Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/86



Prince Leopold, in his letter of 11th February, 1830, accepting the throne of Greece, submitted to the Conference of London his hope:—

The reply of the Conference is contained in its Protocol of 20th February to the following effect:—

The allied Powers cannot admit the right of intervention of the Sovereign Prince of Greece, in regard to the manner in which the Turkish Government exercises its authority in Candia and Samos. These islands are to remain under the dominion of the Porte, and are to be independent of the new Power which it has been agreed to establish in Greece. However, the allied Powers hasten to declare to Prince Leopold, for the personal satisfaction of His Royal Highness, that in virtue of the engagements which they have contracted by common agreement, they consider themselves bound to assure to the inhabitants of Candia and Samos security against all molestation, on account of the part which they may have taken in antecedent troubles. In case the Turkish authority should be exercised in a manner offensive to humanity, each of the allied Powers, without however entering into a special and formal