occurred in the council of states, resulting in the rejection of the appeal of the petitioners by a vote of 26 against 13. At a session of the National Council some days after the discussion upon the expulsion of Mermillod, the statements made by President Cérésole respecting the attempts of Mermillod's supporters to secure the intervention of France were the subject of an interpellation by M. Segesser, of Lucerne, a prominent and influential Catholic leader. He said that since the defeat of the revision last year the party to which he belonged had been charged with receiving its orders from Rome; with having no political will of its own, and with attempting to secure foreign intervention at the time of the Sonderbund war, the latter, an old accusation, long ago sufficiently refuted. Because his party was thus suspected, it could not allow suspicions to rest upon it, and he now called for further explanations from the President. He regarded the talk about Prussian influence in the Mermillod affair as absurd, and disapproved the charges made in that respect against the Federal Council. Bismarck might have felt an interest in it; and recent events in Germany might have had a certain influence upon the Federal Council in determining its policy; but this did not constitute diplomatic intermeddling. M. Cérésole in response thanked M. Segesser for his interpellation, and said that had there not been a question of the influence which events beyond the frontiers of Switzerland had exercised upon the federal authorities, he would not have noticed the charges brought against them of connivance with the German government, which had been systematically circulated for months back, both in Switzerland and elsewhere, by men who seem to have taken upon themselves the task of defaming the country and speculating upon the national hatred between France and Germany. French prelates had accused the Federal Council of treason, and Mermillod himself had dared to affirm that his expulsion was agreed upon between Bismarck and the federal authorities. Others had asserted that they had received money from Berlin to subsidize the Liberal press. After properly characterizing these charges and disclaiming any intention of charging men like M. Segesser with participating in foreign intrigues, M. Cérésole proceeded to say that he had information from a perfectly trustworthy and official source that reiterated attempts had been made to induce diplomatic action on the part of France relative to the religious controversies in Switzerland. Several mémoires had been presented to the French government to demonstrate that it ought to interfere to protect the Catholic interests in Geneva. One of these documents was presented by Mgr. Dupanloup, and supported by several influential Catholic deputies in the National Assembly. This information being of a diplomatic character, M. Cérésole said that he was obliged to speak of it with some reserve; but he might add that all these efforts proceeded from the party of which M. Mermillod was the center. In conclusion, the speaker stated that, in April last, M. Thiers, who was often accused of having but little sympathy for Switzerland, said to the Swiss minister at Paris, "1 see very well what these ecclesiastics would be at, but they will not succeed; I will have nothing to do with anything of the kind; you may be assured of it, and I authorize you to write so to your government." With the remarks of M. Cérésole, the incident of the interpellation closed. I have, &c., HORACE RUBLEE. No. 145.] No. 449. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Berne, September 18, 1873. (Rec'd October 17.) SIR: The extent to which public attention in Switzerland is occupied by the controversies that have arisen between the civil authorities and the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as their political and social importance, warrants me in continuing to report to you their progress and development. In a former dispatch, No. 128, of the 26th of March last, I mentioned the provisional suspension from the exercise of ecclesiastical functions, by the executive council of Berne, of a large number of curés in the district known as the Bernese Jura. The curés in question had published a protest against the action of the cantonal government in sustaining the declaration of the diocesan conference, which pronounced the episcopal seat of the bishopric of Basle vacant, giving notice therein that they still recognized Mgr. Lachat as the bishop of the diocese, and that they should disregard the order of the cantonal government, which forbade them to hold further official relations with him. The case of the recusant curés was subsequently brought before the Bernese court of cassation, which pronounced upon it on the 15th instant. Sixty-nine of the curés were deposed, sentenced to pay the costs of the judicial proceedings, and each declared ineligible to be chosen as the curé of any parish of the canton until he shall have withdrawn the protest above mentioned. The general situation in the diocese of Basle has not materially changed since last spring. Mgr. Lachat, expelled from the episcopal residence in Soleure, in April last, has established himself at Lacerne, and is recognized as bishop by the great body of the Catholics of that canton and of the canton of Zug. No definite action has yet been taken in relation to filling the vacancy in the bishop's chair, which is held to exist by the other five cantons of the diocese. The matter has been delayed in order to give time for the further development of the Liberal Catholic movement, which contemplates a complete severance from Rome, and the establishment of a Swiss national church. An important conference of delegates of the Liberal Catholic societies or sections was held at Olten on the 31st of August. Eighty-eight delegates were present, representing thirty-eight sections. The reports indicated a satisfactory progress of the reform movement, and the cen tral committee was authorized to appoint a commission to prepare and report, to a subsequent conference, a plan for the organization of a national church. A series of resolutions was adopted embodying the general views of the Liberal Catholics of Switzerland. These call for the establishment of a church conformable to that of the apostolic age, and in harmony with republican institutions, based, in its general organization, upon the parish, and developed upon a representative system, with the superior authority vested in a synod, composed of ecclesiastic and lay delegates from the parishes, which shall choose a bishop. The resolutions further demand the