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ART. 1. Gli Stati di Modena e di Reggio faranno parte integrante dello Stato a cominciare dalla data della presente legge.

ART. 2. Avranno immediato vigore negli Stati medesimi lo Statuto fondamentale del Regno e le leggi nostre sulla Milizia nazionale, sulle Elezioni politiche, e sulla Stampa.

ART. 3. È data facoltà al Governo di provvedere in via d'urgenza con semplici decreti reali ad una provvisoria esecuzione delle operazioni elettorali sulla base dell'analogia colla legge elettorale vigente.

ART. 4. La linea di dogana esistente tra il Ducato di Parma e quelli di Reggio e Modena, come pure quella tra il Ducato di Guastalla ed il Ducato di Reggio e Modena verranno abolite.

ART. 5. La tariffa doganale sarda in un colle variazioni alla medesima fatte fino alla data del presente verrà provvisoriamente posta in vigore nei Ducati di Guastalla, Reggio e Modena.

ARTICLE 1. The States of Modena and of Reggio shall form an integral part of the State, starting from the date of the present law.

ART. 2. The Constitution of the Kingdom and our laws regarding the national militia, political elections and the public press shall have immediate force in the said States.

ART. 3. In cases of urgent necessity the Government is empowered to provide by simple royal decree for a provisional execution of the electoral measures on a basis analogous with the electoral laws at present in force

ART. 4. The customs boundary existing between the Duchy of Parma and the Duchy of Reggio and Modena, as also that between the Duchy of Guastalla, and the Duchy of Reg. gio and Modena, shall be abolished.

ART. 5. The customs tariff of Sardinia, with the variations of the same enacted up to the present time, shall be provisionally enforced in the Duchies of Guastalla, of Reggio and of Modena.

THE ITALIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES OF 1859

TUSCANY

Preliminaries of Peace, Signed at Villafranca. July 11, 1859 1

Entre Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche et Sa Majesté l'Empereur des Français il a été convenu ce qui suit:

Les deux Souverains favorisent la création d'une Confédération Italienne. Cette Confédération sera sous la présidence honoraire du Saint Père.

L'Empereur d'Autriche cède à l'Empereur des Français ses droits sur la Lombardie, à l'exception des forteresses de Mantoue et de Peschiera, de manière que la frontière des possessions Autrichiennes partirait du rayon extrême de la forteresse de Peschiera et s'étendrait en ligne droite de long du Mincio jusqu'à Legrazie, de là à Szarzarola et Lugano au Po, d'où les frontières actuelles continueront à former les limites de l'Autriche.

L'Empereur des Français remettra les territoires cédées au Roi de Sardaigne.

La Vénétie fera partie de la Confédération Italienne, tout en restant sous la Couronne de l'Empereur d'Autriche.

Between His Majesty, the Emperor of Austria, and His Majesty, the Emperor of the French, the following agreement has been concluded:

The two Sovereigns are in favor of the creation of an Italian Confederation. This Confederation shall be under the honorary presidency of the Pope.

The Emperor of Austria cedes to the Emperor of the French his rights over Lombardy, with the exception of the fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, in such a way that the frontier of the Austrian possessions shall start from the extreme of the fortress of Peschiera and shall extend in a straight line along the Mincio to Legrazie, from there to Szarzarola and Lugano to Po, from which place the present frontiers shall continue to form the boundaries of Austria.

The Emperor of the French shall Ideliver the ceded territories to the King of Sardinia.

Venetia shall form a part of the Italian Confederation, while remaining under the Crown of the Emperor of Austria.

The Grand Duke of Tuscany and

Le Grand Duc de Toscane et le Duc 1 British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 49,

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Statement by Lord John Russell of the Attitude of the British Government Regarding the Preliminaries of Villafranca 1

Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley.

Foreign Office, August 16, 1859.

MY LORD,

Whatever may be the view which, when the time arrives for a decision, Her Majesty's Government may take of the question of a Congress or of a Conference, there is one point on which they have a most decided opinion.

The Treaty of Villafranca, as I have said, makes no provision for imposing a Government by force upon Tuscany or Modena, supposing the people of those Duchies to oppose the return of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and of the Duke of Modena.

A provision for the employment of French or Austrian forces to put down the clearly expressed will of the people in Central Italy, would, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, not be justifiable.

