle and fife, To the Death for their Native Land." .
"Singing of Death, and of honor that cannot die"- Death or the Salvation of the Fatherland.
General WILLIAM HENRY DUFOUR, the Crusher of the Sonderbund, like our MEADE, the Hero of Gettysburgh,
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was not by birth a Swiss.
Even as MEADE was born at Cadiz, in Spain, the son of Pennsylva- nian parents, even so DUFOUR, although born at Constance, in Baden, sprang from a family natives of Geneva. In the latter city he received his early educa- tion and made mathematics his peculiar study. When Geneva had been incorporated with France, he entered in 1807, the Polytechnic school at Paris, and, in 1809, received his first commission in the corps of military Engineers. *
To this peculiarly scientific branch of the service we owe several of our best Generals, such as ROSECRANS, GILLMORE, MEADE, if a combination not a speciality of talent is the test of superiority.
At the period Dufour was appointed Commander-in- Chief, he had attained the age of 60 years. In personal `appearance, if his portrait exposed for sale at the time, is reliable, he closely resembled, in face and form, our illustrious and lamented Clay, nor did he yield to that
* DUFOUR participated in the last campaigns of the Empire, and rose to the rank of Captain. After the fall of Napoleon he entered the Swiss Federal Service. and soon became Colonel. the highest recognized grade. In 1831. he was appointed Chief of the General Staff, and a short time afterwards Quarterinaster-General .- To him was confided the Direction of the Triangulation, the basis of the Topo- graphical map of Switzerland. As Chief Instructor of Engineering at the Federal Military School at Thun, he rendered important services to his country. In 1940, he published his " Memoir on the Artillery of Antiquity and of the Middle Ages." and, in 1842, his "Manual of TACTICS for Officers of ALL ARME." one of the best works of the kind in existence. In 1847, DUFOUR, at the age of 60. received. with the title of General, the command of the Army opposed to the SONDERBUND. "His skillful manouvres speedily insured the Triumph of Liberal Siritzerland. Fore- stalled by the rapidity of his action. foreign governments did not dare to interfere, and the Roman Catholics sued for pardon. This CAMPAIGN preserved the UNITY and. perhaps. the INDEPENDENCE of the HELVETIAN CONFEDERATION." It won for General DUFOUR numerous testimonials of National gratitude. The Federal Diet voted him a Sabre of Honor and a Donative of ($8,000) 40.000 france. Dict : des Contemporains.) Since this triumphant proof of his ability, Drroun has been employed in a number of diplomatic missions. secret as well as public. in all of which he acquired as much credit and respect es in his military operations. Dt- POUR is Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honor.
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noble exponent of loyal sentiments in the boldness, purity and self-negation of his patriotism.
"On the 4th November, 1847, a decree of the Diet ordered General Dufour to dissolve the Sonderbund by . force of arms." "Now the statesmen had done their part ; the sword must give the fatal blow." It was found difficult to bring such numerous battalions into the field and pay and feed them, at a time when Switzerland was still suffering from the effects of a year of scarcity and pecuniary embarrassments ; but the admirable energy of Berne, the metropolis, provided all. That canton had already imposed on itself all kinds of sacrifices. It had already emptied its treasury and its arsenals, yet it did not hesitate to lend half a million of Swiss francs to the confederation ; proving that it was still worthy of the glorious days of its War of Independence.
Even the Progress of Hostilities in SWITZERLAND bears out the Analogy to the present War in the UNITED STATES. Just as the first attack was made upon our Federal Troops, constituting the Garrisons of Forts SUM- TER and PICKENS, on our Eastern and South Eastern maritime frontier, before the idea of Coercion was fully inaugurated, just so attempts were made to resist the Federal authorities in the extreme Northern and North Eastern Cantons of AARGAU and ST. GALL. Both these partial insurrections, happily, had the same result as our Rebels attempt upon SANTA ROSA Island, opposite Pensa- cola. They were quickly suppressed. Nor was the first attack upon our Federal troops, stationed at the extreme South-western posts of the Union, in TEXAS, without a parallel abroad. Just so, before the Swiss national army was fully arrayed, the Sonderbund faction transported a body of Uranians, troops of Uri, with great difficulty, across the Lepontian Alps, and made an attack upon the
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Federals in the outlying Canton of TICINO, which projects southwards like a cape, into Lombardy. The first result however in the TESSINESE was the exact reverse of that in TEXAS, since two of the Sonderbundist leaders paid for their temerity with their lives. The Loyal Swiss had a LYON there, just as we had when most needed, in Missouri, -Colonel LUVINI. Happier than our lamented soldier- martyr, he survived the war to wear the laurels he had nobly won in defending the integrity of his country. This affair occurred on the southern slope of the St. Gothard, famous for the transit of SUWARROW in 1800. Thus blood had been shed by the rebels, on the very day that the Proclamation was issued for the Suppression of the Separate League, by force of arms.
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