35 8 AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR EUROPE. 



superior to the conflict of armies, for the friendly discussion and 

 pacific settlement of questions of difficulty and dispute ; and finally, 

 by the astute statesmanship of Talleyrand, — who secured for France, 

 Spain, Portugal, and other States, a position at the Councils of the 

 Congress, — France obtained her territorial sovereignty as it existed 

 prior to 1792, and, also, her ancient position in the comity of 

 nations, commensurate with her acknowledged influence and power, 

 as a great European State. 



This Concert of Europe of 1815, was subsequently ratified by the 

 Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1818, consisting of England, France, 

 Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and an Agreement of the Five Powers, 

 embodied in a Secret Protocol, was signed 18th November, 1818, 

 and was as follows : — 



" 1. The Sovereigns whose ministers are undersigned, are determined never to 

 deviate, neither in their mutual relations, nor in those which unite them to other 

 States, from the principles which have hitherto united them, and which form a 

 bond of Christian fraternity, which the Sovereigns have formed among themselves. 



" 2. That this union, which is only the more close and durable that it is founded 

 on no separate interests or momentary combination, can have no other object but 

 the maintenance of the Treaties, and the support of the rights established by them. 



"3. That France, associated with the other Powers by the restoration of a 

 Government at once legitimate and constitutional, engages henceforth to concur 

 in, and can alone secure its duration. 



" 4. That if to attain these ends the Powers which have concurred in the present 

 act should deem it necessary to establish different re-unions, either among the 

 Sovereigns themselves or their ministers, to treat of subjects in which they have a 

 common interest, the time and place of such assemblages shall be previously 

 arranged by diplomatic communications ; and in the event of such re-unions 

 having for their object the conditions of other States in Europe, they shall not 

 take place except in pursuance of a formal invitation to those by whom these 

 States are directed, and under an express reservation of their right to participate 

 ■ directly or by their representatives : — 



" Mettemich. Nesselrode. Castlereagh. 



Alex, de Humboldt. Richelieu." 



No doubt the disinterested character of the compact entered into 

 at Aix-la-Chapelle in 18 18, was seriously compromised, and even 

 endangered by the Triple, or Holy Alliance entered into at Paris, in 

 18 1 4, by the Allied Sovereigns of Russia, Prussia, and Austria, 

 especially, when they directed their absolutism in 1820, in Spain, 

 Portugal, and Italy, for the suppression, by force if necessary, of the 

 aspirations of the people for political freedom, and it is to the great 

 credit of England, that at the Congress of Verona in 1822, she 



