unione al Regno Costituzionale del Piemonte con Atto di ieri. Le predette cose sono state fatte in triplo originale e pubblicate in Reggio nel Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara coll'intervento delle sottoscritte Autorità, e dei Capi dei Corpi Morali, non che dei Signori Prospero del fu Signor Dottore Gaetano Viani, Luigi del fu signor Avvocato Giambattista Sforza, Molto Reverendo Don Luigi del quondam Signor Giuseppe Grasselli; Angelo del fu Signor Avvocato Bartolomeo Manzotti, e Dottor Fisico Antonio del fu signor Filippo Gardini, tutti domicialiti in questa Città, testimoni noti, idonei, ed aventi i requisiti prescritti dalle vigenti leggi. (Seguono le firme.) · the immediate union thereof with the Constitutional Kingdom of Piedmont by Act of yesterday. The aforesaid documents were done in triplicate and published at Reggio in the Temple of the Blessed Virgin of La Ghiara in the presence of the undersigned Authorities and of the Heads of the Moral Bodies, as well as of Messrs. Prospero, son of the deceased Doctor Gaetano Viani; Luigi, son of the deceased Lawyer Giambattista Sforza; Right Reverend Don Luigi, son of the late Mr. Giuseppe Grasselli; Angelo, son of the deceased Lawyer Bartolomeo Manzotti; and Doctor Fisico Antonio, son of the deceased Mr. Filippo Gardini, all domiciled in this city, witnesses who are known, competent, and filling the requirements prescribed by the laws in force. (Signatures follow.) Vote of the Sardinian Parliament Accepting the Votes of Modena and Reggio and Uniting the Provinces to the Sardinian States. Law of June 13, 1848 1 Visto il risultamento della votazione universale tenutasi negli Stati di Modena i di Reggio proclamato dal Governo centrale provvisorio di Modena, e presentato a S. M. da una speciale deputazione, secondo la quale votazione è general voto di quelle popolazieni di riunirsi al nostro Stato; Per assicurare a quelle nuove provincie il pronto godimento dei diritti politici ; 1 Le Assemblee, vol. 1, p. 496. In view of the results of the universal vote held in the States of Modena and Reggio, proclaimed by the Central Provisional Government of Modena, and presented to His Majesty by a special deputation, according to which vote it is the general will of the said people to unite with our State; In order to assure to these new Provinces the prompt possession of political rights: 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 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 deliver 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. de Modène rentrent dans leurs Etats en donnant une amnistie générale. Les deux Empereurs demanderont au Saint Père d'introduire dans ses Etats des réformes indispensables. Amnistie pleine et entière est accordée de part et d'autre aux personnes compromises à l'occasion des derniers événements dans les territoires des partis belligérants. Fait à Villafranca, le 11 juillet 1859. FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH. the Duke of Modena shall return to their States, granting a general amnesty. The two Emperors shall request the Holy Father to introduce indispensable reforms into his States. A full and complete amnesty is granted by both sides to those persons concerned in the recent events in the territories of the belligerent parties. Done at Villafranca, July 11, 1859. Statement by Lord John Russell of the Attitude of the British Government Regarding the Preliminaries of Villafranca1 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. 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 IL GOVERNO DELLA TOSCANA Considerando che tra i pareri dati dalla Consulta al Governo avvi pur quello che debbasi attivare la legge eletorale del 3 marzo 1848 procedendo THE GOVERNMENT OF Considering that, amongst the opinions formerly expressed to the Government by the Council, there is one to the effect that the Electoral 1 Le Assemblee, vol. 5, p. 647. Translation from British Parliamentary Papers, Affairs of Italy, 1860, vol. 68 [2609], p. 13. |