XIX, The Members of the Confederation also engage, on the first meeting of the Diet, to take into consideration the state of commerce and intercourse between the different States of the Confederation, as well as that of navigation, on the principles adopted by the Congress of Vienna,

The above act was concluded, and signed at Vienna, on the 8th of June, 1815.

Duke of Wellington's Proclama

tion.

I announce to the French that I enter their territory at the head of an army already victorious, not as an enemy (except of the Usurper, the enemy of the human race, with whom there can be neither peace nor truce), but to aid them to shake off the iron yoke by which they are oppressed. I therefore give to my army the subjoined orders, and I desire that every one who violates them may be made known to me.

The French know, however, that I have a right to require, that they conduct themselves in such a manner that I may be able to protect them against those who would seek to do them evil.

They must, then, furnish the requisitions that will be made of them by persons authorised to make them, taking receipts in due form and order; that they remain quietly at their homes, and have no correspondence or communication with the Usurper or with his adherents.

All those who shall absent themselves from their homes, after the entrance of the army into

Buonaparte's Declaration to the French People.

Frenchmen!-In commencing war for maintaining the national independence I relied on the union of all efforts, of all wills, and the concurrence of all the national authorities. I had reason to hope for success, and I braved all the declarations of the Powers against me.

me

Circumstances appear to changed. I offer myself as a sacrifice to the hatred of the enemies of France. May they prove sincere in their declarations, and have really directed them only against my power! My political life is terminated, and I proclaim my son under the title of Napoleon II. Emperor of the French.

The present Ministers will provisionally form the Council of the Government. The interest which I take in my son induces me to invite the Chambers to form without delay the Regency by a law.

Unite all for the public safety, in order to remain an independent nation. NAPOLEON.

(Signed)

Paris, June 23, 1815.

PROCLAMATION OF LOUIS XVIII.

The King to the French people. The gates of my kingdom at last open before me; I hasten to bring back my misled subjects, to mitigate the calamities which I had wished to prevent, to place myself a second time between the Allied and the French Armies, in the hope that the feelings of consideration of which I may be the object may tend to their preservation. This is the only way in which I have wished to take part in the war. I have not permitted any Prince of my family to appear in foreign ranks, and have chained in the courage of those of my servants who had been able to range themselves around me.

Returned to the soil of my country, I take pleasure in speaking confidence to my people. When I first re-appeared among you, I found men's minds agitated, and heated by conflicting passions. My views encountered on every side, nothing but difficulties and obstacles. My government was liable to commit errors; perhaps it did commit them. There are times when the purest intentions are insufficient to direct, or sometimes they even mislead.

Experience alone could teach; it shall not be lost. All that can save France is my wish.

My subjects have learned, by cruel trials, that the principle of the legitimacy of Sovereigns is one of the fundamental bases of social order-the only one upon which, amidst a great nation, a wise and well-ordered liberty can be established. This doctrine has just been proclaimed as that of

all Europe. I had previously consecrated it by my charter, and I claim to add to that charter all the guarantee which can secure the benefits of it.

The unity of ministry is the strongest that I can offer. I mean that it should exist, and that the frank and firm march of my. Council should guarantee all interests and calm all inquietudes.

Some have talked latterly of the restoration of tithes and feudal rights. This fable, invented by the common enemy. does not require confutation. It will not be expected that the King should stoop to refute ca-, lumnies and lies; the success of the treason has too clearly indicated their source. If the purchasers of national property have felt alarm, the Charter should suffice to re-assure them. Did Inot myself propose to the Chambers, and cause to be executed, sales of such property? This proof of my sincerity is unanswerable.

In these latter times, my subjects of all classes have given me equal proofs of love and fidelity. I wish them to know how sensibly I feel them, and that it is from among all Frenchmen I shall delight to choose those who are to approach my personandmy family.

I wish to exclude from my presence none but those whose celebrity is matter of grief to France, and of horror to Europe. In the plot which they hatched, I perceive many of my subjects misled, and some guilty.

I promise I who never promised in vain (all Europe knows it)-to pardon to misled Frenchmen, all that has passed since the day when I quitted Lille, amidst.

so many tears, upto the day when I re-entered Cambria, amidst so many acclamations.

But the blood of my people has flowed, in consequence of a treason of which the annals of the world present no example. That treason has summoned foreigners into the heart of France. Every day reveals to me a new disaster. I owe it, then, to the dignity of my crown, to the interest of my people, to the repose of Europe, to except from pardon the instigators and authors of this horrible plot. They shall be designated to the vengeance of the laws by the two chambers, which I propose forthwith to assemble.

Frenchmen, such are the sentiments which he brings among you, whom time has not been able to change, nor calamities fatigue, nor injustice made to stoop. The King whose fathers reigned for eight centuries over yours, returns to consecrate the remainder of his days in defending and consoling you.

LOUIS.

Given at Cambrai, this 28th of June,in the year of our Lord 1815, and of our reign the 21st. (Signed) By the King. (Signed) Prince TALLEYRAND Min. Sec. of S. for F. Affairs.

A Supplementary Convention between his Britannic Majesty and the Emperor of all the Russias. Signed at London the 17th (20th) of June, 1814.

CONVENTION.

