something that has a relation to the inhabitants of the Swiss cantons, who were anciently called Helvetii.—The Helvetic body comprehends the republic of Switzerland, consisting of 13 cantons, which make so many particular commonwealths. By the laws and customs of the Helvetic body, all differences between the several states and republics are to be decided within themselves, without the intervention of any foreign power. The government of this body, before its subjugation to France, was chiefly democratic, with some mixture of the aristocratic.