The Swiss Republic

by Boyd Winchester

The above translation was kindly made by Professor W. E. Peters, of the University of Virginia, and in transmitting it he says: “I send you a literal rendering of the Pact, the original is exceedingly rough and incorrect according to classical standards. I think, however, the sense is given. I render vniversitas as district, and Commune might be embraced in brackets; I would render it Canton, but the Swiss Cantons were not then formed, and the term Commune hardly expresses the sense, as it is French. I have had in some cases to force translation where the Latin is absolutely corrupt and wrong. I have aimed to make the translation, as you desired, strictly according to the Latin, and not according to what was permissible with the Latin and its collocation.”

The Honorable John D. Washburn, United States Minister at Bern, in an article contributed to the American Antiquarian Society of Worcester, Mass., April, 1890, on the “Foundation of the Swiss Republic,” referring to the Pact of 1291, says: “The foundation stone on which it is generally understood that the whole superstructure [of the Swiss Republic] rests is known as the Pact—Letter of Alliance, Bundesbrief—of 1291. This is not a myth, but, apart, perhaps, from absolute exactness of date and some extraneous circumstances alleged to attend it, a well-established record of history. This instrument well repays a careful study, not only as a wonderfully bold declaration of modified independence at a very early day, but as especially interesting to the American student for the remarkable parallels of thought in the minds of these ancient men, and in the minds of those who nearly five hundred years later made the preliminary declarations of American Independence.”

INDEX.

• A.
• Aar, water system of the, [415].
• Aarau, peace of, [14].
• Aargau admitted, [16].
• conquest of, [13].
• Academy, military, [238].
• Act of mediation, [39].
• Administrative law, [90].
• Agricultural schools, [289].
• Agriculture, [290], [306].
• Alliance, Holy, Switzerland in the, [18].
• Letter of, [473], [477].
• Allmend, [181].
• future of, [183].
• Alpenglühen, [426].
• Alpenstocks, [375].
• Alphorn, [340].
• Alpine flowers, [371].
• hay-making, [326].
• Alps, [354].
• Alsace-Lorraine, [458].
• Altdorf, folkmote in, [155].
• Amendments, constitutional, [50], [51].
• American and Swiss constitutions compared, [54], [56], [59], [63].
• American elections compared with Swiss, [82].
• Appeals to federal tribunal, [109].
• Appellate courts, [136].
• criminal, [112].
• Appendix, [473].
• Appenzell admitted, [14].
• division of, [141].
• Inner, councils in, [159].
• Outer, folkmote in, [151].
• Arbitration, intercantonal, [104].
• international, [445].
• Armaments, European, [456].
• Army, active, [237].
• federal, [233].
• strength of, [239].
• Assembly, federal, [42], [65].
• local, [158].
• powers of, [71].
• Asylum, right of, [466].
• Ausser-Rhoden folkmote, [151].
• Authorities, federal, [49].
• Autonomy, cantonal, [146].
• communal, [176], [186].
• Avalanches, [366].
• B.
• Banquet, communal, [183].
• Basel admitted, [14].
• division of, [141].
• inheritance of property in, [218].
• Battle of Marignano, [14].
• of Morat, [13].
• of Morgarten, [11].
• of Sempach, [13].
• Beef, dried, [345].
• Bern, [411].
• aristocracy of, [423].
• codes in, [216].
• joins the league, [13].
• life in, [423].
• name of, [413].
• places of interest in, [420].
• surroundings of, [425].
• Bills of rights, [57].
• Bise, [23].
• Boundaries, [20].
• Breeds of cattle, [311].
• Brunnen, league of, [11].
• Bundesbrief, [473], [477].
• Bundesgericht, [104].
• See Federal Tribunal.
• Bundespräsident, [88], [97].
• Bundesrath, [85].
• See Federal Council.
• Bundesstaat defined, [36].
• established, [42].
• Bundesversammlung, [42], [65].
• Bürgergemeinde, [180].
• C.
• Cæsar and the Helvetians, [9].
• Calvin, character of, [30].
• Calvinism in Geneva, [29].
