[Union of the Five Powers.] No. 87.-PROTOCOL of Conference, between the Plenipotentiaries of Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia. Signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, 15th November, 1818. SUBJECT. Reference to Treaty of 30th May, 1814; to Vienna Congress Treaty of 9th June, 1815; to Treaty of 20th November, 1815; and to Convention of 9th October, 1818. Union of the Five Powers. Future Meetings of Sovereigns or their Representatives. (Translation.*) Reference to Treaty of 30th May, 1814; to Vienna Congress Treaty of 9th June, 1815; to Treaty of 20th November, 1815; and to Convention of 9th October, 1818. THE Ministers of Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia, in pursuance of the exchange of the Ratifications of the Convention signed on the 9th of October, 1818 (No. 82), relative to the Evacuation of the French Territory by the Foreign Troops, and after having addressed to each other the Notes, of which copies are annexed (Nos. 84, 85), have assembled in conference, to take into consideration the Relations which ought to be established, in the actual state of affairs, between France and the co-subscribing Powers of the Treaty of Peace of the 20th of November, 1815 (No. 40)-Relations which, by assuring to France the place that belongs to her in the European system, will bind her more closely to the pacific and benevolent views in which all the Sovereigns participate, and will thus consolidate the general tranquillity. After having maturely investigated the conservative principles of the great interests which constitute the order of things established in Europe, under the auspices of Divine Providence, by the Treaty of Paris of the 30th of May, 1814 (No. 1), the Recès of Vienna (9th June, 1815, No. 27), and the Treaty of Peace of the year 1815 (20th November, No. 40), the Courts subscribing the present Act, do, accordingly, unanimously acknowledge and declare: 1. That they are firmly resolved never to depart, neither in their mutual Relations, nor in those which bind them to other *For French version, see "State Papers," vol. vi., p. 14. [Union of the Five Powers.] States, from the principle of intimate Union which has hitherto presided over all their common relations and interests—a Union rendered more strong and indissoluble by the bonds of Christian fraternity which the Sovereigns have formed among themselves. 2. That this Union, which is the more real and durable, inasmuch as it depends on no separate interest or temporary combination, can only have for its object the Maintenance of general Peace, founded on a religious respect for the engagements contained in the Treaties, and for the whole of the rights resulting therefrom. 3. That France, associated with other Powers by the restoration of the legitimate Monarchical and Constitutional Power, engages henceforth to concur in the maintenance and consolidation of a System which has given Peace to Europe, and which can alone insure its duration. 4. That if, for the better attaining the above declared object, the Powers which have concurred in the present Act, should judge it necessary to establish particular meetings, either of the Sovereigns themselves, or of their respective Ministers and Plenipotentiaries, there to treat in common of their own interests, in so far as they have reference to the object of their present deliberations, the time and place of these meetings shall, on each occasion, be previously fixed by means of diplomatic communications; and that in the case of these meetings having for their object affairs specially connected with the interests of the other States of Europe, they shall only take place in pursuance of a formal invitation on the part of such of those States as the said affairs may concern, and under the express reservation of their right of direct participation therein, either directly or by their Plenipotentiaries. 5. That the resolutions contained in the present Act shall be made known to all the Courts of Europe, by the annexed Declaration, which shall be considered as sanctioned by the Protocol, and forming part thereof. Done in quintuple, and reciprocally exchanged in the original, by the subscribing Cabinets. Aix-la-Chapelle, 15th November, 1818. METTERNICH. RICHELIEU. CASTLEREAGH. WELLINGTON. HARDENBERG. BERNSTORFF. NESSELRODE. CAPO D'ISTRIA. [Peace of Europe. Union of the Five Powers.] No. 88.-DECLARATION of the Five Cabinets (Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia). Signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, 15th November, 1818. [This Declaration formed Annex C to the Protocol of 15th November, 1818.] SUBJECT. Peace of Europe. Union of the Five Powers. (Translation.*) Ar the period of completing the Pacification of Europe by the resolution of withdrawing the Foreign Troops from the French Territory; and when there is an end of those measures of precaution which unfortunate circumstances had rendered necessary, the Ministers and Plenipotentiaries of their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, the King of France, the King of Great Britain, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of all the Russias, have received orders from their Sovereigns, to make known to all the Courts of Europe, the results of their meeting at Aix-la-Chapelle, and with that view to publish the following Declaration : The Convention of the 9th October, 1818 (No. 82), which definitively regulated the execution of the engagements agreed to in the Treaty of Peace of 20th November, 1815 (No. 40), is considered by the Sovereigns who concurred therein, as the accomplishment of the work of Peace, and as the completion of the political System destined to ensure its solidity. The intimate Union established among the Monarchs, who are joint parties to this System, by their own principles, no less than by the interests of their people, offers to Europe the most sacred pledge of its future tranquillity. The object of this Union is as simple as it is great and salutary. It does not tend to any new political combination-to any change in the Relations sanctioned by existing Treaties. Calm and consistent in its proceedings, it has no other object than the maintenance of Peace, and the guarantee of those transactions on which the Peace was founded and consolidated. For French version, see "State Papers," vol. vi., p. 18. [Peace of Europe. Union of the Five Powers.] The Sovereigns, in forming this august Union, have regarded as its fundamental basis their invariable resolution never to depart, either among themselves, or in their Relations with other States, from the strictest observation of the principles of the Right of Nations; principles, which, in their application to a state of permanent Peace, can alone effectually guarantee the Independence of each Government, and the stability of the general association. Faithful to these principles, the Sovereigns will maintain them equally in those meetings at which they may be personally present, or in those which shall take place among their Ministers; whether they be for purpose of discussing in common their own interests, or whether they shall relate to questions in which other Governments shall formally claim their interference. The same spirit which will direct their councils, and reign in their diplomatic communications, will preside also at these meetings; and the repose of the world will be constantly their motive and their end. It is with these sentiments that the Sovereigns have consummated the work to which they were called. They will not cease to labour for its confirmation and perfection. They solemnly acknowledge that their duties towards God and the people whom they govern make it peremptory on them to give to the world, as far as it is in their power, an example of justice, of concord, and of moderation; happy in the power of consecrating, from henceforth, all their efforts to protect the arts of peace, to increase the internal prosperity of their States, and to awaken those sentiments of religion and morality, whose influence has been but too much enfeebled by the misfortune of the times. Aix-la-Chapelle, 15th November 1818. METTERNICH. CASTLEREAGH. WELLINGTON. HARDENBERG. CAPO D'ISTRIA. [Diplomatic Precedence. Ministers Resident.] No. 89.-PROTOCOL of Conference between the Plenipotentiaries of Five Powers of Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia. Signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, 21st November, 1818. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) Diplomatic Precedence. In order to avoid inconvenient discussions which might arise upon a point of Diplomatic Etiquette, which appears not to have been anticipated in the Annex to the Treaty of Vienna (No. 8), whereby questions of Precedence were regulated, it is agreed between the Five Courts that Ministers Resident accredited to them shall form, with respect to their Precedence, an intermediate class between Ministers of the Second Class and Chargés d'Affaires. METTERNICH. CASTLEREAGH. *For French version, see "State Papers," vol. v., p. 1090. |