Reference to Treaty of 30th May, 1814; to Vienna Congress Treaty of 9th June, 1815; to Treaty of 20th November, 1815; and to Convention of 9th October, 1818.
The Ministers of Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia, in pursuance of the exchange of the Ratifications of the Convention signed on the 9th of October, 1818, relative to the Evacuation of the French Territory by the Foreign Troops, and after having addressed to each other the Notes, of which copies are annexed have assembled in conference, to take into consideration the Relations which ought to be established, in the actual state of affairs, between France and the co-subscribing Powers of the Treaty of Peace of the 20th of November, 1815—Relations which, by assuring to France the place that belongs to her in the European system, will bind her more closely to the pacific and benevolent views in which all the Sovereigns participate, and will thus consolidate the general tranquillity.
After having maturely investigated the conservative principles of the great interests which constitute the order of things established in Europe, under the auspices of Divine Providence, by the Treaty of Paris of the 30th of May, 1814 (No. 1), the Reces of Vienna (9th June, 1815, No. 27), and the Treaty of Peace of the year 1815 (20th November, No. 40), the Courts subscribing the present Act, do, accordingly, unanimously acknowledge and declare :—
1. That they are firmly resolved never to depart, neither in their mutual Relations, nor in those which bind them to other States, from the principle of intimate Union which has hitherto presided over all their common relations and interests—a Union rendered more strong and indissoluble by the bonds of Christian fraternity which the Sovereigns have formed among themselves.
2. That this Union, which is the more real and durable, inasmuch as it depends on no separate interest or temporary combination, can only have for its object the Maintenance of general Peace, founded on a religious respect for the engagements contained in the Treaties, and for the whole of the rights resulting therefrom.
3. That France, associated with other Powers by the restoration of the legitimate Monarchical and Constitutional Power, engages henceforth to concur in the maintenance and consolidation of a System which has given Peace to Europe, and which can alone insure its duration.
4. That if, for the better attaining the above declared object, the Powers which have concurred in the present Act, should judge it necessary to establish particular meetings, either of the Sovereigns themselves, or of their respective Ministers and Plenipotentiaries, there to treat in common of their own interests, in so far as they have reference to the object of their present deliberations, the time and place of these meetings shall, on each occasion, be previously fixed by means of diplomatic communications; and that in the case of these meetings having for their object affairs specially connected with the interests of the other States of Europe, they shall only take place in pursuance of a formal invitation on the part of such of those States as the said affairs may concern, and under the express reservation of their right of direct participation therein, either directly or by their Plenipotentiaries.
5. That the resolutions contained in the present Act shall be made known to all the Courts of Europe, by the annexed Declaration, which shall be considered as sanctioned by the Protocol, and forming part thereof.
Done in quintuple, and reciprocally exchanged in the original, by the subscribing Cabinets.
Aix-la-Chapelle, 15th November, 1818.
Annex A: Evacuation of French territory
Reference to Treaty of 20th November, 1815. The Undersigned Ministers of the Cabinets of Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia, have received orders from their august masters to address to His Excellency the Duke of Richelieu the following communication :—