(Translation)

His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Bri

tain and Ireland, and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, in concert with their high allies, his Majesty the Emperor of Austria and his Majesty the King of Prussia, considering that the grand object of their alliance, to ensure the future tranquillity of Europe, and to establish a just equilibrium of power, cannot be deemed to be completely accomplished, until the arrangements concerning the state of possession of the different countries composing it, shall have been definitively settled at the Congress, to be held agreeably to the 32nd Article of the Treaty of Peace signed at Paris the 30th of May, 1814, have judged it necessary, conformably to the Treaty of Chaumont of the 1st of March of the same year, to keep still on foot a portion of their armies, in order to give effect to the above arrangements, and to maintain order and tranquillity until the state of Europe shall be entirely re-established.

The High Contracting Powers have in consequence appointed their Plenipotentiaries, namely, his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh one of his said Majesty's most hon. Privy, Council, &c. and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, Charles Robert Count de Nesselrode, his Privy Counsellor, &c. who, after exchanging their full powers, and finding them in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

Art. I. His Britannic Majesty and his Majesty the Emperor of all

the Russias engage to keep on a war establishment, until the definitive arrangement to be made at the above Congress, an army of seventy-five thousand troops, that is to say, sixty thousand in fantry, and fifteen thousand cavalry, together with a train of artillery, and with equipments proportioned to the number of troops, which number is equal to that which his Imperial and royal Apostolic Majesty the Emperor of Austria, and his Majesty the King of Prussia bind themselves to keep on foot for the same purpose,

Art. II. His Britannic Majesty reserves to himself to furnish his contingent, conformably to the Ninth Article of the Treaty of Chaumont of the 1st of March,

1814.

Art. III.-The High-Contracting Parties, as well as their Majesties the Emperor of Austria and King of Prussia engage to employ these armies only pursuant to a common plan, and conformably to the spirit, and for the object, of their alliance abovementioned.

Art. IV. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications exchanged within two months or sooner, if possible.

In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention and have affixed to it the seals of their

The Plenipotentiaries an the part of Great Britain and Aus tria were the Right Honourable Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, and the Sieur Clement Wenceslas Lothaire, Prince of Metternich, &c. &c. &c.

The Plenipotentiaries on the part of Great Britain and Prussia were the Right Honourable Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, and Prince Charles Augustus de Hardenberg, Chancellor of State, Knight of the Grand order of the Black Eagle,

&c. &c. &c.

PROCLAMATION.

We, William, by the Grace of God, King of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, &c.

When the government of Belgium was given into our hands by the High Allied Powers, we had previously given our formal adhesion to the conditions of the Union of Belgium' with the United Provinces of the Netherlands, which had been agreed upon at London by the Plenipotentiaries of the said Powers, in the month of June, 1814, and of which the following is the tenor:

Art. I. This union is to be intimate and complete, so that the two countries shall form one and the same state, governed by the Constitution already established in Holland, which shall be modified by common consent, according to the new state of things.

II. No innovation shall be made in the articles of this Constitution, which ensure equal favour and protection to all forms of

worship, and guarantee the admission of all citizens to public offices and employments, whatever be their religious creed.

III.-The Belgian Provinces shall be duly represented in the assembly, of the States General, whose ordinary sittings in time of peace shall be held alternately in a town in Holland and in a town in Belgium.

IV.—All the inhabitants of the Netherlands being thus constitutionally assimilated among each other, the several Provinces shall equally enjoy all the commercial and other advantages of which their respective situations are susceptible; nor can any obstacle or restriction be laid upon one to the advantage of another."

V.-Immediately after the union, the provinces and towns of Belgium shall be admitted to the commerce, and navigation of the colonies upon the same footing as the provinces and towns of Holland..

VI. As the burthens must be in common as well as the advanages, the debts contracted till the time of the union, by the Dutch provinces on the one hand, and by the Belgic provinces on the other, shall be chargeable to the public treasury of the Netherlands.

VII.-Conformably to the same principles, the expences required for the establishment and preservation of the fortresses on the frontier of the new State, shall be borne by the public treasury; as resulting from an object that interests the safety and independence of all the provinces of the whole nation,

VIII-The expence of form

ing and keeping up the dykes shall be for the account of the districts more especially interested in this branch of the public service, reserving the ob ligation of the state in general to furnish aid in to furnish aid in case, of, extraordinary disasters, all exactly as has been hitherto practised in Holland.

The treaty of Vienna having since confirmed, upon these same principles, the formal session of the Belgic Provinces, to form in conjunction with the United Provinces of the Nether, lands, one kingdom, we have hastened to appoint a special committee to examine what modifications it would be useful or necessary to make in the constitution already established in Holland.

Citizens distinguished by their knowledge, their patriotism, and their probity, have employed themselves on this important work with a zeal worthy of the greatest praises.

The project which they have just laid before us, contains honourable distinctions for the Nobility, insures to all forms of worship equal favour and protection, and guarantees the admission of all citizens to public offices and employments; it fixes the division of power upon the basis of protecting institutions, which have been at all times dear to the people of Belgium. It recognises above all things the independence of the judicial power; it reconciles the integrity and the strength of the body politic, with the individual right of each of its members; and lastly, it contains the elements of every gradual im