Declaration at the Congress of Vienna

DECLARATION

The powers who have signed the Treaty of Paris, assembled at the Congress of Vienna, being informed of the escape of Napoleon Bonaparte, and of his entrance into France with an armed force, owe it to their own dignity, and the interest of social order, to make a solemn declaration of the sentiments which this event has excited in them.

By thus breaking the convention which had established him in the island of Elba, Bonaparte destroys the only legal title on which his existence depended, and by appearing again in France, with projects of confusion and disorder, he has deprived himself of the protection of the law, and has manifested to the universe that there can be neither peace nor truce with him.

The powers consequently declare, that Napoleon Bonaparte has placed himself without the pale of civil and social relations; and that, as an enemy and disturber of the tranquillity of the world, he has rendered himself liable to public vengeance.

They declare at the same time, that, firmly resolved to maintain entire the Treaty of Paris of the 30th of May 1814, and the dispositions sanctioned by that treaty, and those which they have resolved on, or shall hereafter resolve on, to complete and to consolidate it, they will employ all their means, and will unite all their efforts, that the general peace, the object of the wishes of Europe, and the constant purpose of their labours, may not again be troubled; and to provide against every attempt which shall threaten to re-plunge the world into the disorders and miseries of revolutions.

And although entirely persuaded that all France, rallying round its legitimate sovereign, will immediately annihilate this last attempt of criminal and impotent delirium, all the sovereigns of Europe, animated by the same sentiments, and guided by the same principles, declare, that if, contrary to all calculations, there should result from this event any real danger, they will be ready to give to the King of France and to the French nation, or to any other government that shall be attacked, as soon as they shall be called upon, all the assistance requisite to restore public tranquillity, and to make a common cause against all those who should undertake to compromise it.

The present declaration, inserted in the register of the congress assembled at Vienna on the 13th of March 1815, shall be made public.

Done and attested by the plenipotentiaries of the high powers who signed the Treaty of Paris, Vienna March 13th 1815.

AUSTRIA: Prince Metternich, Baron Wissenberg

FRANCE: Prince Talleyrand, The Duke of Dalberg, Latour du Pin

GREAT BRITAIN: Wellington, Clancarty, Cathcart, Stewart

PORTUGAL: Count Pamella, Saldanha, Lobo

PRUSSIA: Prince Hardenberg, Baron Humboldt

RUSSIA: Count Rasumowsky, Count Stackelberg, Count Nesselrode

SPAIN: P Gomez Labrador

SWEDEN: Laemenhelm