HENRY IV.'S SCHEME, ELABORATED BY THE ABBÉ SAINT-PIERRE. The ABBÉ DE ST. PIERRE was born 1658, died 1743. I. FUNDAMental ArticLES. The present Sovereigns, by their undersigned Deputies, have agreed to the following Articles : 1. There shall be from this day forward a Society, a permanent and perpetual Union between the undersigned Sovereigns, and, if possible, among all Christian Sovereigns, to preserve unbroken peace in Europe. The Sovereigns shall be perpetually represented by their Deputies in a perpetual Congress or Senate in a free city. 2. The European Society shall not at all interfere with the Government of any State, except to preserve its constitution, and to render prompt and adequate assistance to rulers and chief magistrates against seditious persons and rebels. 3. The Union shall employ its whole strength and care in order, during regencies, minorities, or feeble reigns, to prevent injury to the Sovereign, either in his person or prerogatives, or to the Sovereign House, and in case of such shall send Commissioners to inquire into the facts, and troops to punish the guilty. 4. Each Sovereign shall be contented, he and his successors, with the Territory he actually possesses, or which he is to possess by the accompanying Treaty. No Sovereign, nor member of a Sovereign Family, can be Sovereign of any State besides that or those which are actually in the possession of his family. The EXTRAIT DU PROJET DE PAIX PERPÉTUelle de Les souverains presens par leurs Députez soussignez sont convenus des articles suivans : 1. Il y aura de ce jour à l'avenir une Société, une Union permanente et perpetuelle entre les Souverains soussignez, et s'il est possible, entre tous les Souverains Chrétiens, dans le dessein de rendre la Paix inaltérable en Europe. Les Souverains seront perpetuellement representez par leurs Deputez dans un Congrez ou Senat perpetuel dans une Ville libre. 2. La Société Européenne ne se mêlera point du Gouvernement de chaque Etat, si ce n'est pour en conserver la forme fondamentale, et pour donner un prompt et suffisant secours aux Princes dans les Monarchies, et aux Magistrats dans les Republiques, contre les Séditieux et les Rebelles. 3. L'Union employera toutes ses forces et tous ses soins pour empêcher que pendant les Regences, les Minoritez, les Regnes foibles de chaque Etat, il ne soit fait aucun préjudice au Souverain, ni en sa personne, ni en ses droits, soit par ses Sujets, soit par des Estrangers; et s'il arrivoit quelque Sédition, Révolte, Conspiration, soupçon de poison, ou autre violence contre le Prince ou contre la Maison Souveraine, l'Union, comme sa Tutrice et comme sa Protectrice née, envoyera dans cet Etat des Commissaires exprès pour estre par eux informez de la verité des faits, et en même temps des Troupes pour punir les coupables. 4. Chaque Souverain se contentera pour luy et pour ses Successeurs du Territoire qu'il possede actuellement, ou qu'il doit posseder par le Traité cy-joint. Aucun Souverain, ni aucun Membre de Maison Souveraine ne pourra estre Souverain d'aucun Etat, que de celuy, ou de ceux qui sont actuellement dans sa maison. annuities which the Sovereigns owe to the private persons of another State shall be paid as heretofore. No Sovereign shall assume the title of Lord of any Country of which he is not in possession, and the Sovereigns shall not make an exchange of Territory or sign any Treaty among themselves except by a majority of the four-and-twenty votes of the Union, which shall remain guarantee for the execution of reciprocal promises. 5. No Sovereign shall henceforth possess two Sovereignties, either hereditary or elective, except that the Electors of the Empire may be elected Emperors, so long as there shall be Emperors. If by right of succession there should fall to a Sovereign a State more considerable than that which he possesses, he may leave that which he possesses, and settle himself on that which is fallen to him. 6. The Kingdom of Spain shall not go out of the House of Bourbon, &c. 7. The Deputies shall incessantly labour to codify all the Articles of Commerce in general, and between different nations in particular; but in such a manner that the laws may be equal and reciprocal towards all nations, and founded upon Equity. The Articles which shall have been passed by a majority of the votes of the original Deputies, shall be executed provisionally according to their Form and Tenour, till they be amended and improved by three-fourths of the votes, when a greater