• Cantonal affairs, federal intervention in, [129].
• citizenship, [199].
• coinage, [123].
• conservatism, [160], [164].
• constitutions, [134], [146].
• courts, [136].
• customs, [160], [164].
• differences, [104].
• individuality, [144].
• institutions, [146].
• judges, [136].
• land laws, [215].
• officials, [141].
• revenues, [141].
• rights, [60], [146].
• sovereignty, [45], [130], [147].
• standards, [143].
• Cantons and half-cantons, [141].
• area and population of, [469].
• Catholic, [18], [29].
• chief magistracy of, [133].
• coercion of, [90].
• eight old, [13].
• elections in, [131].
• entry of, into confederation, [471].
• forest, [12], [13].
• history of, [123].
• legislation in, [131].
• present status of, [125].
• Protestant, [29].
• relations of, to the communes, [188].
• representation in, [131].
• sovereignty of, [45], [130], [147].
• status of, [38].
• Capital punishment, [48], [51], [139].
• Cassation, courts of, [136].
• tribunal of, [112].
• Cataracts, [370].
• Catholic cantons, [18], [29].
• Celtic ancestry, [9].
• Census of 1888, [24], [466].
• Cereals, [306].
• Chalets, [329], [332].
• Chamber, criminal, [112].
• of accusation, [112].
• Chamois, [337].
• Chancellery, federal, [49].
• Character of the peasants, [351].
• Chaux-de-Fonds, altitude of, [25].
• Cheese, [315].
• Citizenship, [47].
• acquirement of, [178], [200].
• American, [193].
• ancient Swiss, [191].
• cantonal, [199].
• communal, [177], [187], [193].
• defined, [192], [195].
• exit from, [203].
• history of, [191].
• instruction in its duties, [189].
• nature of, [202].
• renunciation of, [204].
• rights and duties of, [127], [134].
• state, defined, [196].
• Swiss, [198].
• Climate, [21].
• Codes, cantonal, [215].
• Coercion of cantons, [90].
• Coinage, old cantonal, [123].
• Colonial extension, [457].
• Commerce, [299].
• Commercial courts, [136].
• restrictions, [46].
• Common lands, [181].
• Communal assembly, [186].
• citizenship, [177], [187], [193].
• membership, [177].
• by purchase, [178].
• officers, [186].
• paupers, [188].
• relations to the cantons, [188].
• rights, [177].
• schools, [266].
• Commune defined, [174], [176].
• d’origine, [177].
• history of, [175].
• origin of, [189].
• powers of, [186].
• Communes and communities, [135].
• area of, [180].
• des bourgeois, [180].
• des habitants, [180].
• double, [180].
• local, [150].
• national, [150].
• population of, [180].
• property of, [181], [183].
• Composite state, [42].
• Concert, European, [456].
• Confederation and federation, [37].
• Helvetic, [40].
• powers of, [45].
• reform of, [43].
• Congress of Vienna, [40].
• Conservatism, cantonal, [160], [164].
• in government, [62].
• Conservative party, [83].
• Constitution, amendments of, [50], [51].
• compared with that of the United States, [54], [56], [59], [63].
• nature of, [61].
• of 1874, [43].
• Swiss, [34].
• text of, [44].
• Constitutions, cantonal, [131], [134], [146].
• Convention of 1848, [42].
• Convention of Geneva, [433].
• Copyright, international, [439].
• Corruption, absence of, [81].
• Costumes, [349].
• Council, blood, [159].
• communal, [186].
• federal, [76], [85]. See Federal Council.
• great, [158], [159].
• in Appenzell-interior, [159].
• in Unterwald-lower, [159].
• national, [65], [66], [68].
• of states, [65], [69].
• triple, [158].
• Councils, greater, [132].
• lesser, [133].
• Courts, cantonal, [136].
• commercial, [136].
• district, [136], [137].
• federal, [111].
• of cassation, [136].
• supreme, [137].
• See also Federal Tribunal.
• Courtship, primitive, [347].
• Covenant, original, [12], [473].
• Cows, Swiss, [310], [336].
• Cretinism, [429].
