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[Servia.]

the East, I grant to the Servian nation full liberty to observe the usual forms of their religion, and to choose from amongst themselves, with thy concurrence and under thy superintendence, their archbishops and bishops, provided that they shall be subject to the spiritual power of the patriarch residing at Constantinople, considered as the head of the religion and of its synod. And as in virtue of the privileges and immunities granted of old to the Christians, inhabitants of the Ottoman Empire since the Conquest, the administration of the affairs of religion and of the Church, as long as it does not interfere with political matters, should belong entirely to the heads of the clergy, as likewise the assignment on the part of the nation of the allowances to their metropolitans, bishops, igouménés, and priests, as well as to the religious establishments belonging to the Church; the same rule shall be observed with regard to the allowances and preferment of the metropolitans and bishops in Servia. Places shall be appointed for the meeting of the special council of metropolitans and bishops for the purpose of regulating religious affairs, the affairs of the metropolitans and bishops, as well as those of the priests, and those relating to the churches of the country.

The sipahiliks, the timars, and the ziamets, having been abolished in Servia, this old custom shall never be introduced there for the future. Every Servian, great or small, is liable to the payment of taxes and contributions. The Servians of a certain rank employed in the business and in the offices of the country shall pay their quota in proportion to the property and lands which they possess; the clergy alone shall be exempted from the payment of taxes. Servia being composed of 17 districts, and each district comprising several cantons, which, again, are composed of several villages and municipalities, each head of a district shall have an assistant, a clerk, a treasurer, and other officers who may be required. The chiefs of districts shall occupy themselves with the execution of the orders which may reach them from the central Government of the Principality relating to all the affairs of internal administration which belong to their functions; they will confine themselves to imposing and levying the contributions according to the registers which they will receive from the Finance Department; and they will not meddle with the disputes to which the levy of the taxes in their districts may give rise, but they will content themselves with referring to the District Court the disputes and law-suits which

[Servia.]

take place, reserving to themselves only the execution of the sentence of the Court.

The chief of a district shall employ his efforts for the preservation of the goods and lands of the villages from all injury, and for the protection of the people from evil-disposed persons, and from vagabonds, and from persons without character. He must inspect the passports of all persons arriving within his district, or departing from thence; he cannot keep a person in prison beyond 24 hours; but he will send to the District Court the differences and suits which may arise in his district, and apply to the head of the police of the district, if the differences are matters of police. He must, moreover, watch over the Village Courts of Peace, and be careful not to meddle with the affairs of the churches and village schools, nor touch the revenues and lands which depend on other pious establishments. As regards the lands and properties assigned to the churches, boroughs, inhabitants, and establishments of public utility, as well as those belonging to individuals, there shall be delivered to each separately documents establishing the right of property, and these shall, moreover, be registered in the offices of the country.

Every Servian, in general, and without exception, shall be exempt from persecution or molestation, covert or open, before he has been cited and tried before the Courts.

My Imperial will having settled and established the aforesaid Regulations, this Imperial Firman has been drawn up expressly in order to communicate them unto thee, and has been sent unto thee decorated with my illustrious Imperial signature. I order thee, therefore, to watch over the security of that Imperial province, as well internally as externally, having entrusted the rule thereof to thee and to thy family only on the express condition of obedience and of submission to the orders proceeding from me, to ensure the prosperity thereof, to employ thy efforts to devise means for securing to all the inhabitants repose and tranquillity, to respect the position, the honour, the rank, and the services of each; and above all, to take care that the clauses and statutory conditions above expressed are carried into execution wholly and for ever, thus applying all thy zeal to draw down upon my Imperial person the prayers and blessings of all classes of the inhabitants of the country, and in this manner to confirm and justify my sovereign confidence and benevolence towards thee.

