The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-27 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

The following document has been laid by M.
Rogier, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs,
before the Chamber of Deputies. It is the official
recognition of the " King of Italy":—
"BRUSSELS, Nov. 3.

" Monsieur le Ministre,—After verbal communi-
cations renewed at different times, the Count de
Montalto notified to the King's Government, by an
official despatch of the sth of August, the new title
assumed by his Sovereign, after a unanimous vote
come to by the Chambers of the kingdom.
" The Belgian Government thus found itself
called on to decide on the recognition of the King
of Italy. The death of M. Lannoy left the post of
Minister at Turin vacant, and for about two months
the management of the legation was confided to a
Charge d'Affaires, That incident in our diplomatic
relations with the Cabinet of Turin led the Govern-
ment to examine with fresh attention what it had
to do, and the examination produced the firm con-
viction that the moment had arrived for quitting
the expectant position in which it had hitherto
remained. To have acted otherwise, leaving the
post vacant, would have been to modify that atti-
tude, and would have given it a signification little
compatible with the duties of a neutrality and with
the interests of the country.

"It is a generally admitted rule of public law
that, on the part of a foreign Power to recognise
another Government is only to recognise a fact—a
rule which is generally followed, notwithstanding
the free manifestation which a more or less consi-
derable number may be allowed to make of a con-
trary opinion. The foreign Powers in such a case
recognise the possession, if the well being of their
affairs require it.'
" It may be remarked, Monsieur le Ministre, that,
in addition to political observances, there are '
serious interests attached to the prompt solution of
the question, and the Government is obliged
to take them into serious consideration. France
is negotiating with the Government of Turin a
treaty of commerce, the speedy conclusion of which
has been announced to me. Belgium, by a recent
act, has just placed her commercial relations with a
great State on a favourable footing, and follows
with an attentive eye at Berlin the negotiations
opened between the Zollverein and France ; she
could not therefore allow the opportunity to escape,
and neglect the care of securing to her commerce
in the markets of Italy conditions equal to those
which other Powers may obtain.
" Moreover, at the moment when great works of
public utility are or will be projected, or are in
course of execution in the Italian Peninsula, it
is important that our manufacturers should meet
with as effectual a support in that country as the:r
foreign rivals. Lastly, many Belgians who keep
up business or family relations with the Italian
States find themselves frequently embarrassed by
the legal impossibility of getting documents vali-
dated which require to be rendered executory within
the limits of the new kingdom of Italy.
" I have said enough, Monsieur le Ministre, to
make you understand—and in case of need to enable
you to make others do so—that the time had come
for Belgium to bring about a state of things which,
if prolonged, might have compromised our relations
with that country. The line of conduct on which
we have decided in Ramo of accompliehed facts,

and those which still exists has been traced out to
us by a great number of other Governments.
" In recognising the new kingdom of Italy, we,
like them, recognise a state of possession, without
constituting ourselves judges of the events which
have led to it, and we reserve to ourselves the liberty
of judging of any eventuality which might modify
that state of things. The journals have prematurely
announced the recognition, but the fact is not far
distant, and you will conform your language to the
directions which I have just had the honour of
tracing out to you.
" Your presence at the Holy SeP sufficiently shows
that the sending of a Belgian Minister to the King
of Italy in no way changes our relations with the
Court of Rome.—Accept, &e., "C. ROGIER."