[Neutrality of Switzerland and Parts of Savoy.] No. 43.-ACT, signed by the Protecting Powers, Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia and Russia, for the acknowledgment and Guarantee of the Perpetual Neutrality of Switzerland, and the Inviolability of its Territory. Paris, 20th November, 1815. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) THE Accession of Switzerland to the Declaration published at Vienna the 20th March, 1815 (No. 9), by the Powers who signed the Treaty of Paris (No. 1), having been duly notified to the Ministers of the Imperial and Royal Courts, by the Act of the Helvetic Diet on the 27th of the month of May following (No. 20), there remained nothing to prevent the Act of Acknowledgment and Guarantee of the perpetual Neutrality of Switzerland from being made conformably to the above-mentioned Declaration. But the Powers deemed it expedient to suspend till this day the signature of that Act, in consequence of the changes which the events of the war, and the arrangements which might result from it might possibly occasion in the limits of Switzerland, and in respect also to the modifica tions resulting therefrom, in the arrangements relative to the federated territory, for the benefit of the Helvetic Body. These changes being fixed by the stipulations of the Treaty of Paris signed this day (No. 40), the Powers who signed the Declaration of Vienna of the 20th March declare, by this present Act, their formal and authentic Acknowledgment of the perpetual Neutrality of Switzerland; and they Guarantee to that country the Integrity and Inviolability of its Territory in its new limits, such as they are fixed, as well by the Act of the Congress of Vienna (No. 27) as by the Treaty of Paris of this day (No. 40), and such as they will be hereafter; conformably to the Arrangement of the Protocol of the 3rd November, extract of which is hereto annexed (No. 38), which stipulates in favour of the Helvetic Body a new increase of Territory, to be taken from Savoy, in order to disengage from Enclaves, and complete the circle of the Canton of Geneva. The Powers acknowledge likewise and guarantee the Neutrality of those parts of Savoy designated by the Act of the Congress of * For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. iii, p. 359. [Neutrality of Switzerland and Parts of Savoy.] Vienna of the 20th May, 1815 (No. 19), and by the Treaty of Paris signed this day (No. 40), the same being entitled to participate in the Neutrality of Switzerland, equally as if they belonged to that country. The Powers who signed the Declaration of the 20th of March (No. 9) acknowledge, in the most formal manner, by the present Act, that the Neutrality and Inviolability of Switzerland, and her Independence of all foreign influence, enter into the true interests of the policy of the whole of Europe. They declare that no consequence unfavourable to the rights of Switzerland with respect to its Neutrality and the Inviolability of its Territory can or ought to be drawn from the events which led to the passage of the Allied Troops across a part of the Helvetic States. This passage, freely consented to by the Cantons in the Convention of the 20th May, was the necessary result of the free adherence of Switzerland to the principles manifested by the Powers who signed the Treaty of Alliance of the 25th March.† The Powers acknowledge with satisfaction that the conduct of Switzerland under these trying circumstances has shown that she knew how to make great sacrifices to the general good, and to the support of a cause which all the Powers of Europe defended, and that, in fine, Switzerland has deserved the advantages which have been secured to her, whether by the Arrangements of the Congress of Vienna (No. 27), by the Treaty of Paris of this day (No. 40), or by the present Act, to which all the Powers in Europe are invited to accede. In faith of which the present Declaration has been concluded and signed at Paris the 20th November, 1815. The Signatures follow in the Alphabetical Order of the Courts. AUSTRIA. (L.S.) LE PRINCE DE METTERNICII. (L.S.) LE BARON DE WESSENBERG. (L.S.) RICHELIEU. FRANCE. GREAT BRITAIN. (L.S.) CASTLEREAGH. (L.S.) WELLINGTON. PRUSSIA. RUSSIA. (L.S.) LE PRINCE DE HARDENBERG. * See note as to Events of 1860 and 1870, p. 261. + See Appendix. L [Alliance of 4 Powers. Peace of Europe.] No. 44.-TREATY of Alliance and Friendship between Great Britain, Austria (Prussia, and Russia). Signed at Paris, 20th November, 1815. Preamble. Alliance and Friendship. Proceedings of Napoleon Bonaparte. Guarantee of Peace to Europe. 1. Execution of Treaties of Peace, &c., with France, of 20th November, 1815. 3. Military Line in France. Renewal of Alliance of Chaumont. 5. Duration of Engagements. 6. Renewal of Meetings of the Allies for maintenance of Peace of Europe. 7. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) In the Name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity. *For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. iii, p. 273. [Alliance of 4 Powers. Peace of Europe]. His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Robert Stewart Viscount Castlereagh, &c., &c., &c., and the Most Illustrious and Most Noble Lord Arthur, Duke, Marquis and Earl of Wellington, Marquis of Douro, Viscount Wellington of Talavera and of Wellington, and Baron Douro, of Wellesley, &c., &c., &c., And His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, the Sieur Clement Wenceslas Lothaire, Prince of Metternich-Winnebourg-Ochsenhausen, &c., &c., and the Sieur John Philip Baron of Wessenberg, &c., &c., who, after having exchanged their full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles: Execution of Treaties of Peace, &c., with France, of ART. I. The High Contracting Parties reciprocally promise to maintain, in its force and vigour, the Treaty signed this day with His Most Christian Majesty (No. 40), and to see that the stipulations of the said Treaty, as well as those of the Particular Conventions which have reference thereto (Nos. 41, 42, 45, 46), shall be strictly and faithfully executed in their fullest extent. Confirmation of Arrangements of 1814 and 1815. Exclusion of Bonaparte Family from Supreme Power in France. Measures of General Security. ART. II. The High Contracting Parties, having engaged in the War which has just terminated, for the purpose of maintaining inviolably the Arrangements settled at Paris last year (No. 1), for the safety and interest of Europe, have judged it advisable to renew the said Engagements by the present Act, and to confirm them as mutually obligatory, subject to the modifications contained in the Treaty signed this day with the Plenipotentiaries of His Most Christian Majesty (No. 40), and particularly those by which Napoleon Bonaparte and his family, in pursuance of the Treaty of the 11th of April, 1814, have been for ever excluded from Supreme Power in France, which exclusion the Contracting Powers bind themselves, by the present Act, to maintain in full vigour, and, should it be necessary, with the whole of their forces.† And as the * See Appendix. * + Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was proclaimed President of the French Republic, 20th December, 1848, and Emperor of the French, by the title of Napoleon III, on the 2nd December, 1852. These titles were recog nized by all the Powers of Europe. [Alliance of 4 Powers. Peace of Europe]. same Revolutionary Principles which upheld the last criminal usurpation, might again, under other forms, convulse France, and thereby endanger the repose of other States; under these circumstances, the High Contracting Parties solemnly admitting it to be their duty to redouble their watchfulness for the tranquillity and interests of their people, engage, in case so unfortunate an event should again occur, to concert amongst themselves, and with His Most Christian Majesty, the measures which they may judge necessary to be pursued for the safety of their respective States, and for the general Tranquillity of Europe. Military Line in France. Renewal of Alliance of Chaumont. ART. III. The High Contracting Parties, in agreeing with His Most Christian Majesty that a Line of Military Positions in France should be occupied by a corps of Allied Troops during a certain number of years (No. 42), had in view to secure, as far as lay in their power, the effect of the stipulations contained in Articles I and II of the present Treaty, and, uniformly disposed to adopt every salutary measure calculated to secure the Tranquillity of Europe by maintaining the order of things re-established in France, they engage, in case the said body of troops should be attacked or menaced with an attack on the part of France, that the said Powers should be again obliged to place themselves on a war establishment against that Power, in order to maintain either of the said stipulations, or to secure and support the great interests to which they relate, each of the High Contracting Parties shall furnish, without delay, according to the stipulations of the Treaty of Chaumont, and especially in pursuance of Articles VII and VIII of this Treaty, its full contingent of 60,000 men, in addition to the forces left in France, or such part of the said contingent as the exigency of the case may require, should be put in motion. Additional Forces in the event of War. Conditions of Peace. ART. IV. If, unfortunately, the forces stipulated in the preceding Article should be found insufficient, the High Contracting Parties will concert together, without loss of time, as to the additional number of troops to be furnished by each for the support of the common cause; and they engage to employ, in case of need, the whole of their forces, in order to bring the War to a speedy and successful termination, reserving to themselves the * 1st March, 1814. See Appendix. |