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.

"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. 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.

The circumstances

"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'oeuvre 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 a 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'immensal 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 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

En effet il aurait suffi de lire la réponse que, par l'entremise du Chargé d'Affaires de Sa Majesté à Paris, j'avais fait à la communication dans laquelle M. Thouvenel avait demandé des garanties pour la sécurité de la France, pour se convaincre que le Cabinet du Roi, ne pouvant se refuser à reconnaître la valeur d'un vote qui serait prononcé, d'une manière légale, par les populations de la Savoie, n'avait fait cependant cette déclaration que sur les assurances exprimées dans les notes du Cabinet Français de prendre en sérieuse considération les intérêts de la Suisse. J'ai ajouté à M. Tourte que je comprenais moins encore de quel droit la Suisse protestait non seulement contre toute modification territoriale de la Savoie, mais contre toute votation tendante à constater légalement les vœux des populations. Il y a là un oubli singulier des droits de souveraineté de Sa Majesté qu'il est assez difficile de s'expliquer, même en tenant compte des stipulations internationales invoquées par le Conseil Fédéral.

Je ne crois donc pas convenable de m'arrêter sur cette partie de la comunication de la Confédération Helvétique, et je me bornerais à quelques remarques sur la valeur attribuée par le Conseil Fédéral au Traité de 1564 et aux transactions de 1815.

Je vous prie, M. le Commandeur, de donner lecture et copie de cette de

have sufficed, indeed, to read the answer which, through the agency of the King's Chargé d'Affaires at Paris, I had made to the communication in which M. Thouvenel had demanded guarantees for the security of France, to be convinced that the King's Cabinet, unable to decline acknowledging the value of a vote already pronounced, in a legal manner, by the populations of Savoy, had not, however, made this declaration except upon the assurances expressed in the notes of the French Cabinet that they would take into serious consideration the interests of Switzerland. I said in addition to M. Tourte, that I understood still less well by what right Switzerland protested, not only against any redistribution of territory in Savoy, but against any vote whose tendency is to record legally the wishes of the populations. In this there is a singular forgetfulness of His Majesty's rights of sovereignty, which it is difficult enough to account for, even if we keep in view the international stipulations appealed to by the Federal Council.

I therefore deem it inexpedient to pause at this part of the Communication from the Helvetic Confederation, and I would limit myself to some observations on the value attached by the Federal Council to the Treaty of 1564 and to the transactions of 1815.

I beg, M. le Commandeur, that you will read this despatch to the Presi