exprimer la ferme espérance que, même après le mois de Mai prochain, la Confédération trouvera dans le canton de Zurich un appui sûr et vigoureux. Il en est de même pour le renouvellement du Grand-Conseil du Canton de Genève, dont l'opinion publique ne s'occupe pas pour le moment. Cela vient sans doute de ce que le combat électoral si animé qui, pendant la dernière session du Conseil National, s'est livré dans ce canton important, fait présager le résultat de la lutte qui s'engagera dans quelque temps.

En revanche, l'attention publique s'est concentrée toute entière sur les élections qui auront lieu pour le Grand Conseil Bernois au mois de Mai prochain. Je ne doute pas, Messieurs, que ces élections n'aient aussi attiré tout particulièrement vos regards. Un spectacle surprenant se présente ici devant nous. Nous voyons se développer dans le Canton de Berne un mouvement que l'on peut considérer sans exagération comme fort important.

Deux partis y sont en présence dans l'état d'hostilité la plus violente. Et lorsque nous nous demandons sous quel drapeau se range chacun de ces partis, on nous présente 2 programmes qui se ressemblent comme 2 gouttes d'eau, surtout si l'on ne s'en tient pas aux mots et qu'on va jusqu'au fond même des choses. Le programme que nous présente l'un des partis ne nous étonne pas; il renferme ce que de tout temps il a voulu, ce qu'il a défendu et ce qu'il a aussi exécuté. Le programme qui nous est présenté par l'autre parti nous a d'un autre côté, rempli d'un profond étonnement, car nous y trouvons précisément le contraire de ce que ce parti a donné jusqu'à ce jour comme sa profession de foi politique. La conclusion nécessaire de ce fait est très-simple, c'est que les principes qui sont consacrés dans les 2 programmes n'auraient pu obtenir de triomphe plus éclatant que l'hommage même qu'on leur rend de tous les côtés.

Si donc les principes ne peuvent plus être contestés, mais qu'il s'agisse encore uniquement des personnes qui doivent maintenir et développer ces principes, nous pouvons nous demander si cette mission doit être confiée de préférence aux hommes qui de tout temps ont accepté ces principes, ont combattu pour eux, ont travaillé à les faire triompher, ou bien à ces hommes qui naguères se sont constamment prononcé contre ces principes et qui, s'ils n'ont pas cherché à entraver leur triomphe, ne l'ont cependant pas facilité; à ces hommes qui, jusque dans ces derniers temps, se sont servi de ces principes comme d'une arme contre leurs adversaires politiques, mais qui tout à coup ont jugé nécessaire de les admettre dans le programme de leur parti? Une seule réponse est possible; aussi n'hésiterai-je pas un instant à adresser cette question à ceux-la mêmes qui ne pourraient y répondre que d'une manière favorable à leurs adversaires.

J'ai attiré votre attention, Messieurs, sur les faits importans pour notre vie fédérale et qui se sont passés depuis notre séparation. J'ai la ferme conviction de l'avoir fait en toute conscience, en ne considérant que les devoirs sérieux que nous impose notre qualité de gardiens tutélaires de la nouvelle Confédération. Lorsque je passe encore une fois tous ces faits en revue, et que je me demande quelles sont les leçons qui doivent en découler pour nous, je ne puis que vous répéter cet appel que je vous adressai en ouvrant la dernière session du Conseil National: "Hommes du progrès, serrez vos rangs." C'est en renouvelant cet appel, qui semble n'avoir pas encore été suffisamment entendu, mais que je répéterai sans interruption jusqu'à ce qu'il ait trouvé de l'écho dans les cœurs de tous ceux auxquels il s'adressait, que je déclare ouverte la session ordinaire du Conseil National de 1849 ajournée au 4 Avril, 1850.

TREATY of Commerce and Navigation, between The United States and Mecklenburg-Schwerin.-Signed at Schwerin, December 9, 1847.

Declaration of Accession of the Grand Duchy of MecklenburgSchwerin to the Treaty between The United States and Hanover of June 10, 1846.*-Schwerin 9, 1847.†

WHEREAS a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and His Majesty the King of Hanover was concluded at Hanover on the 10th day of June, 1846,† by the Plenipotentiaries of the Contracting Parties, and was subsequently duly ratified on the part of both Governments:

And whereas, by the terms of the XIIth Article of the same, The United States agree to extend all the advantages and privileges contained in the stipulations of the said Treaty to one or more of the other States of the Germanic Confederation which may wish to accede to them by means of an official exchange of declarations, provided that such State or States shall confer similar favours upon The United States to those conferred by the Kingdom of Hanover, and observe and be subject to the same conditions, stipulations, and obligations:

And whereas the Government of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has signified its desire to accede to the said Treaty, and to all the stipulations and provisions therein * Vol. XXXV. Page 245. + Signed in the English and German languages.

contained, as far as the same are or may be applicable to the 2 countries, and to become a party thereto, and has expressed its readiness to confer similar favours upon The United States as an equivalent in all respects to those conferred by the Kingdom of Hanover:

And whereas the Government of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in its anxiety to avoid the possibility of a misconception hereafter of the nature and extent of the favours differing essentially from those of Hanover, which it consents to bestow upon The United States, as well as for its own faithful observance of all the provisions of the said Treaty, wishes the stipulations, conditions, and obligations imposed upon it, as also those which rest upon The United States, as explicitly stated, word for word, in the English and German languages, as contained in the following Articles :

ART. I. The High Contracting Parties agree that whatever kind of produce, manufacture, or merchandize of any foreign country can be, from time to time, lawfully imported into The United States in their own vessels, may also be imported in the vessels of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and no higher or other duties upon the tonnage or cargo of the vessel shall be levied or collected, whether the importation be made in a vessel of The United States, or in a vessel of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

And in like manner, whatever kind of produce, manufacture, or merchandize of any foreign country, can be, from time to time, lawfully imported into the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in its own vessels, may also be imported in vessels of The United States, and no higher or other duties upon the tonnage or cargo of the vessel shall be levied or collected, whether the importation be made in vessels of the one party or the other.

Whatever may be lawfully exported or re-exported by one party in its own vessels to any foreign country, may in like manner be exported or re-exported in the vessels of the other. And the same duties, bounties, and drawbacks shall be collected and allowed, whether such exportation or re-exportation be made in vessels of the one party or the other.

Nor shall higher or other charges of any kind be imposed in the ports of one party on vessels of the other, than are or shall be payable in the same ports by national vessels.

II. The preceding Article is not applicable to the coasting trade and navigation of the High Contracting Parties, which are respectively reserved by each exclusively to its own subjects or citizens.

III. No priority or preference shall be given by either of the Contracting Parties, nor by any company, corporation, or agent acting on their behalf, or under their authority, in the purchase of [1849-50.]

D

any article of commerce lawfully imported on account of, or in reference to, the national character of the vessel, whether it be of the one party or of the other, in which such article was imported.

IV. The ancient and barbarous right to wrecks of the sea shall remain entirely abolished with respect to the property belonging to the subjects or citizens of the High Contracting Parties.

When any vessel of either party shall be wrecked, stranded, or otherwise damaged on the coasts or within the dominions of the other, their respective citizens or subjects shall receive, as well for themselves as for their vessels and effects, the same assistance which would be due to the inhabitants of the country where the accident happens.

They shall be liable to pay the same charges and dues of salvage as the said inhabitants would be liable to pay in a like case.

If the operations of repair shall require that the whole or any part of the cargo be unloaded, they shall pay no duties of custom, charges, or fees, on the part which they shall reload and carry away, except such as are payable in the like case by national vessels.

It is nevertheless understood that if, whilst the vessel is under repair, the cargo shall be unladen, and kept in a place of deposit destined to receive goods, the duties on which have not been paid, the cargo shall be liable to the charges and fees lawfully due to the keepers of such warehouse.

V. The privileges secured by the present Treaty to the respective vessels of the High Contracting Parties shall only extend to such as are built within their respective territories, or lawfully condemned as prizes of war, or adjudged to be forfeited for a breach of the municipal laws of either of the High Contracting Parties, and belonging wholly to their subjects or citizens.

It is further stipulated that vessels of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin may select their crews from any of the States of the Germanic Confederation, provided that the master of each be a subject of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

VI. No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into The United States of any articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, or of its fisheries, and no higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin of any articles the growth, produce, and manufacture of The United States and of their fisheries, than are or shall be payable on the like articles, being the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other foreign country or of its fisheries.

No higher or other duties and charges shall be imposed in The United States on the exportation of any articles to the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, or in Mecklenburg-Schwerin on the

exportation of any articles to The United States, than such as are or shall be payable on the exportation of the like articles to any other foreign country.

No prohibition shall be imposed on the importation or exportation of any articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, or of its fisheries, or of The United States or their fisheries, from or to the ports of said Grand Duchy, or of the said United States, which shall not equally extend to all other Powers and States.

VII. The High Contracting Parties engage mutually not to grant any particular favour to other nations in respect of navigation and duties of customs, which shall not immediately become common to the other party, who shall enjoy the same freely, if the concession was freely made, or on allowing a compensation as near as possible, if the concession was conditional.

VIII. In order to augment by all the means at its bestowal the commercial relations between The United States and Germany, the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin agrees, subject to the reservation in Article XIth, to abolish the import duty on raw cotton and paddy, or rice in the husk, the produce of The United States; to levy no higher import duty upon leaves, stems, or strips of tobacco, imported in hogsheads or casks, than 1 thaler and 2 schillings for 100 pounds Hamburg weight (equal to 70 cents United States currency and weight); to lay no higher import duty upon rice imported in tierces or half tierces than 25 schillings for 100 pounds Hamburg weight (equal to 37 cents United States currency and weight); to lay no higher duty upon whale oil, imported in casks or barrels, than 12 schillings per 100 pounds Hamburg weight (equal to 18 cents United States currency and weight).

The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin further agrees to levy no higher transit duty on the afore-mentioned articles in their movement on the Berlin-Hamburg railroad than 2 schillings per 100 pounds Hamburg weight (equal to 3 cents United States currency and weight), and to levy no transit duty on the above-mentioned articles when conveyed through the ports of the country.

It is understood, however, that nothing herein contained shall prohibit the levying of a duty sufficient for control, which in no instance shall exceed on the two articles imported duty free or those on transit 1 schilling per 100 pounds Hamburg weight (equal to 1 cent and United States currency and weight).

IX. The High Contracting Parties grant to each other the liberty of having, each in the ports of the other, Consuls, ViceConsuls, Commercial Agents, and Vice-Commercial Agents, of their own appointment, who shall enjoy the same privileges and powers as those of the most favoured nations; but if any of the said Consuls