two contending parties, a demand of an immediate armistice between them, as a preliminary condition indispensable to the opening of any negotiation. Art. II.-The arrangement to be proposed to the Ottoman Porte shall rest on the following bases: the Greeks shall hold of the Sultan, as of a superior lord ;* and in consequence of this superiority, they shall pay to the Ottoman Empire an annual tribute (relief), the amount of which shall be fixed, once for all, by a common agreement. They shall be governed by the authorities whom they shall themselves choose and nominate, but in the nomination of whom the Porte shall have a determinate voice. To bring about a complete separation between the individuals of the two nations, and to prevent the collisions which are the inevitable consequence of so long a struggle, the Greeks shall enter upon possession of the Turkish property situated either on the continent, or in the isles of Greece, on the condition of indemnifying the former proprietors, either by the payment of an annual sum, to be added to the tribute which is to be paid to the Porte, or by some other transaction of the same nature. Art. III.-The details of this arrangement, as well as the limits of the territory on the continent, and the designation of the islands of the Archipelago, to which it shall be applicable, shall be settled in a subsequent negotiation between the High Powers and the two contending parties. Art. IV. The contracting Powers engage to follow up the salutary work of the pacification of Greece • Suzerain is the term used, on the bases laid down in the preceding articles, and to furnish without the least delay their representatives at Constantinople with all the instructions which are necessary for the execution of the Treaty now signed. Art.V.-The contracting Powers will not seek in these arrangements any augmentation of territory, any exclusive influence, any commercial advantage for their subjects, which the subjects of any other nation may not equally obtain. Art. VI.-The arrangements of reconciliation and peace, which shall be definitively agreed upon between the contending parties, shall be guaranteed by such of the signing Powers as shall judge it useful or possible to contract the obligation: the mode of the effects of this guarantee shall become the object of subsequent stipulations between the high Powers. Art. VII. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in two months, or sooner if possible. In faith whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed, and sealed it with their arms. Done at London, July 6, 1827. DUDLEY, POLIGNAC, LIEVEN. Additional and Secret Article. In case that the Ottoman Porte does not accept, within the space of one month, the mediation which shall be proposed, the High Contracting Parties agree upon the following measures: 1. It shall be declared, by their representatives at Constantinople to the Porte, that the inconveniences and evils pointed out in the public treaty as inseparable from the state of things subsisting in the East for the last six years, and the termination of which, through the means at the disposal of the Sublime Porte, appears still remote, impose upon the High Contracting Parties the necessity of taking immediate measures for an approximation with the Greeks. It is to be understood that this approximation shall be brought about by establishing commercial relations with the Greeks, by sending to them for that purpose, and receiving from them, Consular Agents, so long as there shall exist among them authorities capable of maintaining such relations. 2. If, within the said term of one month, the Porte do not accept the armistice proposed in the first article of the public treaty, or if the Greeks refuse to execute it, the High Contracting Powers shall declare to that one of the two contending parties which shall wish to continue hostilities, or to both if such become necessary, that the said High Contracting Powers intend to exert all the means which circumstances may suggest to their prudence to obtain the immediate effect of the armistice, the execution of which they desire, by preventing, in as far as may be in their power, all collision between the contending parties, and, in fact, immediately after the aforesaid declaration, the High Contracting Powers will conjointly employ all their means in the accomplishment of the object thereof, without, however, taking any part in the hostilities between the two contending parties. In consequence, the High Con tracting Powers will, immediately after the signature of the present additional and secret article, transmit eventual instructions conformable to the provisions above set forth, to the admirals commanding their squadrons in the seas of the Levant. 