Swiss statesman, born in 1808, near Arenenberg, in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland. After studying at the gymnasium of Zurich, he proceeded to the university of Basel, to study theology, which he gave up; became a law student, and finished his education in the schools of Berlin, Heidelberg and Paris. From 1837 he performed in his canton the duties of president of the supreme court of judicature, and those of president of the council of education. He was, from 1833, under the old compact as under the new federal constitution, regularly chosen representative of his canton in the Diet or in the National Assembly. In 1838, when France demanded the extradition of Louis Napoleon, he was largely influential, in the Diet, in stirring up the Swiss to refuse the demand. He was active in the preparation of the federal constitution (1848); founded the Polytechnic School of Zurich, and at the conference of the great powers in Paris represented Switzerland. He died in Zurich on the 15th of April 1888.
