"SIRE,

"Votre Majesté appréciera la réserve imposée à des corps constitués, à des hommes qui ont toujours été les fidèles sujets de leur Roi, comme ils le seront de votre Majesté. Mais, après les actes du Gouvernement du Roi, il nous sera permis sans doute d'adresser à votre Majesté l'expression des sentiments que nous éprouvons pour la France, auprès de laquelle la Savoie trouvera non seulement la grandeur et la gloire, mais encore la sympathie et la sauvegarde de tous ses intérêts moraux et matériels.

"Des bords du Lac Léman aux vallées du Mont Cenis, ceux qu'ont honorés les suffrages de leurs concitoyens sont accourus auprès de votre Majesté pour lui exprimer la joie que la Savoie éprouvera lorsqu'elle sera tout entière réunie à la France, et qu'elle pourra toujours, avec cette grande et noble nation, n'avoir qu'un cri, celui de Vive l'Empereur! 'Vive la France!'"

L'Empereur a repondu :

"MESSIEURS,

"Je vous remercie des sentiments que vous venez de m'exprimer, et je vous reçois avec plaisir. Le Roi de Sardaigne ayant accédé au principe de la réunion de la Savoie et du Comté de Nice à la France, je puis, sans manquer à aucun devoir international, vous témoigner ma sympathie et agréer l'expression de vos vœux.

"SIRE,

"Your Majesty will appreciate the reserve imposed on the constituted bodies, on men who have ever been faithful subjects of their King, as they will be of your Majesty. But, after the acts of the King's Government, it will doubtless be permitted us to address to your Majesty the expression of the sentiments which we feel towards France, in who Savoy will find not only grandeur and glory, but also sympathy and security for all her moral and material interests.

"From the shores of Lake Leman to the valleys of Mont Cenis, those whom the votes of their fellow-citizens have honoured have hastened to your Majesty to express to you the joy which Savoy will feel when she shall be in her entirety united to France, and when she shall ever be able, with that great and noble nation, to have but one cry,- that of 'Vive l'Empereur!''Vive la France!'" The Emperor replied:

"GENTLEMEN,

"I thank you for the sentiments which you have expressed, and I receive you with pleasure. The King of Sardinia having acceded to the principle of the annexation of Savoy and the County of Nice to France, I may, without violating any international duty, testify to you my sympathy and accept the expression of

Les circonstances dans lesquelles se produit cette rectification de frontières sont si exceptionnelles que tout en répondant à des intérêts légitimes, elles ne blessent aucun principe et par conséquent n'établissent aucun précédent dangereux.

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En effet, ce n'est ni par la conquête ni par l'insurrection que la Savoie et Nice seront réunies à la France, mais par le libre consentement du Souverain légitime appuyé de l'adhésion populaire. Aussi, tout ce qui en Europe ne cède pas à un esprit d'antagonisme d'une autre époque, regarde comme naturelle et équitable cette adjonction de territoire. L'accueil fait aux communications adressées par mon Gouvernement aux Puissances représentées au Congrès de Vienne autorise pour la plupart d'entre elles la juste espérance d'un examen favorable.

"Mon amitié pour la Suisse m'avait fait envisager comme possible de détacher en faveur de la Confédération quelques portions du territoire de la Savoie; mais devant la répulsion qui s'est manifestée parmi vous à l'idée de voir démembrer un pays qui a su se créer à travers les siècles une individualité glorieuse et se donner ainsi une histoire nationale, il est naturel de déclarer que je ne contraindrai pas au profit d'autrui le vœu des populations. Quant aux intérêts politiques et commerciaux qui lient à la Suisse certaines parties de la Savoie, il sera facile, je crois, de les satisfaire par des arrangements particuliers.

your wishes. The circumstances which have produced this rectification of frontiers are so exceptional, that, whilst answering legitimate interests, they wound no principle, and consequently establish no dangerous precedent.

"In fact, it is neither by conquest nor by insurrection that Savoy and Nice will be annexed to France, but by the free consent of the legitimate Sovereign, supported by the adhesion of the people. Besides, every Power in Europe which is not influenced by an antiquated spirit of antagonism, regards this addition of territory as natural and equitable. The reception given to the communications addressed by my Government to the Powers represented at the Congress of Vienna, authorise, for the most part, the just hope of a favourable examination.

"My friendship for Switzerland made me consider it possible to detach, in favour of the Confederation, certain portions of the territory of Savoy; but in face of the repulsion which has been manifested among you at the idea of seeing a country dismembered which has through centuries created for itself a glorious individuality, and has also given itself a national history, it is natural to declare that I shall not constrain the will of the populations for another's profit. As for the political and commercial interests which bind certain portions of Savoy to Switzerland, it will, I think, be easy to satisfy them by special arrangements.

"J'espère donc, Messieurs, pouvoir bientôt vous considérer comme membres de la grande famille Française. Je tiendrai à honneur de réaliser toutes vos espérances, et l'annexion d'un pays que tant de liens rattachent à la France deviendra pour lui une nouvelle cause de prospérité et de progrès.

"En retournant au milieu de vos concitoyens, dites-leur combien j'ai été touché de la manifestation dont vous avez été les honorables organes. Il y a parmi vous tant de descendants de ces familles qui ont contribué à l'illustration de la France, dans la carrière des sciences comme dans celle des armes, que tout concourt à expliquer et à justifier l'œuvre de l'union qui se prépare."

