by the King's being forsaken by an ally, on whose assistance he had reasonable grounds for placing a reliance. His Majesty has been under the necessity of consenting to the greatest sacrifices, to protect the remaining part of his states from invasion, with which they were threatened by the combined troops of several Powers, and for the purpose of again recovering possession of those provinces which had fallen into the enemy's power. He recalled his Minister at the Court of the French Emperor, and declared to the Minister of his Imperial Majesty residing at his Court, that he could no longer consider him as being in that capacity, and that opportunity should be given him for his return to France. His Majesty likewise declares, that he will join the Sovereigns united against France, in order to assist in bringing about a general peace, for which all the nations of Europe are languishing, and which is so necessary for the Danish States. Middelfart, Jan. 17, 1814. ment which has entertained the ignominious thought that flattering words and vain promises could induce you to infidelity towards your King; even so, as when they in the midst of peace, wantonly exercised the barbarous enmity of endeavouring to starve you, and thereby shake your courage, which they knew ever to have been undaunted. She now conceives you capable of the weakness, that you would expose yourselves to the same unfortunate fate and yoke under which Sweden's sons groan, to answer the ambition of a stranger, and fight abroad for foreign money! But the free, people of Norway can fix their own destiny Swear to found the independence of Norway! Call God to witness your sincerity, and supplicate the benediction of heaven on your dear country. It is God's will, loyal Norwegians, that I, the Hereditary Prince of Denmark's throne, should be at this conjunc ture amongst you, that through the harmony which reigns in your hearts you may be saved. I have the public voice for inde pendence, for serious and unlimit ed resistance against foreign violence. Inspired as I am for Norway's happiness and honour, it is a sufficient inducement to me to remain amongst this faithful peo ple as long as I can be useful to their independence, and maintain tranquillity and order. Appointed by Providence to conduct at present the reins of this realm, I shall protect, with a firm hand, and without regarding dangers or difficulties, the security of Norway and its laws. An independent assembly of the most enlightened men of the nation shall, by means of a wise con2 C stitution, give renewed strength to this country, in order to withstand its public and private enemies; and it will depend upou them whether I shall continue the trust now reposed in me by the wish of the nation. Beloved people of Norway, I have already received numerous proofs of your attachment and confidence. I shall ever feel myself happy and safe amongst yon. 1 shall strive to revive your commerce, the sources of opulence. Nothing will be nearer to my heart than to keep far from you the scenes of raging war; but when foreign force attempts to violate the liberty aud independence of this State, then we shall evince that there is sufficient power within us to revenge insults, and courage to prefer death to shameful subjugation. Grief and affliction we will readily overcome, if implacable enemies refuse us peace. Within this State but one sentiment must prevail,—to make every sacrifice for our country,-to preserve Norway's honour, and give it its ancient brilliancy. Our efforts will then be crowned by God with success, and Norway will again confirm the truth, that that nation is invincible which fears God and adheres with zeal to his native country. der it as a great favour on the part of King Frederick VI., that before he absolved us from our oaths, he established peace between us and Great Britain. It shall always be my aim to maintain it with that and with other nations, and it is therefore solemnly declared, that 1. Norway is at peace with all Powers. That Power only is its enemy which may violate the independence of the nation, and invade with arms in their hands the borders or coasts of Nor way. 2. Free access to the kingdom of Norway is allowed to the ships of war and merchant vessels of every nation. 3. The regulations respecting privateers and their prizes, of March 28, 1810, and supplements of 27th of August and December, are hereby annulled, and to be considered as having not been in effect since the 14th of January last. Any thing done since then, founded on these regulations, is revoked. 4. All prizes, or property, condemned or confiscated, since the 14th of January, shall immediately be restored. 5. All the privateers of foreign Powers shall leave our ports within fourteen days immediately after these presents are known in the respective ports. All prizes shall be restored. 6. All prisoners shall be delivered up en masse, and the private debts of the prisoners of Norway shall be paid. 7. Ships of any nation whatsoever, importing in the kingdom of Norway two-thirds of their cargoes in grain, or other provisions, are allowed (any law or regulations to the contrary notwithstanding) to import any merchandizes they think proper, paying the customary duties. In this last case even 8. Fish will be allowed to be exported in such vessel, to the extent of two-thirds of its cargo. Treaty of Alliance between his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, his Majesty of all the Russias, his Majesty the King of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and his Majesty the King of Prussia; signed at Chaumont, March 1, 1814. In the name of the most holy and indivisible Trinity. Their Imperial and Royal Majesties, the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, his Majesty the King of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and his Majesty the King of Prussia, having transmitted to the French Government proposals for a general peace, and being at the same time animated with the wish, in case France should reject these proposals, to strengthen the mutual obligation existing between them for the vigorous prosecution of a war which is designed to relieve Europe from its long sufferings, and to secure its future repose, by the re-establishment of a just balance of power; and on the other hand, in case Providence should bless their peaceful views, to agree on the best means of securing the happy result of their exertions against every future attack : Their Imperial and Royal Majesties above named, have resolved to confirm this double agreement by a solemn treaty to be signed by each of the four powers, separately with the three others. They have therefore named for their plenipotentiaries, his Imperial Apostolic Majesty, to negociate the couditions of this treaty with his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, Clemens Winzel Lotharius, Prince of Metternich Winneberg Ochsenhan, sen. Knight of the Golden Fleece, &c. Minister of State, and Minister for Foreign Affairs; and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, on his side, Charles Robert Count Nes