The people of Tuscany, for instance, have the right which belongs to the people of every independent State, to regulate their own internal government. To interfere by force with the exercise of that right would not be defensible on any principle of public law.

Neither the safety nor the paramount interests of Austria are menaced by the choice of a new Dynasty to reign over Tuscany. On the contrary, the restoration of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, or the Duke of Modena, by foreign

1 British Parliamentary Papers, Affairs of Italy [2609], p. 51.

forces, would be a return to that system of foreign interference which for upwards of forty years has been the misfortune of Italy and the danger of Europe.

It may be added, that for the last ten years, the same system has been a cause of weakness and peril to Austria. It has afforded vantage-ground to her enemies, and has alienated her friends.

Great Britain would, therefore, feel it to be her duty to protest against a supplement to the Treaty of Villafranca of that nature, if any such were in contemplation.

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She would equally protest against the practical application of foreign force to carry into effect the vague Article of the Preliminaries of Villafranca.

But it may be contended that when this Article was signed, the Emperor of Austria and the Emperor of the French contemplated the return of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and Duke of Modena, with the consent and approbation of the people of Tuscany and Modena. Taken in this sense Her Majesty's Government have no objection to make to the return of the Archdukes.

Count Walewski having stated to your Excellency, as reported in your despatch of the 3rd instant, that although the French Government could not admit the doctrine of non-intervention as a general rule of policy, they were prepared to adopt it in the present instance with regard to Italy; Her Majesty's Government derive confidence in maintaining the views expressed in this despatch, in the reflection that they are in accordance with the sentiments entertained by the Emperor of the French.

I request your Excellency to read this despatch to Count Walewski, and give him a copy of it. I am, &c.

(Signed) J. RUSSELL.

Decree of the Tuscan Government Reestablishing the Electoral Law of 1848 for the Purpose of Holding a General Election of an Assembly of Representatives Competent to Pass a Legitimate Vote as to the Definitive Fate of Tuscany. July 15, 1859 1

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1 Le Assemblee, vol. 5, p. 647. Translation from British Parliamentary Papers, Affairs of Italy, 1860, vol. 68 [2609], p. 13.

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alla formazione immediata delle liste Law of the 9th of May, 1848, ought to be recalled into vigour, with a view to the immediate drawing up of the Electoral Lists;

Considerando che tale parere ha per iscopo di provvedere il paese di una Assemblea di rappresentanti, la qualepossa emettere un voto legittimo sulla sorte definitiva della Toscana;

Considerando che le dichiarazioni fatte da S. M. l'Imperatore Napoleone III e quelle emesse nel Parlamento inglese dai ministri della Regina, assicurano che si terrà conto dei voti espressi nei modi legittimi dagl'italiani;

Considerando che a questo solo provvedimento non si arresta il Governo, il quale ha invitato e invierà rappresentanti alle Corti di Europa per far valere i bisogni e i diritti della Toscana;

Considerando che tutto ciò resterebbe inutile se non fosse religiosamente conservato l'ordine pubblico, poichè qualunque siasi perturbamento scemerebbe l'importanza del voto da emettersi, e ci toglierebbe l'assistenza, sia per parte del Re Vittorio Emanuele, il quale non mancherà di fare quanto potrà in favor nostro, sia per parte degli altri potentati che non possono voler disgiungere l'assestamento dell'Italia dalla pace europea;

Considering that the object with which this opinion has been given is that of providing the country with an Assembly of Representatives which may be competent to pass a legitimate vote as to the definitive fate of Tuscany;

Considering that the declarations made by His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon III, as well as those pronounced in the English Parliament by the Ministers of the Queen, give the assurance that due weight will be attached to the desires expressed in a legitimate form by the Italians;

Considering that the Government has not confined itself to the measure in question alone, but has sent, or will send, Representatives to the Courts of Europe, in order to set forth the requirements and advocate the rights of Tuscany;

Considering that even these measures would be without effect unless public order were religiously preserved, as any sort of disturbance would detract from the authoritative character of the vote to be pronounced, and would deprive us, on the one hand, of the support afforded to us by King Victor Emanuel, who will not fail to do his utmost to assist us; and, on the other hand, of that of the other potentates, who can not desire to disconnect the settlement of Italy

from the question of the peace of Europe;

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