Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel (16 November 1813 – 14 January 1889) was a Swiss jurist and politician from the Liberal Radical Party (FDP) and member of the Federal Council of Switzerland over which he presided in 1861 and 1866. Before he was also a member of the Grand Council and the Executive Council of Lucerne and also of the National Council.
Education and early life
Knüsel was born into a Catholic household on the 16 November 1813 in Lucerne to Melchior Josef and Josefa (born Küttel) Knüsel. He then stayed for some months in Romont and Lausanne to further his knowledge of the French language. Prominent investigations he led were the one against Jakob Robert Steiger and his rebels and one against some members of the clergy of the Monastery of the Franciscans. but declined to become a member of the Council of States. He was in favor of an amnesty for the rebels around Jakob Robert Steiger in 1849. In 1853 he was involved in the development of a railway connecting Basel and Lucerne over Sursee. Knüsel was also a candidate, but only received 23 votes. He saw with concerns the developments of France and the Austrian Empire to construct a railway over the Brenner or Mount Cenis and worried that in the case they succeed before Switzerland achieved its own tunnel, international traffic would lead around Switzerland which then would lose its central position. He strongly favored the construction of the railway tunnel through the Gotthard massif instead of a variant through the Lukmanier.
After Pope Pius IX. harshly criticised the Church Laws in Geneva and Solothurn, the Federal Council recalled the Swiss ambassador to the Holy See. Knüsel, as the only catholic in the Federal Council, did not support this step which caused some opposition in his canton Lucerne. When in 1875 the confirmative elections were to be held, he was made a candidate in a conservative district, where he didn't have a chance and lost, following which he resigned.
- Department of Trade and Customs (1857)
- Department of Justice and Police (1858)
- Department of Trade and Customs (1859 - 1860)
- Political Department (1861) as President of the Swiss Confederation
- Department of Finance (1862 - 1863)
- Department of Justice and Police (1864 - 1865)
- Political Department (1866) as President of the Swiss Confederation
- Department of Justice and Police (1867 - 1873)
- Federal Department of Home Affairs (1874 - 1875)
As a civilian (non-military), he was not allowed to become involved in the Military Department. He became President of the Confederation twice, in 1861 and 1866. The following year the SGG held their annual congress in Lucerne. In 1878, he returned to politics when he was elected into the National Council until 1881.
Personal life
In 1847 Knüsel married Bernardine Brunner from Ebikon.