The Confederacy of the Swiss Cantons

The connection among the Swiss cantons scarcely amounts to a confederacy, though it is sometimes cited as an instance of the stability of such institutions. They have no common treasury, no common troops, even in war, no common coin, no common judicciatory, nor any other common mark of sovereignty. The controversies on the subject of religion, which in three instances have kindled violent and bloody contests, may be said, in fact, to have severed the league. Whatever efficacy the Union may have had in ordinary cases, it appears that the moment a cause of different spring up, capable of trying its strength, it failed.