re-established by the Allied Powers in the plenitude of her ancient freedom and independence. At that epocha the Swiss formed a New Confederacy, comprising the thirteen old and nine new cantons; and Geneva was joined, as the twenty-second canton, to the Helvetic Confederation: its territory being subsequently enlarged by the Congress of Vienna and the Treaty of Paris.

The following is a sketch of the present Constitution of Geneva,* as it was promulgated by a Committee of Jurisconsults, in 1814.

The Political system of the Canton of Geneva is the representative and republican system. All the Genevese are equal; there are no privileged classes; no nobility. Every citizen is an elector, if he has attained his majority; that is to say, the age of 25 years; if he pays 63 Florins (29 Francs and a half—17. 4s. 7d. sterling) of voluntary or compulsory contributions; if he is not in a state of bankruptcy; nor a menial servant; nor receiving assistance from the Hospital; and if he has re-imbursed the sums given in the shape of relief by that charitable institution to his father; he must moreover be armed and equipped.

The Representative Council, elected immediately by the general body of the citizens, is composed of 250 Deputies, laymen, not less than 30 years of age, or 27 if they are married. Every elector is eligible. This council is presided over by four Syndics and the Council of State. Every year it is renewed by thirty places at least: the members who go out are taken by lot from among the

Extracted from a work intitled-" Lois et Actes de Gouvernement de la République de Genève;" with a copy of which I was favoured through the kindness of a learned advocate of that place.

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oldest.

Not more than five persons of the same name or of the same family are allowed seats in the council. Its privileges are the power of making laws, the initiative being with the Syndics and the Council of State; the nomination of Deputies to the Federal Diets; the establishment of the Budget of the State; the right of coining money. Two thirds of the votes of this Representative Council are necessary to authorise any alteration in the Charter.

The Council of State, selected from the Representative Council, is composed of 28 members, who must each bave attained the age of 35 years. Not more than two persons of the same name, or of the same family, are admissible into it. Every year the Representative Council may by a majority of 126 voices elect members for the Council of State. Its attributes are the controul of the police (surveillance de la police); and to watch over all matters connected with religious worship and public instruction. The executive power resides in the hands of the four Syndics, who are chosen from the Council of State. Their salary is 650 Livres de Suisse (1300 francs French money-541. 38. 4d. sterling). Their term of office is five years.

Thus much on the subject of the Constitutional Government, and of the various modifications it has undergone from an early period down to the present time.

With regard to the Elective Franchise, my Genevese friends assured me that it is exercised here in a manner wholly free from undue influence: they remarked in the first place, that the government is a free one; and in the next, that no single family possesses such a preponderance as to have the least inducement to nourish the hope of gaining ascendancy at the expence of the others.

There are three Courts of Justice, viz. first, a civil tribunal composed of seven members: the President and the First Judge are Counsellors of State; the five others, who must have attained 30 years of age (with four supplementary) are Judges for Life. Second, a Supreme Tribunal consisting of a President over civil and criminal procedures; and of eight Judges, of 35 years of age. Third, a Tribunal of Redress (Tribunal-de-recours) entrusted with the responsibility of commuting and mitigating punishments. It is composed of a Syndic, two Counsellors of State, (Ex-Syndics) four Counsellors and two Members of the Supreme Court.

The Code of Laws, followed at Geneva, is the Code Napoléon, with some modifications in the criminal branch. This part will, it is said, be subjected to some still more important alterations, if the proposition recently made by some Members of the Council, for doing away ignominious and capital punishments, should be adopted.— With respect to the former class of punishments it is thought probable that they will be abolished. A great many eminent jurisconsults, and in particular M. Dumont, have declared themselves strongly in favour of this abolition. The measure of abrogating the punishment of death also has its warm advocates: and a member of the council lately proposed a premium for the best treatise on that subject; at the same time candidly acknowledging that he did not feel himself competent to substantiate the correctness of his own opinion in favour of such a change in the law. But this is a project which, I understand, is likely to meet with very strong opposition; and the arguments against it are drawn in an especial manner from the geographical situation of

Geneva: placed as this Republic is between three different states, if the crime of murder were not punishable with death, the consequence would be, that of the canton becoming the asylum of a crowd of ruffians from countries bordering upon it: for the sentence of perpetual imprisonment always leaves to the person who suffers it a glimpse at the hope of an escape.

The Magistrates appear to be held in great and general respect. The duties of the most important offices are performed almost gratuitously, or rather they are entirely so; for the salary of a chief magistrate is so trifling that the expenses incidental to his situation completely absorb it: and yet most of these State-functionaries send their fees of office to the treasury of the Hospital. The only reason for paying them at all is that they may not have it to say, that they confer a favour upon the State, in choosing to devote themselves to its service. They are so easy of access, that the moment you have any grievance to complain of, you have nothing to do but go to the first magistrate: you are received instantly, sans faire antichambre even for a minute, and justice is sure to be rendered you. A young friend of mine, resident in, but not a native of, the place, assured me of this fact so creditable to its magistracy; observing that he spoke not only from general report but from his own personal experience, and that he could not sufficiently praise the affability and obliging conduct of the present First Syndic, M. Rigaud.

The Clergymen of the Established (Protestant) Church in Geneva amount to about twenty-eight. They in general bear a high reputation, as well for personal merit as for ability and attention in discharging the duties of their

sacred profession. The salary of each pastor is between 50%. and 607. sterling per annum, paid out of the revenues of the State.

There is a Bible Society at Geneva, where, as has already been observed, all religions are tolerated. In this place, for example, besides the Calvinists and Romanists, there are Moravians, Lutherans, Anabaptists; and within the last twelve years a sect has been propagated, whose adherents are in derision called Momiers; these people, who pretend to great austerity of morals, are reproached with equally great relaxation of discipline. It appears that their conduct, or imputed conduct, has been the subject of very acrimonious discussions, in which a great deal of vituperative personality has intermingled itself, and that many pamphlets have been published on each side of the controversy.

The vicinity of Geneva appears to me to be peculiarly eligible for the permanent residence of an English family. There is perhaps no town on the continent where greater facilities are afforded for a man of literary and scientific pursuits to indulge his taste or to increase his knowledge. An acquaintance once established with a single person of real respectability in the place, is generally sufficient to procure for the stranger, who shews his appreciative sense of its value, an introduction to the best and most agreeable society. The city is closebuilt, and consequently not an agreeable place to live in ; but its immediate environs abound with delightful spots.

The costume of the Genevese assimilates much with that of the French; but the better class of females are partial to the English fashions.-The language of the country is French, but its habits and its religion are widely