OF

REVOLUTION IN GREECE.

Correspondence respecting the Revolution in Greece.

ON the 25th October, 1862, Earl Russell received a despatch from Mr. Scarlett, dated the 16th October, stating that the King and Queen of Greece went to visit several ports and provinces of their dominions. On the 27th, Mr. Hammond received from Mr. Elliot a communication to the effect that a revolution had broken out, and that a provisional Government had been established at Vonitza. The cries were, "Long live the nation," "Long live the constitution," ," "Down with the system." The garrison of Caravessera also mutined, and the revolt spread in different parts. The provisional Government formed at Patras consisted of moderate men of character, and good sense. On the 3rd November, Earl Russell received a despatch from Mr. Scarlett, dated Athens, October 24th, giving information that the revolution broke out at Athens, and that it suddenly brought to an end the reign of King Otho. The king and queen, on their return to Athens, were surprised at the disaffection shown, and they preferred embarking on board the Scylla. A proclamation was thereupon issued by the Provisional Government, signed by D. G. Boulgaris, president, and a new Government was appointed. The intention of the Provisional Government was to convoke a National Assem

VOL. II.

"The mission which the Provisional Government has received from the people and from the army is that of maintaining the monarchical constitution, of constantly proving the unchangeable respect and the gratitude of Greece. towards the three great Powers her benefactors, of maintaining intact the friendly relations of the nation with all other States, of convoking as early as possible the National Assembly, and of maintaining throughout their period of office order and tranquillity by the execution of the laws of the State. We shall fulfil this duty, gentlemen, with all readiness and fidelity, prepared to lay down our authority in the hands of the Assembly which is about to be convoked. But in order that this grand and sacred task may be accomplished, it is necessary that the patriotism of all be maintained in its full vigour. To this patriotism also do we appeal, gentlemen, and we shall look to you not alone for the maintenance of order and tranquillity, but likewise for that spirit of abnegation which has ever distinguished the Greek nation in the critical circumstances of the past. So it is our hope that the mighty hand of the Highest, which has never abandoned those who love their country, will sustain our feeble but sincere efforts, and will bless this new work by con

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solidating the new order of affairs for the glory of the Greek name."

On the 6th November, Earl Russell wrote to Mr. Scarlett, that the prince to be chosen as sovereign of Greece, must not belong to one of the families reigning in the States, parties to the treaty of July 6, 1827, and to the protocols of April 4, 1826, and July 6, 1827, and that accordingly his Imperial Highness the Duke of Leuchtenberg, and his Royal Highness Prince Alfred, would be excluded from the throne of Greece.

Further communications from Mr. Scarlett stated that some plunder took place in different parts, but that the revolution was complete without the perpetration of any considerable crime. On the 10th November, Earl Russell received a despatch from Lord Napier stating the intention of Russia as regards Greece, that she would adhere to the existing treaties, but that she should insist that the future sovereign of Greece shall belong to the national religion. In answer, Earl Russell stated that her Majesty's Government would abstain for the present from recognizing the Provisional Government, and that it would provide against any aggression on Turkey by Greece. In a subsequent despatch of the 15th November, Earl Russell wrote to Lord Napier that whilst the Greek people have a right to determine their own destinies, they must have regard to the engagements of the protecting powers. In the first protocol, signed at St. Petersburg in April 1826, by the Duke of Wellington and Count Nesselrode, and Prince Lieven, it was stipulated in Art. V. that the two powers (Great Britain and Russia) would not seek to exercise any exclusive influence in Greece. The 6th Article of the Treaty of London of July, 1827, repeats this engagement, and binds France as well as Great Britain and Russia. In the same spirit the protocol of February, 1830, binds the three powers to the following effect :- "The Government of Greece shall be monarchical and hereditary, by order of primogeniture. It shall be confided to a prince who cannot be chosen from among those belonging to families reigning in the States who signed the Treaty of July, 1827." Meanwhile, Mr. Scarlett informed Earl Russell that a strong feeling prevailed in Greece in favour of the election of his Royal Highness Prince Alfred to the vacant throne; and that a decree

was issued for the election of members of the National Assembly, and the 6th December was fixed as the day on which the elections for the National Assembly were to commence. On the 4th December, Earl Russell wrote to Mr. Scarlett instructing him to propose to his colleagues of France and Russia to make a declaration of an unofficial, but binding nature to the Provisional Government of Greece to this effect:

"Great Britain, France, and Russia hold themselves bound by the engagement that no member of the imperial and royal families reigning in either of the three States should accept or wear the Crown of Greece; consequently neither his Royal Highness Prince Alfred, a member of the royal family of England, nor his Imperial Highness the Prince Romanoffsky, Duke of Leuchtenberg, a member of the Imperial family of Russia, could accept the Crown of Greece, if offered by the Greek nation."

On the 22nd December, 1862, Earl Russell received from Mr. Scarlett a despatch enclosing a plebiscite issued by the Provisional Government for the election of a sovereign; each Greek citizen who had accomplished his twentieth year being invited to inscribe the name of the king to whom he gave his vote.

On the 3rd January, 1863, Earl Russell received a despatch from Mr. Elliot, informing him of his arrival at Athens, and of his having given a memorandum to the President of the Provisional Government to the effect that her Majesty's Government would be ready to an nounce to the Senate and Representatives of the Ionian Islands, her Majesty's wish to see them united to the monarchy of Greece, and form with Greece one united State.

On the 16th May, 1863, a conference was held at the Foreign Office on the affairs of Greece. Present, the plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain and Russia, The first protocol of which was as follows:

"The Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of her Britannic Majesty opened the sitting by an historical summary of the events which have terminated the order of succession established in Greece by the convention concluded at London, on the 7th of May, 1832, between the courts of France, Great Britain, and Russia on the one part, and his Majesty

the King of Bavaria acting in the character of guardian of his second son the Prince Frederick Otho of Bavaria, on the other part. The plenipotentiaries seriously considered those events which have been brought to pass under circumstances entirely foreign to the action of their courts. Such being the facts, they acknowledged, with an unanimous feeling of regret, that after an experience of thirty years, the order of things established in 1832 has not consolidated itself in Greece under the dynasty which the convention of the 7th of May called to the throne, in virtue of the power then delegated by the Greek nation to the courts of France, Great Britain, and Russia. Their commission is, therefore, actually at an end; but the negotiations which preceded the signature of the said convention, as well as of the explanatory and supplementary Article of the 30th of April, 1833, having been carried on with the participation of the Minister of his Majesty the King of Bavaria, the plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia deemed it proper to place upon record the intention of their respective courts to offer to the august head of the House of Bavaria a due testimony of respect, by inviting him to authorize his representative at London, to take part in their deliberations."

The protocol was signed by Baron Gros, Earl Russell, and Baron Brunnow.

On the 27th May, the plenipotentiaries again met, and agreed as follows :

"The plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia, met for the purpose of taking cognizance of the result of the step taken at Munich by the representatives of the three protecting powers, in conformity with the resolutions adopted by the conference on the 16th of May. The Principal Secretary of State of her Britannic Majesty announced that the Court of Bavaria had not authorized its minister accredited to her Britannic Majesty to take part in the deliberations opened at London. In the absence of that minister the Principal Secretary of State of her Britannic Majesty thonght it, however, his duty to make mention of the reservations made in the month of April last, by the Court of Bavaria, in favour of the younger branches of the royal family of Bavaria, which Article VIII. of the Convention of May 7, 1832, substituted contingently for his Majesty

King Otho, in case that sovereign should die without direct and lawful issue.

"It was agreed, by common consent, that such declaration should be inserted in the present protocol. Considering, nevertheless, that the impossibility of henceforward carrying into execution the stipulations of the aforesaid Article VIII. results from an event beyond control, for which the three protecting powers are in no way responsible, the plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia agreed that their courts, while released from their trust by circumstances unprovided for by the Convention of 1832, could not indefinitely defer the time when it would be fitting to replace Greece, under a system conformable to the monarchical principles which it is their interest to maintain in the new State founded by their united efforts. In conclusion, they placed upon record that the events which have recently taken place in Greece, cannot affect the firm resolution of their courts by common consent to watch over the maintenance of the repose, of the independence, and of the prosperity of the Hellenic kingdom, which France, Great Britain, and Russia contributed to found in the general interest of civilization, of order, and of peace.

