Presidente deponendo la scheda nell' urna farà notare da uno dei componenti il Seggio o dal Segretario il nome del votante.

7. Alle ore cinque del giorno 21 l'urna sarà pubblicamente suggellata dai componenti il Seggio, i quali sono responsabili dalla sua custodia e della integrità dei suggelli durante la notte.

8. In ambedue i giorni il Presidente stenderà verbale dello scrutinio.

9. Chiuso lo scrutinio segreto del giorno 22, le urne suggellate ed i verbali redatti a termini dei precedenti articoli saranno dal Presidente e da due almeno dei membri del Seggio accompagnati alla Pretura, nella cui giurisdizione è compresso il Comune, e consegnati al Pretore, il quale insieme con essi e pubblicamente fa lo spoglio dei voti, redigendone verbale.

10. Tutti gli Italiani delle Provincie liberate che si trovassero, o per ragioni di pubblico servizio, o per qualsiasi altro motivo in qualunque parte del Regno, potranno presentarsi al Pretore del mandamento, nel quale dimorano, e dichiarare per iscritto la loro volontà sulla formola indicata nell'art. 1° del presente Decreto.

11. I Pretori che avessero operato lo spoglio della votazione o ricevute le dichiarazioni nei sensi dei due precedenti articoli, trasmetteranno immediatamente i verbáli da loro firmati, che constatano il risultato della votazione, alla Presidenza del Tribunale

this decision. The president, depositing the ballot in the urn, shall state the name of the voter to one of the members of the board or to the secretary.

7. At 5 o'clock P. M. on the 21st, the urn shall be publicly sealed by the members of the board, who shall be responsible for its keeping and for the integrity of the seals during the night. 8. On both days the president shall draw up a record of the voting.

9. When the secret balloting is terminated on the 22d, the urns sealed, and the records drawn up according to the foregoing articles, they shall be accompanied by the president and at least two members of the board to the praetor's office in whose jurisdiction the commune is situated, and delivered to the praetor, who, together with them, and publicly, shall count the votes, drawing up a formal minute of the act.

10. All Italians of the liberated provinces who, for reasons of public service or any other reasons, are situated in any part of the Kingdom, may appear before the praetor of the district in which they reside and declare in writing their will on the form indicated in Art. 1 of the present decree.

11. The praetors who have made the count of the vote or received the declarations according to the meaning of the two preceding articles, shall immediately transmit the minutes signed by them and stating the result of the vote, to the president of the

L'an 1866, le 19 octobre, à huit heures du matin, se sont réunis d'une part, M. le général de division Le Boeuf, aide de camp de S. M. l'Empereur des Français, grand officier de l'ordre impérial de la Légion d'honneur, etc., Commissaire de Sa Majesté en Vénétie;

Et d'autre part, M. le comte Luigi Michiel, M. le chevalier Edouard de Betta et le docteur Achille Kelder, formés en commission;

Et là M. le général Le Boeuf a prononcé l'allocution suivante:

"Messieurs, délégué par l'Em1 Martens, N. R. G., vol. 18, p. 418.

In the year 1866, on the 19th of October, at eight o'clock in the morning, there were met: on the one part, General of Division Le Boeuf, aidede-camp of His Majesty the Emperor of the French, Grand Officer of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honor, etc., Commissioner of His Majesty in Venetia ;

And on the other part, Count Luigi Michiel, Chevalier Edouard de Betta and Doctor Achille Kelder, forming a commission;

And thereupon General Le Boeuf pronounced the following address: 'Gentlemen, delegated by the Em

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pereur Napoléon III pour recevoir des autorités militaires autrichiennes les forteresses et territoires de vos provinces, il me reste à remettre en vos mains les droits qui ont été cédés à Sa Majesté. C'est pour accomplir cette dernière partie de sa tâche que je vous ai convoqués.

"Vous savez déjà dans quel but l'Empereur a accepté la cession de la Vénétie. Sa Majesté s'en est expliqué dans une lettre adressée, en date du 11 août, au roi d'Italie, et pour vous instruire des intentions de mon auguste Souverain, je ne saurais mieux faire que de vous donner lecture de ce document:

'Monsieur mon frère,- J'ai appris avec plaisir que Votre Majesté avait adhéré à l'armistice et aux préliminaires de paix signés entre le Roi de Prusse et l'Empereur d'Autriche. Il est donc probable qu'une nouvelle ère de tranquillité va s'ouvrir pour l'Europe. Votre Majesté sait que j'ai accepté l'offre de la Vénétie pour la préserver de toute dévastation et prévenir une effusion de sang inutile. Mon but a toujours été de la rendre à elle-même afin que l'Italie fût libre des Alpes à l'Adriatique. Maîtresse de ses destinées, la Vénétie pourra bientôt par le suffrage universel exprimer sa volonté.

'Votre Majesté reconnaîtra que, dans ces circonstances, l'action de la France s'est encore exercée en faveur de l'humanité et de l'indépendance des peuples.

'Je vous renouvelle l'assurance des

peror Napoleon III to receive from the Austrian Military authorities the fortresses and territories of your provinces, it remains for me to deliver into your hands the rights which have been ceded by His Majesty. It is in order to accomplish this last part of my task that I have convoked you.

"You know already for what purpose the Emperor has accepted the cession of Venetia. His Majesty has explained it in a letter sent under date of August 11th to the King of Italy, and in order to inform you as to the intentions of my august Sovereign, I can do no better than to read to you this document:

'Exalted Brother, I have learned with pleasure that Your Majesty has adhered to the armistice and to the preliminaries of peace signed between the King of Prussia and the Emperor of Austria. peror of Austria. It is thus probable that a new era of tranquillity is about to dawn for Europe. Your Majesty knows that I have accepted the offer of Venetia in order to preserve it from any devastation and to prevent a useless shedding of blood. My object has always been to deliver it over to itself so that Italy might be free from the Alps to the Adriatic. Mistress of her destinies, Venetia will be able shortly, by universal suffrage, to express her will.

