NEWS OF THE WEEK.
*NILE outward appearances would imply that the dispute with. Switzerland, is daily pushed. by Prussia more close to a war, the doubt has gained ground whether after all a peaceful arrange- inent may not be made. Both parties, indeed, would seem to be inexorable. The Swiss Government is said to have officiously conveyed to his Prussian Majesty an offer, that if the insurgents of September should be pronounced guilty, they should be par- doned : a proposal which the Monarch is said to have spurned, since he denies the right of the Republic to try his loyal sub- jects. All diplomatic relations between Prussia and Switzerland have been broken off ; the King continues his military prepare-, tions ; the officers of his army are publicly named, and he ap- pears to be preparing for the attack as soon as the termination of the Christmas holidays shall enable him to do so without dis- turbing the family-parties in which his officers are at present en- gaged.
On the other side, Switzerland is collecting her forces. But it is said that, like King Frederick William, the Federal Govern- ment would accept the mediation of neutral Powers, although it insists upon persevering with the regular course of law.
The position of the French Government is not perfectly clear. Last week we noticed a quasi-manifesto in the Moniteur inti- mating that if Switzerland persevered in resistance she would lose the good-will of France. This week a report has circulated that the Emperor Napoleon has made another declaration, that lie would not sanction anything like an armed intervention. Thus he appears to balance his warning towards Switzerland with his warning towards Prussia. There might be many rea- sons for this assumption of a neutral attitude. It is certain that the French people are not quite so subdued as they have been ; they do sometimes. murmur ; and even officers of the army are said to have avowed their sympathy with Switzerland in the most open manner.
All these rumours, however, are shrouded in much obscurity. The latest reports strengthen the dubitation, and revive the ap- prehension that no progress has been made in attempts to settle the affair amicably.
