50 EMPLOYMENT OF THE PLEBISCITE [348 



But even this method of ratification of treaties stipulating 

 cession of French territory to foreigners was destined to 

 fall by the wayside. Besides, the principle of ratification of 

 treaties by the fitats Generaux met in practice with a severe 

 handicap in the power of the king to dissolve by lettre de 

 jussion the recalcitrant Assembly.®® Nor did the kings of 

 a later period seem to consider themselves bound to submit 

 treaties to the Assembly. " In 1712 Queen Anne demanded 

 that the preliminaries of the treaty signed the preceding 

 year at Utrecht be ratified by the fitats Generaux. Louis 

 XIV was not willing to concede this. From that time on 

 the formality of registration fell into desuetude. The 

 treaties carrying with them the cession of Canada to Eng- 

 land and of Louisiana to Spain were not registered (1763). 

 These two alienations were effected contrary to the wishes 

 of the inhabitants. New Orleans was 'freed by force' 

 (1769)."" 



Before we pass on to the revolutionary plebiscites there 

 remains to be considered one more feature of the plebiscites 

 of the time between the feudal and the revolutionary 

 periods. While France developed and applied the principle 

 of inalienability or inviolabilty of French territory, she 

 failed at the same time to concede the right to, and the ap- 

 plication of, this doctrine to other nations. This incon- 

 sistency found its manifestation in the contemporary wars 

 of conquest waged against the Germanic Empire, culminat- 

 ing in the acquisition by France of many territories situated 

 on the left side of the Rhine, chiefly in the regions known 

 as Alsace-Lorraine. 



Soliere cites the annexation of Metz, Toul and Verdun 

 (1552) among the cases of cession by plebiscite. However, 

 his version, if analyzed, would exclude the annexation at 

 least of Metz and Toul from this class. The following is 

 Soliere's presentation: "When in the year 1552 King Henry 

 III [that is, II] annexed the bishoprics of Metz, Toul and 



<"' Soliere, p. 3. 

 •nbicl, pp. 3-4. 



