has broken off diplomatic relations with that republic ; and
the Chargé d'Affaires at Berne has been withdrawn. It is open to Austria to take the next step, which ought to be of a more positive n.
Nevertheless, it is to be doubted whether, for the present at least, Austria will proceed to further extremities. Her allegations of wrong against Switzerland—of harbouring patriots and expel- ling monks—have been shadowy in nature or unproved in fact. Certain monks have been expelled from Ticino, but compensated ; and the patriots are a matter of speculative probability so far as the Federal Government is involved in their proceedings. But the wrongs inflicted by Austria on Switzerland are not shadowy': the expulsion of some thousands of poor Ticineso • from Lom- bardy was a cruel reprisal for the expulson 'of the meddling priests; and the insolence of the Chargé d'Affaires has been less than that of Prince Menschikoff only because it was that of a smaller man on a smaller stage. Nor-does the Chargé's departure mean quite so much. The diplomatic representative of Prussia was withdrawn, we believe, two years ago, and the republic survives. It is-true that the Swiss have been put to annoyance, and it is probable that the diplomatic blockade instituted by Austria will be followed up by a customs blockade,—the grain-growers of Swit- zerland being cut off from Austrian markets, as Austrian markets will be cut off from Swiss supplies. But as the republic has sur- vived the Prussian interdict, so probably she will the Austrian ; and au reste, Austria is not in a condition to light up the fires of war on the borders of Northern Italy, or in the centre of Europe.
