Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/589

 Europe after the Congress of Vienna Denn ihr habt ein Band gewunden Um das deutsche Vaterland, Und die Herzen hat verbunden Mehr, als unser Bund, dies Band. 551 IV. Metternich's Fight against Liberalism After the battle of Waterloo, Austria, Russia, Prussia, and England concluded a secret treaty, November 20, 181 5, in which they agreed to continue their alliance against any new attempt upon the part of France to disturb the repose of Europe. Metternich, who was the soul of the reactionary policy, was bent upon set- ting up a permanent barrier to "revolution," — under which terrible term he included all tendencies toward constitutional government. Accordingly Article VI of the treaty reads : To facilitate and secure the execution of the present Metternich treaty and to strengthen the bonds which at the present arran g esa . system of moment so closely unite the four sovereigns for the happi- international ness of the world, the high contracting parties have agreed congresses to to renew their meetings at fixed periods, either under the ^evoTudon" immediate auspices of the sovereigns themselves or by their respective ministers, for the purpose of consulting upon their common interests and for the consideration of the measures which, at each of these periods, shall be con- sidered the most salutary for the repose and prosperity of nations and for the peace of Europe. 1 The uprising, in 1820, of the people in Spain and Naples against their respective despotic monarchs seemed to Metternich a natural occasion for one of the proposed 1 The whole of this interesting document is given by Anderson, Con- stitutions and Documents, pp. 482 sqq.