'Your Majesty will recognize that, in these circumstances France is again acting in the interest of humanity and of the independence of peoples.

'Reaffirming my sentiments of high

sentiments de haute estime et de sincère amitié avec lesquels je suis 'De Votre Majesté Le bon frère

'NAPOLÉON.

'Saint-Cloud, le 11 août 1866.'"

"Messieurs, l'Empereur connaît depuis longtemps les aspirations de votre pays. Sa Majesté sait qu'il désire être réuni aux Etats du Roi Victor-Emmanuel, avec qui Elle a combattu naguère pour l'affranchissement de l'Italie. Mais, par respect pour le droit des nationalités et pour la dignité des peuples, l'Empereur a voulu laisser aux Vénitiens le soin de manifester leur vœu. Ils sont dignes de comprendre cet hommage rendu à la souveraineté populaire sur laquelle reposent les gouvernements de la France et de l'Italie. L'Empereur témoigne ainsi une fois de plus de son respect pour les principes qu'il s'est toujours fait un honneur de défendre, et des sentiments d'amitié dont il a donné des marques réitérées à toute la Péninsule. Sa Majesté est heureuse d'avoir secondé, par les efforts de sa politique, le patriotisme et le courage de la nation italienne."

M. le comte Michiel, au nom des membres de la commission, a répondu en italien dans les termes suivants :

"Quand, en 1859, les armées alliées triomphèrent en Lombardie de nos oppresseurs, nous croyions, au cri: des Alpes à l'Adriatique, notre salut achevé; la main glacée de la diploma

esteem and of sincere friendship, I remain

'Your Majesty's well disposed brother

'NAPOLEON.

'Saint Cloud, August 11th, 1866.'"

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Gentlemen, the Emperor has long been aware of the aspirations of your country. His Majesty knows that it desires to be united with the States of King Victor Emmanuel, by whose side it has lately fought for the enfranchisement of Italy. But, out of respect for the right of nationalities and the dignity of peoples, the Emperor has wished to leave to the Venitians the function of manifesting their will. They can be trusted to understand this homage rendered to that popular sovereignty on which are founded the governments of France and of Italy. The Emperor thus once more gives testimony of his respect for the principles which he has always made it a point of honor to defend, and of the sentiments of friendship of which he has given reiterated proofs to the whole Peninsula. His Majesty is happy to have aided, through his policy, the patriotism and courage of the Italian nation."

Count Michiel, in the name of the members of the commission, answered in Italian, in the following

terms:

"When, in 1859, the allied armies triumphed over our oppressors in Lombardy, we believed that by the cry, 'The Alps to the Adriatic' our safety was achieved; the icy hand of diplo

tie nous enleva cette certitude. Mais cette main n'a pu comprimer les battements du cœur de ce peuple, qui a redoublé les sacrifices, confiant dans. son avenir qui était l'avenir de l'Italie, ni détourner son puissant allié de coopérer à la délivrance de ceux qui avaient su s'en montrer dignes.

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Nous, et avec nous tous les Vénitiens, nous vénérons l'œuvre de la Providence et nous remercions le magnanime allié de notre bienaimé Roi, qui, pendant que l'on versait un sang généreux sur les champs de bataille, a hâté, par sa puissante médiation le moment de notre indépendance et la réunion au royaume d'Italie."

Ensuite, M. le général Le Boeuf a pris de nouveau la parole, et a déclaré ce qui suit:

"Au nom de S. M. l'Empereur des Français, et en vertu des pleins pouvoirs et mandements qu'il a daigné nous conférer,

"Nous général de division Le Boeuf, aide de camp de S. M. l'Empereur des Français, grand officier de l'Ordre impérial de la Légion d'honneur, etc., etc., Commissaire de Sa Majesté en Vénétie;

"Vu le Traité signé à Vienne, le 24 août 1866, entre S. M. l'Empereur des Français et S. M. l'Empereur d'Autriche, Roi de Hongrie et de Bohême, etc., etc., au sujet de la Vénétie;

"Vu la remise qui nous a été faite de ladite Vénétie, le 16 octobre 1866, par M. le général Moering, commandeur de la Couronne de fer, etc., etc.,

macy took away this certainty from us. But that hand could not subdue the heart-beats of this people, who have redoubled their sacrifices, trusting in their future which was the future of Italy, nor could it deflect its powerful ally from cooperating in the deliverance of those who had known how to show themselves worthy of it.

"We, and with us all Venetians, venerate the work of Providence and give thanks to the magnanimous ally of our beloved King, who, by his powerful mediation, while generous blood was still being shed on the battlefield, has hastened the moment of our independence and union with the Kingdom of Italy."

General Le Boeuf thereupon resumed his address and made the following statement:

"In the name of H. M. the Emperor of the French, and by virtue of the full and mandatory powers which he has been pleased to confer upon us, we, General of Division Le Boeuf, Aide-de-camp to H. M. the Emperor of the French, Grand Officer of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honor, etc., etc., Commissioner of His Majesty in Venetia;

In view of the Treaty signed at Vienna, August 24, 1866, between H. M. the Emperor of the French and H. M. the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and of Bohemia, etc., etc., on the subject of Venetia;

"In view of the delivery of the said Venetia, which has been made to us on October 16, 1866, by General Moëring, Commander of the Iron