3. Finally, if, contrary to all expectation, these measures do not yet suffice to induce the adoption by the Ottoman Porte of the propositions made by the High Contracting Parties, or if, on the other hand, the Greeks renounce the conditions stipulated in their favour in the Treaty of this day, the High Contracting Powers will, nevertheless, continue to prosecute work of pacification on the bases agreed upon between them; and, in consequence, they authorize from this time forward their represen the tatives in London to discuss and determine the ulterior measures to which it may become necessary to resort. The present additional and secret article shall have the same force and value as if it had been inserted, word for word, in the Treaty of this day. It shall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged, at the same time as those of the said Treaty. In faith whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed it, and have thereto affixed the seals of their arms. Done at London, this 6th of July, in the year of Grace 1827. DUDLEY. POLIGNAC. LIEVEN. MANIFESTO of the OTTOMAN PORTE. [The following document was delivered on the 9th and 10th of June, 1827, by the Reis Effendi to the Dragomans of the French, English, Russian, Austrian, and Prussian, missions, in the order in which they repaired to the Porte.] To every man endowed with intelligence and penetration, it is clear and evident that, conformably to the decrees of Divine Providence, the flourishing condition of this world is owing to the union of the human species in the social state; and that, as on account of their diversity of manners and character, this union could only be accomplished by the subjection of different nations, Almighty wis dom, in dividing the universe into different countries, has assigned to each a sovereign, into whose hands the reins of absolute authority over the nations subject to his dominion are placed; and that it is in this wise manner the Creator has established and regulated the order of the universe. If, on the one hand, the consistency and duration of such a state of things principally depend on monarchs and sovereigns respectively abstaining from every kind of interference in each other's internal and private affairs, it is, on the other hand, not less evident that the essential objects of treaties between empires is to guard against the infringement of a system of order so admirable, and thus to establish the security of people and kingdoms. In this way each independent power, besides the obligations which its treaties and foreign relations impose, possesses also institutions and relations which concern only itself and its internal state, and which are the offspring of its legislation and form of go vernment. It belongs, then, to itself alone to judge of what befits itself, and to busy itself therewith exclusively. Moreover, it is matter of public notoriety, that all the affairs of the Sublime Ottoman Porte, are founded on its sacred legislation, and that all its regulations, national and political, are strictly connected with the precepts of religion. Now the Greeks, who form part of the nations inhabiting the countries conquered ages ago by the Ottoman arms, and who, from generation to generation, have been tributary subjects of the Sublime Porte, have, like the other nations that, since the origin of Islamism remained faithfully in submission, always enjoyed perfect repose and tranquillity under the aegis of our legislation. It is notorious that these Greeks have been treated like Mussulmans in every respect, and as to every thing which regards their property, the maintenance of their personal security, and the defence of their honour; that they have been, particularly under the glorious reign of the present sovereign, loaded with benefits far exceeding those which their ancestors enjoyed; but it is precisely this great degree of favour, this height of comfort and tranquillity, that has been the cause of the revolt, excited by malignant men, incapable of appreciating the value of such marks of benevolence. Yielding to the delusions of a heated imagination, they have dared to raise the standard of revolt, not only against their benefactor and legitimate sovereign, but also against all the Mussulman people, by committing the most horrible excesses, sacrificing to their vengeance defenceless women and innocent children with unexampled atrocity. As each power has its own particular penal code and political ordinances, the tenor whereof forms the basis for its acts of sovereignty, so the Sublime Porte, in every thing relating to the exercise of its sovereignty, rests exclusively upon its holy legislation, according to which the rebels fall to be treated. But in inflicting necessary punish ment on some with the sole view of amending them, the Porte has never refused to pardon those who implore its mercy, and to replace them as before under the ægis of its protection. In the same manner the Sublime Porte always resolved to conform to the ordi nances of its sacred law, notwithstanding the attention devoted to its domestic affairs, has never neglected to cultivate the relations of good understanding with friendly powers. The Sublime Porte has always been ready to comply with whatever treaties and the duties of friendship prescribe. Its most sincere prayers are offered up for that peace and general tranquillity which, with the aid of the Most High, will be re-established in the same manner as the Sublime Porte has always extended its conquests, namely, by separating its faithful subjects from the refractory and malevolent, and by terminating the existing troubles by its