adoption of the vernacular in the services of the church; the suppression of perquisites paid for masses and other spiritual services, the salaries of the clergy to be increased in return therefor; the prohibition of the collection of Peter's-pence, of the traffic in indulgences, dispensations, &c.; the reduction, as far as possible, of religious fraternities, pilgrimages, penances, and the adoration of images; a modification of the conditions required by the clergy for the celebration of mixed marriages; the secularization of cemeteries; that the clergy perform religious ceremonies at interments in all cases when desired by the family of the deceased; the establishment of non-confessional schools, &c. A deputation was also appointed to attend the congress of German Old Catholics, held at Constance the 12th, 13th, and 14th days of the present month. It will be seen that, in Switzerland, this movement is a radical one. Its nature is more political than that of the corresponding movement in Germany. The Swiss prefer to call themselves Liberal Catholics, not caring to keep up the assumption that they remain stationary upon the ancient paths. A writer in a leading Swiss journal, in treating of the recent Old Catholic congress at Constance, thus refers to the distinction between the Old Catholics of Germany and the Liberal Catholics of Switzerland: "Is the character of the Old Catholic movement in Germany such that the Swiss can identify themselves unconditionally with it? I answer, without hesitation, no. We have grown up in an atmosphere wholly different from that of our German confederates. While they think to have settled everything by the election of a bishop, many among us consider that a bishop may be dispensed with, as a Pope has been dispensed with. While the Germans seem to idolize their bishop as much as ever the ultramontanes have done; while they leave him to preside over synods and synodal commissions, we Swiss would honor our bishop as we honor every worthy man, but would not idolize him, and would essentially limit his authority. Finally, while the German Old Catholics shun ridding themselves of such nonsense as holy water, &c., and only timidly display the device of 'Separation from Rome,' that has been our watchword from the beginning, and we have already abolished a variety of abuses. The sum total is, each country takes its peculiar way; the goal attained, however, we shall meet like-minded." I am, &c., No. 450. HORACE RUILEE. No. 146.] Mr. Rublee to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Berne, September 26, 1873. (Received October 17.) SIR: The special session of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, held to consider and act upon applications for concessions for railways, closed on yesterday, after granting a large number of such concessions. Considerable time was spent in agreeing upon a form for concessions conforming to the general railway law of the 23d of December last, copies of which I forwarded to the Department with my No. 118, of the 11th of January. I inclose two copies, together with a translation of the concession which it was determined to adopt as the model for future concessions, and also two copies of the regulations issued by the Federal Council under the act of December last, prescribing the steps necessary to be taken in applying for a railway concession, and the plans and documents required to be presented to the Federal Council before and after the construction of a railway. I have, &c., HORACE RUBLEE. [Translation.] The Federal Assembly of the Swiss Confederation, in view of the request of the committee of initiation, dated 26th March, 1873, for a concession for a railway from Thun to Konolfingen, and of the letters of said committee of the 19th, 22d, and 27th of May, 1873, with inclosures, and in view of the message of the Federal Council of the 18th of June, 1873, decrees: A concession is accorded to the committee of initiative for the establishment of a railway from Thun to Konolfingen, to construct and operate a railway from Konolfingen to Thun, via Drisbach and eventually from Konolfingen to Drisbach, upon the conditions mentioned in the following articles: 1. The federal laws and all other prescriptions of the federal authorities relative to the establishment and operation of Swiss railways are to be strictly observed, at what time soever they may go into effect. 2. The concession is accorded for the term of 80 years, dating from October 1, 1873. 3. The seat of the company is at Berne. 4. The majority of the directors and of the council of administration must be composed of Swiss citizens, having their domicile in Switzerland. 5. Within 12 months from the date of the grant of the concessions the grantees must present to the Federal Council the technical and financial documents prescribed by the law or the regulations, as well as the statutes of the company. The grading of the route must begin before the 1st of January, 1875. 6. The line must be completed and ready for operation by September 1, 1876. 7. The Federal Council is authorized, even after it has approved the survey, to require modifications thereof, if they should be necessary for the security of the operation of the road. 8. The road will be a single-track road. 9. Objects of scientific interest that may be discovered during the work of construetion, such as fossils, coins, medals, &c., are the property of the canton of Berne, and must be sent free of charge to the cantonal government. 10. The administration of the road must furnish facilities to the federal functionaries charged with the surveillance of the construction and operation of the road, for the performance of their duties, by permitting them to inspect at all times the several parts of the route, and by placing at their disposition such assistants and means as are necessary. 11. The Federal Council may require that employés of the company who, in the exercise of their functions, give rise to well-founded complaints, and against whom the company neglect to take the necessary measures, may be called to order, punished, or, if necessary, dismissed. 12. Three passenger-trains, at least, will run daily in each direction over the whole line, stopping at all the stations. The passenger-trains, comprising those designated as mixed trains, will have an average speed of at least twenty-four kilometers the hour. A less rate of speed is admissible only in the case of a special authorization of the Federal Council. 13. The regulations respecting transportation, which must be submitted to the Federal Council at least three months before the road goes into operation, cannot be put in force until formally approved. Every modification of the same must also be submitted to the approval of the Federal Council. 