The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-22


the King of Sardinia, and the Emperor of the
Ottonans, considering that in the interest OF
Europe, His Majesty the King of Prussia,
signing party to the Convention of the 18th OF
July, 184l, should be invited to participate In
the new arrangements to be adopted, and ap-
preciating the value that the concurrence of his
said Majesty would add to work of general
pacifcation, invited him to send Plenfpoten-
tiaries to the Congress.
In consequence, His Majesty the King of
Prussia named as his Plenipotentiaries, that is
to say:
The Sieur Ohio Theodore, Baron de Manteuf
fel, President of his Council, and his Minister
for Foreign Affairs, Knight of the Red Eagle
Crown and Sceptre, Grand Commissioner of
the Order of Hohenzollern, Knight of the Or
der of st. John of Prussia, Grand Cross of the
Order of st. Stephen of Hungary, knight OF
the Order of ST. Alexander Newski, Grand
Cross of the Order of st. Maurice and St. Laz-
arus, and of the Order of the Nichan Iftihar of
Turkey, &C.; and the Sieur Macmillan Fred
erick Charles Francis, Count of Hatzfeldt Will
denburg- Schoenstein, his actual Privy Coun-
cillor, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary 10 the Court of France, Knight
of the Order Of the Red Eagle of Prussia of
the second class, with Oak-leaves and Badge,
Knight of the Cross of Honor of Hohenzollern
of the first class, &c.
The PleAipotentiaries, after having exchang-
ed their full powers, found in good and due
form, have agreed upon the following articles ::
ART. l. From the day of the exchange of
notifications of the present treaty, there shall
be peace and friendship between his Majesty
the Emperor of the French, her Majesty the
Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, his Majesty the King of Sardinia,
his Majesty the Sultan, of the one part, and his
Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias of the
other part, as well as between their heirs and
successors, their respective States and subjects,
in perpetuity.
ART. 2. Peace being happily established be-
tween their aforesaid Majesties, the territories
conquered or occupied by their armies during
the war shall be reciprocally evacuated.
Special arrangements shall regulate the mode
as possible (nussi prompte que taire Sc pourya.)
ART. 3. II. M. the Emperor of all the Rus
sias engages to restore to 81. M. the Sultan the
town and citadel of Kars, as well az ell the
other parts of the Ottoman territory of which
the Russian troops are in possession.
ART. 4. Their Majesties the Emperor of the
French, the Queen of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the King of Sardinia,
and the Sultan, engage to restore to FL. M. the
Emperor of all the Russias the towns and ports
of Sebastopol, Balaklava, Kamiesch, Eupatoria,
Kertch.
ART. S. Their Majesties the Queen of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Emperor of the French, the Emperor of all
the Russias, the King of Sardinia, and the Sui
tan, grant a full and entire amnesty to those of
their subjects who may have been compromised
by any participation whatsoever in the events
of the war in favor of the cause of the enemy.
1t is expressly understood that such amnesty
shall extend to the subjects of each of the bel
igerent parties who may have continued during
the war to be employed In the service of one of
the other bellgerents.
ART. 6. Prisoners of war shall be Immediate
ly given up on either side.
ART. T. Her Majesty the Queen of the Uni
ted Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His
Majesty the Emperor of Austria, His Majesty
the Emperor of the French, His Majesty the
King of Prussia, His Majesty the Emperor of
all the Russias, and His Majesty the King of
Sardinia, declare the Sublime Porte admitted
to participate in the advantages of the public
law and system (cancert) of Europe. Their
Majesties engage, each on his part, to respect
the independence and the territorial integrity
of the Ottoman Empire; guaranty in common
the strict observance of that engagement; and
will, in consequence, consider any act tending
to its violation as question of general interest.
ART. g. If there should arise between the
Sublime Porte and one or more of the other
signing Powers any misunderstanding which
might endanger the maintenance of their rela-
tons, the Sublime Porte and each Of such
Powers, before having recourse to the use of
force, shall afford the other contracting parties
the opportunity ofpreventing such an extremity
by means of their mediation.
Ann II M tba S,lton -, L., oonntnux
anxiety for the well-being of his subjects, hav-
ing granted (octroy0 firman, which, in ame-
lioratng their lot without distinction of religion
or race, proves his generous intentions towards
the Christian population of his Empire, and,
desiring to give further proof of his sentiments
in this regard, has resolved to communicate to
the contracting Powers the said firman, spon-
taneousy emanating from his sovereign will
ART. 8. The contracting Powers acknowledge
(constatent) the great value of this communi-
cation. 1t is quite understood that the fact of
this communication cannot in any case give to
the said Powers a right to interfere, either col
lectively or separately, in the relations IF his
Majesty the Sultan with his subjects, or IN the
internal administration of his Empire.
ART. 10. The convention of July h. 184I,
man Empire relative to the closing of the Straits
of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, has been
revised by common accord.
The act concluded with this view, and con-
formally to that principle between the high
contracting parties, is and remains annexed to
the present treaty, and shall have the same
force and value as if it had formed an integral
part OF it.
ART. ii. The Black Sea is neutralized. Open
to the mercantile marines of all nations, its
| waters and ports are formally and in perpetui-
ty interdicted 10 flags of war, whether belong
ing to the bordering Powers (puissances rio
| eraines) or to any other Power, save and ex-
cept the exceptions mentioned in articles ii
and 10 of the present treaty.
ART. IL. Freed from all impediments, len
trare,) trade in the ports and waters of the
Black Sea shall only be subjected to regula.
| tons of health, customs, and police, conceived
in spirit favorable to the development of COM
| mercal transactions.
In order to give every desirable security to
the commercial and maritime interests of all
| nations, Russia and the Sublime Porte will ad-
| NIT consuls in ports situated on the coast lit
| tOrdt) OF the Black Sea conformably to the
| principles Of international law.
ART. ID. The Black Sea being neutralized
according to the terms of article |, the main
| tenance or establishment ON its coasts of mill
ary-maritime arsenals arseaaur militaires.
| n,drttimes) becomes as unnecessary as without
object, (derient sGns necessife CONNIE sans o6-
jet.) In consequence, H. M. the Emperor of
the Russias and h. NJ. the Sultan engage nei-
Their to construct nor preserve any military
maritime arsenal upon that coast.
| ART. Ia. Their Majesties the Emperor of
all the Russias and the Sultan have concluded
q convention for the purpose of determining
the force and number of light vessels necessa-
| ry Tor the service of their coasts, which thew