own resources, without giving occasion to discussions with the powers who are its friends, or to any demands on their part. All the efforts of the Sublime Porte have but one object, which is the desire of the establishment of general tranquillity, while fo reign interference can only tend to a prolongation of the rebellion. The firm and constant intention of the Sublime Porte to attend to its principal interests which spring from its sacred law, merits their approbation and respect, while any foreign interference must be liable to blame and animadversion. Now, it is clear and evident that by adhering to this principle, every thing might have been terminated long since, but for the ill-founded propositions which have been advanced concerning the conformity of religion, and the fatal influence which this state of things has, perhaps, exercised throughout the whole of Europe, and the injury to which maritime commerce may have been exposed. At the same time the hopes of the malevolent have been constantly encouraged by the improper conduct of giving them assistance of every kind, which at any time ought to have been reproved, conformably to the law of nations. It is besides to be observed, that the relations and treaties subsisting between the Sublime Porte and the powers in friendship with it, have been entered into with the monarchs and ministers of these powers only; and considering the obligation of every independent power to govern its subjects itself, the Sublime Porte has not failed to address to some friendly courts complaints respecting the suc cours afforded to the insurgents. The only answer made to these representations has been, to give to machinations tending to subvert laws and treaties, the signification of liberty; and to interpret proceedings contrary to existing engagements by the expression of neutrality, alleging the insufficiency of means for restraining the people. Setting aside the want of reciprocal security, which must finally result from such a state of things to the subjects of the respective powers, the Sublime Porte cannot allow such transactions to pass silently. Accordingly, the Porte has never omitted to reply to the different pretensions advanced, by appealing to the justice and the equity of the powers who are its friends, by often reiterating complaints respecting the assistance afforded to the insurgents, and by giving the necessary answers in the course of communications with its friends. In fine, a mediation has at last been proposed. The fact, howThe fact, however, is, that an answer restricted to one single object can neither be changed by the process of time, nor by the innovations of expressions. The reply which the Sublime Porte gave at the beginning will always be the same; namely, that which it has reiterated in the face of the whole world, and which is in the last result its sentiment on the position of affairs. Those who are informed of the circumstances and the details of events are not ignorant that at the commencement of the insurrection some ministers of friendly courts, resident at the Sublime Porte, offered effective assistance in punishing the rebels. As, however, this offer related to an affair which came exclusively within the resort of the Sublime Porte, in pursuance of important considerations, both with regard to the present and the future, the Porte confined itself to replying, that though such an offer had for its object to give aid to the Ottoman government, it would never permit foreign interference. What is more, when the ambassador of a friendly power, at the pe riod of his journey to the congress of Verona, entered into explanations in conferences with the Ottoman minister on the proposed mediation, the Sublime Porte declared in the most unequivocal manner, that such a proposition could not be listened to; reiterating every time that the subject was resumed, the assurance that political, national, and religious, considerations, rendered such refusal indispens able. In yielding to this reasoning, and in admitting more than once that right was on the side of the Porte, the before-mentioned ambassador on his return from Verona to Constantinople, again clearly and officially declared in several conferences, by order of his court, and in the name of the other powers, that the Greek question was recognized as belonging to the internal affairs of the Sublime Porte; that as such it ought to be brought to a termination exclusively by the Porte itself; that no other power was to interfere in the sequel; and that if ever any one were to interfere, all the others would act according to the princi ples of the law of nations. The agents of one of the great powers which has recently consolidated its relations of friendship and good understanding with the Sublime Porte, also officially and explicitly declared, in their con ferences with the Ottoman agents, that there should be no interference on this subject. That declaration having served as the basis for the result of those conferences, there cannot now be any question respecting this affair, which the Sublime Porte is entitled to consider as completely and radically adjusted. Nevertheless, the Porte still considers itself au |