• Criminal courts, [112].
• Criminals, extradition of, [130].
• Curriculum in schools, [267], [268].
• Custom in cantonal business, [160], [164].
• D.
• Dairy products, [309].
• Decapitation, [141].
• Defensive preparations, [465].
• Democracy, early, [12], [148], [151].
• Department, political, [100].
• Departments, executive, [97].
• governmental, [49].
• Dependent classes, [188].
• Dialects, Swiss, [24].
• Diet, general, [39].
• Differences among cantons, [104].
• District courts, [136], [137].
• Dogs, St. Bernard, [27].
• Swiss, [422].
• Dried beef, [345].
• Duties on imports and exports, [46].
• E.
• Écoles des recrues, [236].
• Edelweiss, [371].
• Education, [253]. See Schools.
• military, [236], [238].
• religious, [260].
• scope of, [278].
• Eidgenossen, [14].
• Eight old cantons, [13].
• Einsiedeln, [27].
• Einwohnergemeinde, [180].
• Elections, [67], [70], [81].
• in Ausser-Rhoden, [153].
• Engineering feats, [320].
• Estate in lands, [210], [211].
• European concert, [459].
• situation, [450].
• Executive department, [49], [85].
• departments, [97].
• Expatriation, right of, [207].
• Exports and imports, [304].
• F.
• Farms of peasants, [307], [325].
• Federal army, [233].
• assembly, [42], [49], [65].
• powers of, [71].
• authorities, [49].
• chancellery, [49].
• council, [49], [76], [85].
• appeals from, to the assembly, [114].
• authority of, [91].
• business of, [97].
• departments of, [97].
• duties of, [88], [90], [96].
• election of, [71], [93], [101].
• eligibility to, [92], [94].
• history of, [94].
• judicial powers of, [90].
• meetings of, [97].
• membership of, [87].
• personnel of, [102].
• powers of, [91].
• salaries of, [96].
• tenure of members of, [94], [95].
• triennial renewal of, [95].
• workings of, [101], [103].
• pact, [17].
• tribunal, [49], [104].
• appeals to, [109].
• compared with the Supreme Court of the United States, [115].
• defects of, in practice, [120].
• election to, [106], [114].
• history of, [104].
• limited powers of, [114], [115].
• membership of, [106], [109].
• origin of, [104].
• powers of, [106], [114], [115].
• seat of, [114].
• Federalism, growth of, [145].
• tendency of, [62].
• Federation and Confederation, [37].
• Feudal Helvetia, [10].
• Feudalism, end of, [211].
• Firn, [365].
• First inhabitants, [9].
• Flora, native, [372].
• Föhn, [23].
• Folkmote, [149].
• of Ausser-Rhoden, [151].
• Foreign affairs, [100].
• policy, [452].
• Forest cantons, [12].
• Forestry, [291].
• Forests, [372].
• Fountains, [417].
• France and Germany, [458].
• Frankish supremacy, [10].
• Freedom of conscience, [47], [54], [56].
• of trade, [46].
• Freiburg admitted, [13].
• Fremden-industrie, [323].
• French-speaking Swiss, [24].
• supremacy, [15].
• Friendly remonstrances, intercantonal, [104].
• Funeral customs, [349].
• G.
• Gauls, early, [9].
• Gemeinde-trinket, [183].
• General diet, [39].
• Geneva admitted, [17].
• and its lake, [378].
• Calvin in, [29].
• code Napoleon in, [220].
• convention, [433].
• Geography of Switzerland, [19].
• German cantons, testamentary powers in, [220].
• empire, relations to, [14].
• -speaking Swiss, [24].
• Germany and France, [458].
• Glaciers, [359].
• Glarus and Uri, boundary between, [143].
• constitution of, [157].
• joins the league, [13].
• landsgemeinde in, [157].
• Goitre, [428].
• Government, coördinate branches of, [122].
• principles of, [61].
• Grass crops, [315].
• Great council, [158].
• powers, the, [455], [459].
• Grisons admitted, [16].
• Guides, [374].
• Guilds, history of, [178].
• Gymnasia, [267].