number of members shall have signed the Union. The Union shall establish in different towns Chambers of Commerce, consisting of Deputies authorised to reconcile, and to judge strictly and without Appeal, the disputes that shall arise either in relation to Commerce or other matters, between the subjects of different Sovereigns, in value above ten thousand pounds; the other suits, of less consequence, shall be decided, as usual, by the judges of the place where the defendant lives. Each Sovereign shall lend his hand to the execution of the Les rentes que doivent les Souverains aux particuliers d'un autre Etat, seront payées, comme par le passé. Aucun Souverain ne prendra le titre de Seigneur d'aucun Péïs, dont il ne sera point en actuelle possession, ou dont la possession ne luy sera point promise par le Traité cy-joint. Les Souverains ne pourront entr'eux faire d'échange d'aucun Territoire, ny signer aucun autre Traité entr'eux que du consentement, et sous la garantie de l'Union aux trois quarts des vingtquatre voix, et l'Union demeurera garante de l'execution des promesses reciproques. 5. Nul Souverain ne pourra desormais posseder deux Souverainetez, soit héreditaires, soit électives; cependant les Electeurs de l'Empire pourront être élûs Empereurs, tant qu'il y aura des Empereurs. Si par droit de succession il arrivoit à un Souverain un Etat plus considerable que celuy qu'il possede, il pourra laisser celuy qu'il possede, pour s'établir dans celuy qui luy est échû. 6. Le Royaume d'Espagne ne sortira point de la maison de Bourbon, etc. 7. Les Députez travailleront continuellement à rediger tous les Articles du Commerce en general, et des differens Commerces entre les Nations particulieres, de sorte cependant que les Loix soient égales et reciproques pour toutes les Nations, et fondées sur l'équité. Les Articles qui auront passé à la pluralité des voix des Députez presens, seront executez par provision selon leur forme et teneur, jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient reformez aux trois quarts des voix, lors qu'un plus grand nombre de Membres auront signé l'Union. L'Union établira en differentes Villes des Chambres pour le maintien du Commerce, composées de Députez autorisez à concilier, et à juger à la rigueur, et en dernier ressort les procez qui naîtront pour violence, ou sur le Commerce, ou autres matieres entre les Sujets de divers Souverains, au-dessus de dix mille livres ; les autres procez de moindre consequence seront decidez à l'ordinaire par les Juges du lieu où demeure le Défendeur: chaque judgments of the Chambers of Commerce, as if they were his own judgments. Each Sovereign shall, at his own charge, exterminate his inland robbers and banditti, and the pirates on his coasts, upon pain of making reparation; and if he has need of help, the Union shall assist him. 8. No Sovereign shall take up arms, or commit any hostility, but against him who shall be declared an enemy to the European Society. But if he has any cause to complain of any of the Members, or any demand to make upon them, he shall order his Deputy to present a memorial to the Senate in the City of Peace, and the Senate shall take care to reconcile the difference by its mediating Commissioners; or, if they cannot be reconciled, the Senate shall judge them by arbitral judgment, by majority of votes provisionally, and by three-fourths of the votes definitely. This judgment shall not be given until each Senator shall have received the instructions and orders of his master upon that point, and until he shall have communicated them to the Senate. The Sovereign who shall take up arms before the Union has declared war, or who shall refuse to execute a regulation of the Society, or a judgment of the Senate, shall be declared an enemy to the Society, and it shall make war upon him, until he be disarmed, and until its judgment and regulations be executed, and he shall even pay the charges of the war, and the country that shall be conquered from him at the close of hostilities shall be for ever separated from his dominions. If, after the Society is formed to the number of fourteen votes, a Sovereign should refuse to enter thereinto, it shall declare him an enemy to the repose of Europe, and shall make war upon him until he enter into it, or until he be entirely despoiled. 9. There shall be in the Senate of Europe four-and-twenty Senators or Deputies of the United Sovereigns, neither more nor less, namely:-France, Spain, England, Holland, Savoy, Portugal, |