The Swiss Republic |
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Aargau Act of Mediation administration Alps ancient army authority Basel beauty Bern body Canton of Uri Cantons century citizenship civil Commune Confederation court cows declared districts duties election eral established Europe executive exercise existence Federal Assembly Federal Council federal law Federal Tribunal feet Finsteraarhorn force foreign francs French Gallen Geneva German glacier Glarus Grisons hundred industry instruction interest judge judicial labor lake Lake of Geneva land Landsgemeinde legislative liberty limits Luzern ment military mountains National Council natural party passed peace peasants persons political popular present President principle provisions question Referendum representative republic rock Rütli Schaffhausen Schwyz snow soil soldiers Solothurn Swiss citizen Swiss Constitution Switzer Switzerland Tell thousand Thurgau Ticino tion treaties troops union United Unterwalden Valais valleys Vaud vote whole Zurich
Popular passages
Page 334 - HAPPY the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air, In his own ground. Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire ; Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter fire.
Page 381 - A double dungeon wall and wave Have made — and like a living grave. Below the surface of the lake The dark vault lies...
Page 117 - There is no position which depends on clearer principles than that every act of a delegated authority contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid.
Page 380 - Clarens ! sweet Clarens, birthplace of deep Love ! Thine air is the young breath of passionate thought ; Thy trees take root in Love ; the snows above The very Glaciers have his colours caught, And sun-set into rose-hues sees them wrought By rays which sleep there lovingly...
Page 117 - Some perplexity respecting the rights of the courts to pronounce legislative acts void, because contrary to the Constitution, has arisen from an imagination that the doctrine would imply a superiority of the judiciary to the legislative power. It is urged that the authority which can declare the acts of another void must necessarily be superior to the one whose acts may be declared void.
Page 117 - The interpretation of the laws is the proper and peculiar province of the courts. A constitution is in fact, and must be, regarded by the judges as a fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning as well as the meaning of any particular act proceeding from the legislative body.
Page 161 - I know, also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times.
Page 33 - Two Voices are there ; one is of the Sea, One of the Mountains ; each a mighty Voice : In both from age to age Thou didst rejoice, They were thy chosen Music, Liberty...
Page 190 - But it is not by the consolidation or concentration of powers, but by their distribution, that good government is effected. Were not this great country already divided into States, that division must be made, that each might do for itself what concerns itself directly, and what it can so much better do than a distant authority...
Page 75 - But, his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you; to any man, or to any set of men living.