No. [Protocols. Congress of Vienna.] PPP. Project of the Separate Convention between Protocol. 8 Courts. General Accession of Switzerland. ....... The Plenipotentiary of Spain to the Conference. The Plenipotentiary of Spain to the Conference. The Conference to the Plenipotentiary of Spain Idem The Plenipotentiary of Sweden to the Conference. Protest of the Pope. Religion and Catholic Church Sweden and Lucca, and Naples. 18 June.... 760 12 June.... 762 12 June.... 766 18 June.... 772 19 June.... 773 [Slave Trade.] No. 31.-PROTOCOL of Conference between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia respecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade by France. Paris, 26th July, 1815. VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGH, His Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State, &c., in reference to the communication he has made to the Conference, of the Orders addressed to the Admiralty to suspend all Hostilities against the coast of France, observes that there is reason to foresee that French shipowners might be induced to renew the Slave Trade, under the supposition of the peremptory and total abolition decreed by Napoleon Bonaparte, having ceased with his power, that, nevertheless, great and powerful considerations, arising from motives of humanity and even of regard for the King's authority, require that no time should be lost to maintain in France the entire and immediate abolition of the Traffic in Slaves; that if, at the time of the Treaty of Paris (No. 1), the King's administration could wish a final but gradual stop should be put to this Trade, in the space of 5 years, for the purpose of affording the King the gratification of having consulted, as much as possible, the interests of the French proprietors in the Colonies, now that the absolute prohibition has been ordained, the question assumes entirely a different shape, for if the King were to revoke the said prohibition, he would give himself the disadvantage of authorising, in the interior of France, the reproach which more than once has been thrown out against his former Government, of countenancing reactions, and, at the same time, justifying, out of France, and particularly in England, the belief of a systematic opposition to liberal ideas; that accordingly the time seems to have arrived when the Allies cannot hesitate formally to give weight in France to the immediate and entire prohibition of the Slave Trade, a prohibition, the necessity of which has been acknowledged, in principle, in the transactions of the Congress at Vienna (No. 7). The other Members of the Conference entirely coincide in opinion with Viscount Castlereagh, and in order to attain this end in the manner the most advantageous to the authority and con*For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. iii, p. 196. [Slave Trade.] sideration of the King, it is agreed that it would be advisable to preface, by a few observations, the verbal communication to be made to the King and to his administration, in order that His Majesty may be induced voluntarily to make the arrangement in question, and thus reap the advantage of an initiative, which will remove the idea in the interior of the kingdom of a tendency towards reaction, and will conciliate to the King, in Foreign Countries, the suffrages of the partisans of liberal ideas. A confidential representation is to be made to the King accordingly. Paris, 26th July, 1815. CASTLEREAGH. METTERNICH. NESSELRODE. HUMBOLDT. [Dutch Proprietors. Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice.] No. 32. CONVENTION between Great Britain and the Netherlands, relative to Dutch Proprietors in Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice. Signed at London, 12th August, 1. Trade of Dutch Proprietors in Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice, with the Netherlands. Nationality of Vessels. 2. Import and Export Duties. 3. Privileges of Dutch Proprietors. Negroes. 4. Foreclosure of Mortgages, &c. 5. Privileges of Dutch Proprietors. 6. Description of Dutch Proprietors. 7. Supplies for Mortgaged Estates, &c. 8. Declaration to be made by Proprietors. 9. Double Mortgages. 10. Annual Lists of Proprietors and Estates. 11. Berbice Association. 12. Judicial Decisions, &c. 13. Fairness and Impartiality. 14. Modifications. 15. Operation of Treaty. 16. Ratification. (English version.)* In the Name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity. His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, being equally desirous of promoting and cementing the harmony and good understanding so happily established between the two countries, by carrying into immediate execution that part of the provisions of the Ist Additional Article of the Convention of the 13th of August, 1814 (No. 5), which stipulates that the subjects of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, being Proprietors in the Colonies of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice, shall be at liberty (under certain regulations) to carry on trade between the said settlements and the territories in Europe of His said Majesty, have nominated for their Plenipotentiaries, viz., His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Henry Earl Bathurst, a Member of His Majesty's *For Dutch Version, seo "State Papers," vol. iii, p. 386. [Dutch Proprietors. Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice.] Most Honorable Privy Council, and one of his Principal Secretaries of State; And his Majesty the King of the Netherlands, the Sieur Henry Baron Fagel, a Member of the Corps des Nobles of the Province of Holland, and his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to his Britannic Majesty : Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in due and proper form, have agreed to the following Articles: Trade of Dutch Proprietors with the Netherlands. Nationality of Vessels. ART. I. It is hereby agreed for the space of 5 years from the 1st of January, 1816, the aforesaid trade may be carried on in any ships being the property of subjects of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, wheresoever built, and without any restriction or limitation as to the mariners navigating them: but at the expiration of the said five years, or as much sooner as His Majesty the King of the Netherlands shall think proper, such trade shall be carried on only in such ships as are Dutch built, and whereof the Master and three-fourths of the crew are subjects of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands. Import and Export Duties. ART. II. His Majesty the King of the Netherlands reserves to himself the liberty of imposing such duties as he may think fit, upon the importation into the European dominions of his said Majesty, of the produce of the Colonies in question; and vice versâ, with regard to exportation: but the duties to be paid within the Colonies shall be applicable to the Dutch, as well as to the British trade. Privileges of Dutch Proprietors. Negroes. ART. III. The subjects of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, being Proprietors in the said Colonies, shall be at perfect liberty to go to the said Colonies, and to return, without being subjected in this respect to any delay or difficulty; or to appoint persons to act for them in the management of the said intercourse, or of their properties in the said Colonies; subject, however, during their residence there, to the laws and regulations of the same. |