• H.
• Half-cantons, [141].
• Handelsgerichte, [136].
• Hapsburg protection, [11].
• Hay-making in the Alps, [326].
• Health resorts, [375].
• Helvetians, ancient, [9], [10].
• Helvetic confederation, [40].
• republic, [15].
• union, origin of, [12].
• Herdsman’s life, [337].
• History of constitutions, [38].
• Holy Alliance, Switzerland in the, [18].
• Homeless persons, [49].
• Hospice of St. Bernard, [26].
• Houses, legislative, [65], [69], [73].
• I.
• Ideals, national, [410].
• Independence of cantons, [38].
• Individual rights, [57].
• Individuality, cantonal, [144].
• Industrial schools, [277].
• Industry, [299].
• Influence on European affairs, [453].
• Inheritance of property, [209].
• Initiative, popular, [171], [173].
• Inquest, judges of, [112].
• Intercantonal affairs, [125].
• judicial relations, [138].
• International arbitration, [445].
• copyright, [437].
• labor congress, [448].
• law, [448].
• unions, [430].
• Introduction, [9].
• Isotherms, [22].
• Italian element, [25].
• J.
• Jesuits expelled, [31], [48].
• Judges, cantonal, [136].
• federal, [109].
• of inquest, [112].
• their relations to juries, [138].
• Judicial department, [49]. See Federal Tribunal.
• powers, limitations of, [121].
• torture, [140].
• Judiciary, cantonal, [136].
• Juf, altitude of, [25].
• Juries in cantonal courts, [138].
• Jury, functions of, [138].
• in federal assizes, [112].
• Justice, [136]. See Courts.
• K.
• Kuhreihen, [340].
• L.
• Labor congress, international, [448].
• Ladin, [345].
• Lake-dwellers, prehistoric, [315].
• Lakes, [378].
• Land laws, [209], [212].
• cantonal, [215].
• Land, ownership of, [209].
• by peasants, [222].
• communal, [181].
• subdivision of, [222].
• Landammann, re-election of, [160].
• Landammann’s oath, [154].
• Landrath, [157].
• Lands in common, [181].
• Landsgemeinde, [70], [148], [149], [152].
• at Altdorf, in Uri, [155].
• at Trogen, [151].
• functions of, [157].
• history of, [148].
• in Glarus, [157].
• Landsturm and Landwehr, [237], [239].
• Languages, census of, [470].
• spoken, [24].
• Lausanne, the seat of the federal tribunal, [114].
• Law, administrative, [90].
• international, [448].
• Laws, cantonal, [130].
• summarized, [135].
• Leases of land, [213], [216].
• Legislation, federal, [48], [52].
• harmonization of, [131].
• initiation of, [73], [76], [89].
• Legislative bodies, personnel of, [79].
• sessions of, [78].
• department, [49].
• houses, [65], [69], [73].
• tyranny, [58].
• Legislators, oath of, [79].
• Legislatures, cantonal, [131], [132].
• Legitima portio, [221].
• Letter of alliance, [473], [477].
• Lion of Luzern, [230].
• Liquor traffic, regulation of, [52].
• Literary property, protection of, [437].
• Local assembly, [158].
• Localism and nationalism, [60].
• Love of country, [33].
• Lunéville, treaty of, [16].
• Luzern, becomes a canton, [12].
• lake of, [381].
• M.
• Manufactures, [302].
• Marignano, battle of, [14].
• Marriage customs in Ticino, [346].
• laws, [53].
• Material progress, [387].
• Mediæval nobles, [10].
• Mediation, act of, [39].
• Mediatorsbip of Napoleon, [16].
• Meinrad, St., [27], [28].
• Mer de Glace, [364].
• Metric standards, [470].
• Militarism, dangers of, [460].
• Military education, [236], [238].
• service, [226], [233], [236].
• status, Swiss, [464].
• tax, [243].
• topography, [451].
• Militia, [237], [239], [249].
• Mineral springs, [375].
• Money, [469].
• old cantonal, [123].
• Monks of St. Bernard, [26].
• Moraines, [365].
• Morat, battle of, [13].