14. For the transport of passengers the company will establish three classes of cars, constructed after the American system. In general, each train will include cars of all the classes; exceptions to this rule can only be authorized by the Federal Council. The so-called mixed train may run without cars of the first class. The company must at all times do all in its power to enable persons who present themselves to take tickets for a passenger-train, to be taken by the train in question, and to have seats therein. Upon the demand of the Federal Council passenger-cars must be attached to freighttrains. The provisions of section 2 of article 12 are not applicable in this case. 15. The company is authorized to collect for the transport of passengers, by passenger-trains, a tax of which the maximum is fixed as follows: First class, ten centimes the kilometer. Second class, seven centimes the kilometer. Third class, five centimes the kilometer. The passengers carried by freight-trains the tax will be at least twenty per cent. less than the above. In all classes children under three years of age, not occupying a seat, will be carried without charge; those between the ages of three to ten at one-half the tax. Each passenger is entitled to take with him ten kilograms of baggage free of charge, upon condition that it shall not be of a nature to incommode other passengers. The maximum tax for other baggage is fixed at two and one-half centimes the kilometer for fifty kilograms. The company is bound to grant a reduction of twenty per cent. from the ordinary tax for tickets to go and return during the same or the following day. It will grant a further reduction for tickets of subscription taken by passengers who propose to go over the same portion of the road, going and returning at least twelve times during a period of three months. 16. Indigent persons, who establish their character by a certificate from the proper authority, must be carried at half the ordinary rates. Upon the order of the federal or cantonal police authorities, persons under arrest must be carried on similar terms by the railway. Further regulations in this regard will be adopted by the Federal Council. 17. The maximum tariff for the transportation of cattle by freight-trains is fixed as follows by the head and the kilometer: Horses, mules, and colts more than one year old, sixteen centimes. This tariff will be reduced twenty per cent. for the transport of herds filling an entire car. 18. Classes will be made for merchandise, the highest of which shall not pay more than one centime and the lowest not more than one-half centime for fifty kilograms the kilometer. An abatement will be made on merchandise transported by the carload, (that is, for 5,000 kilograms, or five tons.) Raw material used chiefly for agricultural or manufacturing purposes, such as wood, coal, minerals, iron, salt, stone, manures, &c., by the car-load, will be taxed at the lowest possible rates. For the transport of coin and valuables, the value of which is declared, the tax is not to exceed one centime the kilometer upon the value of 1,000 francs. When cattle or merchandise are to be transported by express, the tax upon cattle may be increased forty per cent., and on merchandise one hundred per cent., above ordinary rates. Agricultural products which the owners take with them on a passenger-train, though in a car apart, and receive immediately on reaching their place of destination, are exempt from tax if not exceeding 25 kilograms in weight. What exceeds this weight is subject to the ordinary tax of merchandise. The company may require that merchandise forwarded, not exceeding 25 kilograms in weight, shall be sent by express, and may fix at its pleasure the tax for the transport of carriages and exceptional objects. The minimum of tax for carrying a package may be fixed at 40 centimes. 19. In case of necessity, and especially when articles of food are exceptionally dear, the company is bound to introduce a lower special tariff for the transportation of grain, flour, vegetables, potatoes, &c. The terms of the tariff will be fixed by the Federal Council. 20. In the stipulation of taxes, the fractions of a kilometer will be reckoned as a whole kilometer. In regard to weight, goods sent, up to 25 kilograms, will be reckoned as 25 kilograms, and for merchandise sent by slow trains, from 25 to 50 kilograms as 50 kilograms. The excess of weight, (for baggage of passengers and merchandise by express above 25 kilograms, and for merchandise by slow trains above 50 kilograms,) is reckoned by units of 5 kilograms, each fraction of 5 kilograms being reckoned as a unit. In case of coin, or valuables, fractions of 500 franes will be reckoned as 500 francs. If the figure thus obtained is not exactly divisible by 5, it may be increased to the next multiple of 5. 21. The figures of taxes established by articles 15, 17, and 18 are applicable to transports from one to another station. The goods are to be delivered by the sender at the place of loading, and are to be taken by the person to whom they are addressed at the station to which they are destined. However, the company is to establish, itself, suitable arrangements for the cartage of goods and their delivery to the consignees. The loading and unloading of merchandise must be done by the company, and, as a rule, it cannot collect any special tax therefor. This rule can only be departed from with the assent of the Federal Council for certain classes of goods taken by car-loads entire, for live animals, and other articles, the shipment of which is attended with peculiar difficulties. 22. Special rules and tariffs will be established for the details of transportation. 23. All tariff's must be submitted to the approval of the Federal Council at least six weeks before the railway is opened for business. 24. If during three consecutive years the net proceeds of the enterprise exceed eight per cent., the maximum of taxes for transportation stipulated in this act shall be reduced in an equitable proportion. If the Federal Council and the company fail to agree in relation thereto, the Federal Assembly will decide. If the proceeds of the enterprise fail to cover the cost of operating the road, the interest on the capital being included, the Federal Council may allow a reasonable inCrease of rates. However, these dispositions will be submitted to the approval of the Federal Assembly. 25. In cases where the company may intend to make fundamental changes in the |