"Tis to the virtues of such men, man owes Under the auspices of the Reformation, learning, arts, and commerce soon began to flourish in Geneva, who, opening wide her gates, with no less wisdom than hu manity, to the victims of intolerance flying thither at various times from neighbouring and even distant countries, received constant accessions of valuable and ingenious people of all classes and conditions. With the sole exception of the treacherous but happily unsuccessful Escalade of the Duke of Savoy, in 1602, the Republic remained entirely free from the alarms of foreign war. But, though continuing long unagitated by perils from without, the city was distracted during the greater part of the 16th and 17th centuries by a series of the most violent internal dissentions. The people accused their magistrates of encroaching upon their rights; and the magistrates, assuming more the authority of masters than the influence of chief citizens of the Republic, resisted the claims of the people. This state of things produced a general movement of the inhabitants, and the exile of several of the public functionaries. Still the friends of rigid aristocracy endeavoured to recover their lost power; and in 1738 an insurrection took place, which ended in a conflict, and the popular party remained victorious. But here the neighbouring cantons of Zurich and Berne, con net has given this admirable answer in the appendix to his "History of the Rights of Princes," together with an English translation. currently with France, interposed their mediation; and the result was an Edict, which obliged the magistrates to pledge themselves to digest a code, which should put all the laws of the state within every citizen's reach. These obligations, however, were not fulfilled. Fresh contentions for power between the executive and the representative councils, terminating in another series of popular tumults, gave rise to a second appeal on the part of the magistrates to the foreign mediators. The triple alliance of Berne, Savoy, and France in 1766, restored tranquillity to the state; but it was purchased by the expatriation of a great many wealthy and industrious citizens; and it introduced the pernicious system of French interference with the domestic concerns of the Republic. The constitution arranged for Geneva subsequently to the period of 1766, and which remained unchanged till 1782, was essentially democratic, the sovereign and legislative power residing in the general assembly of the citizens and burghers; but at the same time admitting an aristocratic principle, inasmuch as the executive powers vested in the Great and Little Councils, though emanating from that assembly, were very considerable.+ The burghers were sons of citizens, but born out of the country. They were not admitted into the Senate, nor the Magistracy, though they might belong to the General Council, and even to the Council of Two Hundred. The quality of citizen was reserved for those, who were the sons of burghers, and born in the town or its territory. They alone of all the classes composing the inhabitants could attain the situations of Senators and Magistrates. The * Robert. + Coxe. persons entering the Conseil-général-de-la-Bourgeoisie were required to have attained the age of 25 years. This assembly exclusively possessed the right of choosing the principal Magistrates, of making and abrogating laws, regulating imposts, forming treaties and contracting alliances with foreign powers, deciding on peace and war, &c. The executive power was entrusted to three councils, viz. the Senate or Council of Twenty-five, the Council of Sixty, and the Grand Council or Council of Two Hundred, in which last the two first were included when it was assembled. The Senate had the management of the High Police, and decided appeals in civil causes. The Senators were taken from the body of the Two Hundred. The Council of Sixty, in which were comprised the Members of the Senate, assembled only on important occasions and to give the fullest weight to the acts of the Senate. The Council of Two Hundred decided en dernier ressort on police cases and civil causes of importance, and deliberated on measures to be submitted to the General Council. Four Syndics presided at all the Councils: they were annually appointed to office, and were not eligible to serve again till after an interval of three years. They had the direction of all urgent and extraordinary proceedings, were chosen by the General Council, and taken from the Members of the Senate.* There was at that time no precise code of penal laws; for though the form of the prosecution was settled, yet the trial of the criminal was private, and the punishment left to the decision of the Magistrate. Nor were the franchises of the people ascertained with that accuracy which might be expected in so free and enlightened a Republic.t * Robert. + Coxe. This Constitution underwent several changes in 1782, when the people, irritated by the continued and unjust refusal of a promised code of laws, were led into very impolitic proceedings and most unjustifiable excesses.*At that memorably unfortunate period, their great fault appears to have been that of giving themselves up, with blind confidence, to a set of leaders more eagerly bent on augmenting the strength of democracy, for the gratification of their own ambition, than sincerely disposed to employ the power already acquired for the security and advantage of their constituents. The consequence of this conduct of the Représentans, or popular party, was a great and injurious diminution of the liberties of the State.— But the measures pursued by the Négatives, or Aristocratical party, were marked by a worse feature than that of imprudence. To them attaches the two-fold discredit of withholding a stipulated boon from the people, and of supporting themselves in their haughty refusal of justice, by the intrigues and the arms of France. By this revolution, the General Council and its privileges were abolished, the right of remonstrance taken from the great body of the citizens, the people disarmed, and a foreign garrison established over the city. The inevitable concomitant of a régime like this was an increase of discontent and disaffection. Fomented by the emissaries and encouraged by the contagious example of the French, the revolutionary feeling broke out in 1789 in acts of open and general • Mr. Coxe, in his highly interesting account of this Revolution, not less clearly than impartially develops the principal causes which excited the popular party to "take up arms, imprison the magistrates, and at length to surrender the town, at the moment when they seemed most determined to defend it to the last extremity."-See Letters from Switzerland, vol. ii. letter 65. insurrection. The citizens having in more than one affair proved victorious over both magistrates and military, demanded the restoration of their ancient liberties. And happily on this occasion, the democratic leaders were as much inclined to moderate councils as the aristocrats were to those of conciliation. By mutual concessions, internal peace and administrative confidence appeared to be restored on a firm foundation. But the cheering prospect of happiness and prosperity was soon destroyed by the restless spirit of innovation; which, satisfied with no equitable or merciful course, spread itself too widely among the Genevese to leave the least guarantee for the maintenance of order, the protection of property, or the couservation of any thing in the shape of real freedom within their little territory. In 1792, the jacobin party gained a complete ascendancy in the government, which they reorganised in every part after the Gallic model, and directed on the principle of the Terrorists of Paris. In 1794, Geneva became the scene of anarchy, oppression, and cruelty; the guillotine performed there too its murderous office, and some of the worthiest of the citizens were immolated at the call of a rapacious and cruel faction.* After her most iniquitous invasion and horrible treatment of Switzerland, in 1798, France reaped the fruit of her artful labours, and, by a combined application of fraud and force obtaining military occupation of the city, united Geneva to her own great Republic One and Indivisible. It afterwards remained in subjection to Napoleon, as an integral part of his empire, till the moment of his first abdication. At the general peace of 1814, the city was * Annual Register, p. 141. |