• Morgarten, battle of, [11].
• Mountaineering, [373].
• Mountains, [20], [354].
• their effect on character, [32].
• Mythenstein, [398].
• N.
• Name of Switzerland, [19].
• Napoleon’s influence in Switzerland, [16], [39].
• Napoleon’s mediatorship, [16].
• National communes, [150].
• Council, [65], [66], [68].
• languages, [49].
• Nationalism and localism, [60].
• growth of, [145].
• Nationalities of Switzerland, [24].
• Natural beauties, [353].
• features of the country, [20].
• Naturalization, [200].
• defined, [207].
• in the United States, [204], [208].
• Neuchâtel admitted, [17].
• history of, [17].
• Névé, [364].
• Nobles, mediæval, [10].
• Normal schools, [265].
• O.
• Oath of landammann, Appenzell, [154].
• nature of, [154].
• Obergericht, [136].
• Office, tenure of, [80].
• Officers, military, [241].
• Officials, cantonal, [141].
• Old cantons, [12], [13].
• Catholic party, [31].
• Original inhabitants, [9].
• pact, [12], [473], [477].
• Orography of the country, [20], [21], [354].
• Ownership of common lands, [181].
• P.
• Pact, federal, [17].
• original, [12], [473].
• Parliaments, peasant, [151].
• Parties, political, [83].
• Pastoral life, [335].
• Pastures, Alpine, [313].
• Patois, [345].
• Patriotism, [32], [33].
• Pauperism, [188].
• Pay of soldiers, [241].
• Peace of Aarau, [14].
• Peasant home and life, [324], [344].
• Peasant parliaments, [151].
• proprietorship, [222].
• Pensions, [242].
• People, character of, [31].
• patriotism of, [32], [33].
• Personal rights, [57].
• Pestalozzi, educational work of, [255].
• Petite culture, [325].
• Physical geography, [20].
• Policy, foreign, [452].
• Political department, [100].
• parties, [83].
• Polytechnic school, [270].
• Popular initiative, [171], [173].
• sovereignty, [168], [174].
• vote. See Referendum.
• Population, [469].
• Postal union, [435].
• Powers, the great, [455], [459].
• Prehistoric remains, [383].
• Presidency, American, compared with the Swiss executive, [86].
• President of confederation, [88], [97].
• Presidents of legislative bodies, [66], [67], [69], [71], [73].
• Principles of government, [61].
• Procureur-général, [112].
• Progressive spirit, [387].
• Property, communal, [181], [183].
• Propitiator, [137].
• Proprietorship in lands, [211].
• Protection of literary property, [437].
• Protestant and Catholic parties, [18].
• cantons, [29].
• Reformation, [28].
• Provisions, temporary constitutional, [50].
• Prussian supremacy in Neuchâtel, [17].
• Public life, training for, [95].
• Punishment in schools, [262].
• Punishments, [48].
• unusual, [170].
• R.
• Rack for prisoners, [139].
• Radical party, [83].
• Railways, [317].
• Ranz des Vaches, [340].
• Rath, [157].
• Realschulen, [293], [295].
• Red cross flag, [433].
• Referendum, [74], [77].
• benefits of, [169].
• cantonal, [172].
• compulsory, [172].
• defined, [164].
• functions of, [165].
• history of, [171].
• nature of, [50], [56].
• optional, [172].
• principle of, [171].
• veto by, [167], [169].
• Reform, federal, [19].
• Reformation, [28].
• Religion in schools, [260].
• Religious controversies, [18].
• differences, [25].
• freedom, [47], [54], [56].
• statistics, [470].
• Remonstrances, friendly, [104].
• Representation, [68].
• in cantons, [131].
• Republic, Helvetic, [15].
• Rhetians, [9].
• Rhone, the, [379].
• Right of asylum, [466].
• Rights, cantonal, [146].
• communal, [177].
• Rigi, [382].
• Rivers of Switzerland, [20].
• Roads, [323].
• Romansch language, [345].
• Rütli, story of, [393].
• S.
• St. Bernard, monks of, [26].
• St. Gallen admitted, [16].