"I hope, therefore, Gentlemen, that I shall soon be able to consider you as members of the great French family. I shall make it a point of honour to realise all your hopes, and the annexation of a country bound by so many ties to France will be to her a fresh cause of prosperity and prog

ress.

"When you return to your fellowcitizens, tell them how much I have been touched by the manifestation of which you have been the honourable organs. There are among you so many descendants of those families which have contributed to the lustre of France, in the career of science as well as in that of arms, that everything combines to explain and justify the work of union which is in preparation."

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WHEN the people of Central Italy (to whose cry of pain your Majesty could not remain insensible), become arbiters of their own destiny, showed the firm intention of uniting themselves to your Constitutional Kingdom, official documents gave ground for the report that the County of Nice was to be ceded to France.

The date is approximate only, Hudson to Lord John Russell

La popolazione di Nizza, fidele alle sue tradizioni di amore e di devozione verso la Reale vostra Dinastia, e le libere istituzioni che ci reggono, si è vivamente commossa, e la Giunta Municipale, organo della legale sua rappresentanza, si è creduto in dovere di rompere il rispettoso silenzio che finora aveva serbato.

Ascoltate, o Sire, la sua voce: essa vi parla in nome dei cinque secoli di storia che Nizza ha comuni coll'antica vostra prosapia, in nome delle prove di costante ed inalterabile fedeltà che non cessò di dare ai Reali vostri predecessori ed alla Maestà vostra, dei sacrifizi ai quali si espose, dei patimenti che sopportò per la sua fedeltà.

E impossibile che l'idea di separarvi da sudditi così fedeli ed antichi, non commuova il generoso vostro cuore. Seguitene gl'impulsi, e tramandate ai vostri posteri questa parte del glorioso retaggio che ricevute dai vostri maggiori.

Che se la parte gloriosa che la Francia ebbe nella liberazione dell'Italia Centrale, e i vincoli d'immensa gratitudine coi quali si è avvinto il Regno novello, non valgono a rassicurare l'augusto e potente vostro alleato, e desidera garantie per la sicurezza delle sue frontiere, si neutralizzi Nizza senza staccarla dal glorioso vostro scettro, e saranno calmate tutte le apprensioni ed appagati tutti i voti.

The population of Nice, faithful to their traditions of love and devotion to your Royal Dynasty and your liberal institutions, are much moved, and think it their duty to break the respectful silence they have hitherto kept.

They speak to your Majesty in the name of five centuries of history which Nice has in common with your race, in the name of the unwavering loyalty and faith which she has not ceased to give your Royal predecessors and to your Majesty, and of what she has suffered for her fidelity.

It is impossible that the idea of parting with such old and faithful subjects can be indifferent to your heart. Follow its impulses, and hand down to your posterity this part of the glorious heritage left you by your

ancestors.

If the glorious part France played in freeing [Central] Italy, and the bonds of great gratitude which bind the new kingdom to her, do not suffice to reassure your potent ally, and she desires a guarantee for the security of her frontier, let Nice be neutralized instead of being separated from your glorious sceptre, and all apprehensions will be calmed and all wishes satisfied.

(Signed) MALAUSSENA, Syndic; A. F. LUBONIS; CONTE ENRICO DI FALICON CAV. ARSON GONZAGA; BUNICO; MONTOLIVO.

Turin, le 21 mars, 1860.

M. LE COMMANDEUR,

M. Tourte m'a remis copie de la note que vous trouverez ci-jointe, par laquelle le Conseil Fédéral appelle l'attention du Gouvernement du Roi sur la position juridique des provinces neutralisées de la Savoie. Il rappelle à cet effet le Traité de 1564, entre la Savoie et Berne, et les stipulations Européennes de 1815.

M. Tourte en me laissant copie de cette note m'en a adressée une autre dans laquelle, en se référant aux proclamations des Gouverneurs de Chambéry et d'Annecy, annonçant une votation prochaine relative à l'annexion de la Savoie à la France, il proteste, au nom du Conseil Fédéral, contre toute votation ou toute autre acte dont le résultat pourrait apporter un changement à l'état actuel des choses en Savoie. Vous trouverez également cijoint copie de la note de l'Envoyé Extraordinaire de la Suisse.

J'ai répondu verbalement à M. Tourte que je ne comprenais pas comment la marche que le Cabinet du Roi avait suivi dans cette circonstance avait pu être un sujet de récrimination de la part du Conseil Fédéral.

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Turin, March 21, 1860.

M. LE COMMANDEUR,

M. Tourte has furnished me with a copy of the note, which you will find inclosed, in which the Federal Council calls the attention of the King's Government to the juridical position of the neutralized provinces of Savoy. With reference to this they appeal to the Treaty of 1564 between Savoy and Berne, and to the stipulations sanctioned by all Europe in 1815.

M. Tourte left with me a copy of that note, and addressed another to me, in which, after referring to the proclamations of the Governors of Chambery and Annecy, announcing that votes would shortly be taken on the subject of the annexation of Savoy to France, he protests, in the name of the Federal Council, against all voting or other proceedings, the result of which might make a change in the existing state of affairs in Savoy. You will also find inclosed a copy of the note from the Swiss Envoy Extraordinary.

I answered M. Tourte verbally that I did not understand how the course taken by the King's Cabinet under these circumstances could have been a subject of recrimination on the part of the Federal Council. It would