4. That their greatest interest is to secure to themselves a powerful protection, under whose shelter they may freely exercise their industry, and maintain themselves in the possession of their territory, their commerce, and their colonies.
5. That France is essentially interested in the happiness of the Dutch people, in the prosperity of their state, and the stability of their institutions, as much in consideration of the northern frontiers of the empire, which are open and unprovided with fortified places, as of the principles and interests of general policy, have named for plenipotentiary ministers, viz. his majesty the Emperor of the French and King of Italy, M. C. M. Talleyrand, grand chamberlain, minister of foreign affairs, great cordon of the legion of honour, knight of the orders of the red and black eagle of Prussia, and of the order of St. Hubert, &c.; and the Grand Pensionary, M. M. C. H. Verhuel, vice admiral, minister of the marine of the Batavian republic, decorated with the great eagle of the legion of honour; J. J. A. Gogel, minister of finance; S. Van Styrum, member of the assembly of their high mightinesses; William Six, member of the council of state; and G. de Brantzen, plenipotentiary minister of the Batavian republic, by his imperial and royal majesty decorated with the grand eagle of the legion of honour, who, after having exchanged their full powers, have agreed upon as follows.
Art. 1. His majesty the emperor of the French and king of Italy, as well for himself, his heirs and successors for ever, guarantees to Holland the maintenance of its constitutional rights, its independence, the entirety of its possessions in the two hemispheres, its political, civil, and religious liberty, as it is consecrated by the actual established laws, and the abolition of all privileges in matters of taxes.
2. Upon the formal demand of their high mightinesses, representing the Batavian republic, that the Prince Louis Napoleon be named and crowned hereditary and constitutional king of Holland, his majesty, with deference to this desire, authorises the Prince Louis Napoleon to accept the crown of Holland to be possessed by him and his natural and legitimate male descendants, according to priority of birth, to the perpetual exclusion of females and their descendants. In consequence of this authority, Prince Louis Napoleon shall possess this crown under the title of King, and with all the power and all the authority, which shall be determined by the constitutional laws that the Emperor Napoleon has provided in the preceding article; nevertheless, it is enacted that the crowns of France and Holland can never be re-united on the same head.
3. The domain of the crown comprehends, 1. a palace at the Hague, which is to be destined for the residence of the royal household; 2. the palace of the Wood; 3. the domain of Soestdyk; 4. a revenue in landed property of 500,000 florins. The law of the state further assures to the king an annual sum of 1,500,000 florins of Dutch money, payable by twelve monthly instalments.
4. In case of a minority, the regency shall belong of right to the queen; and in case there shall be no queen, the French emperor, in his capacity of perpetual chief of the imperial family, is to name the regent of the kingdom. He is to choose among the princes of the royal family, and in default of them, among the nation. The minority of the king is to end at the age of eighteen.
5. The jointure of the queen shall be determined by her marriage contract; for this time it is settled that the jointure is fixed at the annual sum of 250,000 florins, which shall be taken from the domain of the crown. This sum deducted, the half of the remainder of the revenues of the crown will serve for the expenses of the maintenance of the house of the minor king, the other half shall be appropriated to the expenses of the regency.
6. The king of Holland shall be for ever grand dignitary of the empire, under the title of constable; the functions of this grand dignitary may, nevertheless, be filled at the will of the emperor of the French, by a prince vice-constable, when he shall judge proper to create this dignity.
7. The members of the reigning house of Holland shall remain personally subject to the dispositions of the 30th of last March, forming the law of the imperial family of France.
8. The offices and employments of the state, exclusive of those appertaining to the house of the king, can only be conferred on natives.