He combined the various plans which were offered
to him, and drew up a form of constitution which conciliated
sufficiently well the ancient habits with the modern pretensions,
and in causing himself to be named Mediator of the Swiss
Confederation, he drew more persons from that country, than he could
have driven from it, if he had governed it directly. He made the
deputies nominated by the cantons and principal cities of
Switzerland come to Paris; and on the 9th of January 1803, he had a
conference of seven hours with ten delegates, chosen from the
general deputation. He dwelt upon the necessity of re-establishing
the democratic cantons in their former state, pronouncing on this
occasion some declamations on the cruelty of depriving shepherds
dispersed among the mountains, of their sole amusement, namely,
popular assemblies; stating also, (what concerned him more nearly,)
the reasons he had for mistrusting the aristocratic cantons. He
insisted strongly on the importance of Switzerland to France. These
were his words, as they are given in a narrative of this conference:
"I can declare that since I have been at the head of this
government, no power has taken the least interest in Switzerland:
'twas I who made the Helvetic republic be acknowledged at Luneville:
Austria cared not the least for it. At Amiens I wished to do the
same, and England refused it: but England has nothing to do with
Switzerland.
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