selrode, his Privy Counsellor, Secretary of State, &c. who having exchanged their full powers, havé agreed on the following articles: : Art. I. The high contracting powers engage by the present treaty, in case France should refuse to accede to the terms of the peace proposed, to exert the whole force of their dominions for a vigorous prosecution of the war against France, and to employ it in the most perfect agreement, in order by this means to procure for themselves, and all Europe, a general peace, under the protection of which all nations may maintain, and securely enjoy, their inde pendence and their rights. It is to be understood that this new agreement is not to make any change in the obligations already existing between the cons tracting Powers, concerning "the number of troops to be employed against the common enemy; on the contrary, each of the four contracting courts again binds itself, by the present treaty, to keep in the field an army of 150,000 men always complete, in activity against the common enemy, and that exclusively of the garrisons of the fortresses. Art. II. The high contracting powers mutually engage to enter into no separate negociations with the common enemy, and to conclude neither peace, cessation of hostilities, nor any convention whatsoever, except by joint consent of them all. They further engage never to lay down their arms till the object of the war, as they have agreed upon it anong themselves, shall be fully obtained. Art. III. In order to obtain this great object as soon as possible, his Majesty the King of Great Britain engages to furnish a subsidy of 5,600,0001. sterling for the service of the year 1814, which shall be equally divided between the three powers; and their Imperial and Royal Majesties further engage to settle before the 1st of January of every future year, in case (which God forbid) the war should continue so long, the advance in money that may be necessary in the course of the subsequent year. The subsidy of 5,000,000l. herein specified, shall be paid at London in monthly instalments, and in equal proportions, to the Ministers of the respective Powers duly authorized to receive it. In case peace should be concluded between the Allied Powers and, France before the end of the year, the subsidies calculated at the rate of 5,000,000l. per ann. shall be paid to the end of the month in which the definitive treaty shall be signed; and his Britannic Majesty promises, over and above the subsidies here stipu lated, to pay to Austria and Prus sia the amount of two months, and to Russia of four months, to defray the expenses of the march of their troops back to their own territories. Art. IV. The high contracting powers shall be mutually authorized to have officers duly commissioned with the Generals com→ manding those armies, who may freely correspond with their Governments, and acquaint them of the military events, and of every thing relative to the operations of the armies. Art. V. Though the high contracting powers have reserved it to themselves, in the moment when peace shall be concluded with France, to consult with each other on the means by which they may most certainly secure to Europe, and reciprocally to each other, the maintenance of this peace, they have nevertheless thought it ne cessary, for the defence of their European possessions, in case of an interference to be apprehended from France, in the order of things resulting from the said peace, to make immediately a defensive convention. Art. VI. For this end they mutually agree, that if the dominions of one of the high contracting powers should be threatened with an invasion from France, the rest shall leave no means untried to prevent such invasion by amicable mediation. Art. VII. But in case such endeavours should be fruitless, the high contracting powers engage to send to the party attacked an auxiliary army of 60,000 men. Art. VIII. This army shall consist of 50,000 foot and 10,000 horse, with a proportionate train of artillery and ammunition. should be taken that it shall take the field at the very latest in two months after it is called for, and in the manner most effectual for the power so attacked or threatened. Art. IX. As on account of the situation of the theatre of war, or for other reasons, it might be difficult for Great Britain to furnish the stipulated assistance in English troops within the appointed time, and keep them up to the full war complement, his Britannic Majesty reserves to himself the right to furnish his contingent to the power requiring it, either in foreign troops in his pay, or to pay an annual sum, at the rate of 201. sterling for every foot soldier, and 301. for every horseman, to the full amount of the stipulated contingent. The manner in which Great Britain will have to afford its assistance in every particular case shall be arranged by an amicable agreement between the British Government and the power attacked or threatened, at the same time that the assistance is required. The same principle shall be extended to the number of troops which his Britannic Majesty engages to furnish by the first article of the present treaty. plies its own troops, in the field and in quarters. Art. XI. The military regulation and economy in the interior administration of the troops depends wholly on their own General. The trophies taken from the enemy belong to the troops which have gained them. Art. XII. The high contracting powers reserve to themselves the right, in case the assistance herein stipulated should be found insufficient, to make, without loss of time, new arrangements for further assistance. Art. XIII. The high contracting powers reciprocally promise, that in case one or other of them should be drawn into hostilities by furnishing the succour herein stipulated, neither the requiring party nor party engaged in war as an auxiliary, shall make peace, except with the consent of the other. Art. XIV. The engagements contracted by this treaty, shall by no means detract from those which the high contracting powers may have entered already into with other powers, nor hinder them from concluding alliances with other states, which may have for their object the attainment of the same happy result. Art. X. The auxiliary army is under the immediate command of the General in Chief of the requiring power; but it shall be led by its own General, and employed in all military operations according to the rules of war. The pay of the auxiliary army to be at the charge of the power requiring. The rations and portions of provisions, forage, &c. as also quarters, will be furnished as soon as the auxiliary army has passed its own frontiers, by the power re- Art. XVI. As it is the object of quiring, and be supplied accord- the present, treaty of defensive aling to the same standard as it supliance to maintain the balance Art. XV. In order to give greater effect to the above stipulated defensive arrangements by the union of the powers most exposed to a French invasion, for their common defence, the high contracting courts having resolved to invite those powers to join the present treaty of defensive alliance. |