In order

"The plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia, acknowledging the necessity of determining, without delay, on the means for replacing Greece under a system conformable to the principles the inviolability of which is maintained by the protocol of the 27th of May in the general interest of order and of peace, assembled in conference to decide upon the arrangements to be taken by common agreement for giving effect to the wishes of the Greek nation, which call the Prince William of Denmark to the Hellenic throne. to obtain this end, the plenipotentiaries resolved, in conformity with the orders of their courts, to invite the minister of his Majesty the King of Denmark to take part in their deliberations. The plenipotentiary of Denmark, in virtue of the authorization which he had received from his court, accepted the invitation. On the proposition of her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the plenipotentiaries proceeded to read,-1. The decree dated the 18th of March, 1863, whereby the National Assembly unanimously proclaimed

"The undersigned, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of his Majesty the King of Denmark, has the honour, by order of his Government, to declare that, in accordance with his Royal Highness the Prince Christian of Denmark, acting in the character of guardian of his second son the Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, a minor, his Majesty the King of Denmark accepts for that prince the hereditary sovereignty of Greece, which has been offered to him by a decree of the Hellenic National Assembly, dated the 18th of March last. Such acceptance has, however, been given under the expectation and on the express condition that the Ionian Islands shall be effectively united to the Hellenic Kingdom."

On the 5th June there was another meeting of the Conference: present, the plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, Russia, and Denmark, and they entered the following protocol of the same, which was signed by Baron Gros, Earl Russell, Baron Brunnow, and Count Bille, sub spe rati:

:

"Treaty between her Majesty, the Emperor of the French, and the Emperor of Russia, on the one part, and the King of Denmark on the other part, relative to the accession of Prince William of Denmark to the throne of Greece. Signed at London, July 13, 1863. Ratifications exchanged at London, August 3, 1863.

"In the name of the most holy and indivisible Trinity. Their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, and the Emperor of all the Russias, being anxious to smooth the difficulties which have occurred in the Kingdom of Greece, placed under their common guarantee, have judged it necessary to come to an understanding with regard to the arrangements to be taken in order to give effect to the wish of the Greek nation, which calls the Prince William of Denmark to the Hellenic throne. His Majesty the King of Denmark, on his part, responding to the invitation of their said Majesties, has consented to afford them his co-operation with a view to that result, conformable to the interests of the general peace. In consequence, their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of

the French, and the Emperor of all the Russias, on the one part, and his Majesty the King of Denmark on the other, have resolved to conclude a treaty, and have for that purpose named as their plenipotentiaries, that is to

"Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable John Earl Russell, her Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; his Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur John Baptist Louis Baron Gros, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to her Britannic Majesty; his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Sieur Philip Baron de Brunnow, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to her Britannic Majesty; and his Majesty the King of Denmark, the Sieur Torben de Bille, his chamberlain; his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to her Britannic Majesty; who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles :

"I. His Majesty the King of Denmark, in accordance with the Prince Christian of Denmark, acting in the character of guardian of his second son, the Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, accepts for that prince, a minor, the hereditary sovereignty of Greece, which is offered to him by the Senate and the National Assembly of Greece in the name of the Hellenic nation.

"II. The Prince William of Denmark shall bear the title of George I., King of the Greeks.

"III. Greece, under the sovereignty of Prince William of Denmark, and the guarantee of the three courts, forms a monarchical, independent, and constitutional State.

"IV. The limits of the Greek territory, determined by the arrangement concluded at Constantinople between the three courts and the Ottoman Porte on the 21st of July, 1832, shall receive an extension by the union of the Ionian Islands with the Hellenic kingdom, when such union, proposed by the Government of her Britannic Majesty, shall have been found to be in accordance with the wishes of the Ionian Parliament, and shall have obtained the assent of the courts of Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia.