they very prudently gave up a conteft, which must have ended in their utter deftruction.

The grievances of the infurgents were redreffed in the mode that might rationally be expected their form of government, and all their laws were abolished, and they were deprived of every privilege, municipal, civil, and judicial: the ufe of arms, to which every Swifs is accustomed, however low his rank in the fcale of fociety, was ftrictly forbidden, and this fage precaution has perpetuated their dominion, by destroying, not only the means, but the knowledge of refiftance, fince he who never handles arms must remain ignorant of the exercise.

Thus the former fubjects of the Levantine Valley became the unrefifting slaves of their citizen-fovereigns, and the bailiff of Uri is now their fole adminiftrator, law

giver, and judge. No one indeed can difpute the right of this Canton, and its allies, to reduce these rebels to obedience, fince the charter of their fervitude is clearly established by every document of hiftory. In ancient times they were probably, like other mountaineers, wild, and free: but in the twelfth century the country belonged to bifhops, then to the chapter of Milan; and in the fourteenth century Charles the Fourth mortgaged his imperial prefecture for a trfling fum to Conrad or John Moos; the fame perfonage, who had before monopolized the prefecture of Urferen. The canons of Milan, to rid themselves of the fatigues of government, gave up their ecclefiaftical titles to their duke; by whom they were tranfmitted in the middle of the fifteenth century, on what conditions we know not, to the Canton of Uri, who have ever fince prudently kept poffeffion. therefore clearly appears, that whether go

It

verned by bishops, emperors, chapters, canons, John Moos, dukes or democrats, the inhabitants of the Levantine have al

ways, fince the twelfth century, been either fubjects or ferfs.

of

While the Canton of Uri takes care the civil concerns of the inhabitants of this Valley, the archbishop of Milan administers to their spiritual neceffities: being judge in all ecclefiaftical difputes, with the privilege of placing his vicar general as rector in the feminary at Faido. Now, as the Archbishop of Milan, under every political change, preserves the fanctity of his character, he must no doubt continue archbishop, whether it be as Pontiff under the Emperor of Germany, or as fimple citizen of the Cifalpine Republic. Whatever degree of fraternity, therefore, may in future exift between this Republic, and that of Uri, it is to be pre

fumed, that no flight care will be taken by

the

the latter to prevent the admiffion of those principles, which have found their way into Lombardy, fince if ever these principles should overleap their prefent geographical boundary, and become points of confcience with the fubjects of the Valley, the Canton of Uri will perhaps in vain apply to this republican archbishop to anathematize their difobedience.

CHAP.

CHA P. XV.

Government of the Canton of Uri.-Origin of Swifs Freedom.

HAVING traced this short sketch of the manner in which the democratic Cantons of Switzerland govern their subjects, it will perhaps be proper to relate, in a few words, the manner in which they govern themfelves.

The government of the Cantons of Uri, Schweitz, and Underwalden, is faid to be democratic. Thefe ftates were once, like other parts of Switzerland, dependent on the empire, and whether they were deemed from their fituation not worth the labour of conquest, or were comprehended in that policy which engaged the princes of the