In like manner I enjoin all the Servians in general to submit

[Servia.]

themselves to the orders of the Prince, acting in accordance with the statutes and institutions of the country, and carefully to conform themselves to what is necessary and fitting. I command that this Imperial Hatti-sheriff be published, in order that the nation may have cognizance thereof; that every one, impressed more and more with gratitude for these concessions and benefits granted by my sovereign munificence to all alike, shall conduct himself under all circumstances in such a manner as to merit my approbation, and that the clauses of the present Statute be executed, word for word and for ever, without any infringement thereof at any time.

And thou likewise, my Vizier, thou shalt so understand it, and thou shalt join thy efforts to those of the Prince for the exact and strict execution of this present Imperial Firman.

Issued in the month of Shewal, 1254 (about the 24th December, 1838).

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[Holland and Belgium. Luxemburg and Limburg.]

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No. 183.-TREATY between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia, on the one part, and The Netherlands, on the other. Signed at London, 19th April, 1839.*

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Preamble. Reference to Treaties of 14th October, 1831; and 15th November, 1831.

1. Treaty to be entered into between Belgium and the Netherlands.

2. Articles annexed to have same Force as Treaty.

3. Union between Holland and Belgium dissolved. 4. Ratifications.

ANNEX.

1. Composition of Belgian Territory.

2. Limits of Belgian Territory in Grand Duchy of Luxemburg.

3. Territorial Indemnity to Holland in the Province of Limburg.

4. Limits of Dutch Territory in Province of Limburg.

5. King of the Netherlands to come to an Agreement with Germanic Confederation and Nassau.

6. Reciprocal renunciation of Territories.

7. Belgium to form an Independent and Neutral State.

8. Drainage of Waters of the Two Flanders.

9. Navigation of the Scheldt and the Meuse.

10. Reciprocal Use of Canals.

11. Commercial Communication through Maestricht and Sittardt. Turnpike Tolls on Roads.

12. Construction of New Road or New Canal by Belgium.

13. Division of Public Debt.

14. Port of Antwerp to be a Port of Commerce.

15. Works of Public Utility to belong to Country in which they are situated.

16. Sequestrations in Belgium to be removed.

17. Liberty to Inhabitants and Proprietors to transfer their Residences. Droit d'aubaine et de détraction abolished.

18. Character of a Subject with regard to Property.

19. Right of Persons holding Property in both Countries.

20. Persons not to be molested on account of their Political Conduct.

21. Payment of Pensions and Allowances.

22. Claims of Belgians on Private Establishments. Restoration of Securities. Claims called French Liquidations.

23. Maintenance of Judgments, &c., in Limburg and Luxemburg.

24. Evacuation of Territories, Towns, Fortresses, &c.

* See also Treaties of 5th November, 1812; 8th August, 1813; and 11th May, 1867, respecting Luxemburg. See also Treaties between Belgium and Netherlands, and between 5 Powers and Belgium of the same date.

[Holland and Belgium. Luxemburg and Limburg.]

(Translation as laid before Parliament.*)

Reference to Treaties of 14th October, 1831; and 15th November, 1831.

In the Name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity. HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, His Majesty the King of the French, His Majesty the King of Prussia, and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, having taken into consideration their Treaty concluded with His Majesty the King of the Belgians, on the 15th of November, 1831 (No. 153); and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, being disposed to conclude a Definitive Arrangement on the basis of the 24 Articles agreed upon by the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia, on the 14th of October, 1831; their said Majesties have named for their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry John Viscount Palmerston, Baron Temple, a Peer of Ireland, a Member of Her Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, a Member of Parliament, and Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, the Sieur Frederic Christian Louis, Count de SenfftPilsach, Chamberlain and Privy Councillor of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, and his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, &c.;

His Majesty the King of the French, the Sieur Horace Francis Bastien, Count Sebastiani-Porta, a Lieutenant-General in his armies, a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of France, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c. ;

Ilis Majesty the King of Prussia, the Sieur Henry William, Baron de Bülow, his Chamberlain, Privy Councillor of Legation, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, the Sieur Charles

For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xxvii, p. 990.

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