• inheritance of property in, [218].
• St. Gothard tunnel, [318].
• Salvation army, [55].
• Scenery, [353], [384].
• Schaffhausen admitted, [14].
• School-houses, [262].
• Schools, [253].
• agricultural, [289].
• communal, [266].
• grades in, [267].
• industrial, [277].
• art, [286].
• manual training in, [282], [296].
• military, [238].
• normal, [265].
• punishment in, [262].
• religion in, [260].
• straw-platting, [287].
• technical, [277].
• trade, [285], [288].
• Schützenfest, [249].
• Schwyz, an original canton, [12].
• Scrutin de liste, [68].
• des arrondissements, [68].
• Sempach, battle of, [13].
• Shepherd’s life, [337].
• Silk industry, [302].
• Situation, the European, [450].
• Small nationalities, character of, [453].
• Soldiers, pay of, [241].
• Solothurn admitted, [13].
• Sonderbund, [18].
• Sorcery, execution for, [139].
• Sovereignty, cantonal, [45], [147].
• popular, [168], [174].
• Staatenbund defined, [36].
• Standards, cantonal, [143].
• Ständerath, [65], [69].
• Stantz, treaty of, [13].
• State, the composite, [42].
• States, council of, [65], [69].
• -attorney, [112].
• Statistics, [469].
• Statutory enactments, [52].
• Staubbach, [370].
• Suabian war, [14].
• Supreme Court of the United States compared with the Swiss federal tribunal, [115-122].
• Swineherds, [339].
• Swiss foreign influence, [452].
• mercenaries, [257].
• valor, [230], [251].
• T.
• Tagsatzung, [40].
• Tagwen in Glarus, [158].
• Tax, military, [243].
• Technical schools, [277].
• Telegraph union, international, [435].
• Tell, William, [391].
• the national hero, [407].
• Tell’s story, legends parallel to, [401].
• Temporary constitutional provisions, [50].
• Tenant, rights and responsibilities of, [213].
• Testamentary powers, [209].
• Thirty Years’ War, [14].
• Thurgau admitted, [16].
• Ticino admitted, [16].
• marriage customs in, [346].
• Topography, military, [451].
• Torture, judicial, [140].
• Tourmentes, [385].
• Tours de scrutin, [68].
• Training of officials, [95].
• Treaty of Lunéville, [16].
• of Stantz, [13].
• Trial by jury, [138]. See also Jury.
• Tribunal, federal, [104]. See Federal Tribunal.
• Triple council, [158].
• Trogen, folkmote at, [151].
• Troops, cantonal, [234].
• federal, [233].
• Tyranny of legislatures, [58].
• U.
• Union, postal, [435].
• telegraph, [435].
• Unions, international, [430].
• Universities, [269].
• Unterwalden, division of, [141].
• Uri, an original canton, [12].
• and Glarus boundary, [143].
• folkmote in, [155].
• V.
• Valais admitted, [17].
• peasantry, [350].
• Vaud admitted, [16].
• land laws in, [217].
• Veto, popular, [167], [169].
• Vice-President, [66].
• succession of, to the Presidency, [100].
• Vienna, Congress of, [40].
• Vierwaldstätten, [13].
• Vineyards, [307].
• Vorort, [37], [41].
• Vote, popular. See Referendum.
• W.
• Waldstätten, [12].
• War, Suabian, [14].
• Thirty Years’, [14].
• Watchmaking, [303].
• Waterfalls, [370].
• Wedding customs, [370].
• Weights, [469].
• Winds, [23].
• Winkelried, story of, [404].
• Witch-burning, [139].
• Witenagemote, [149].
• Woman’s lot, [343].
• Women, courage of, [251].
• Y.
• Yodel, [341].
• Z.
• Zug joins the league, [13].
• Zurich joins the league, [13].
• testamentary powers in, [219].
• Zwingli, [28].

THE END.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Müller, “Histoire des Suisses.”

[2] “History of the Helvetic Confederation,” Lausanne, 1650.

[3] See Appendix for original Pact and translation.

[4] A federal executive officer resembling the French consul.