uage upon the transfer of Limbourg and Luxembourg to Holland: it was
one of the greatest cruelties ever committed that the five powers should
impose such terms on Belgium. In reply, Lord Palmerston observed that by
the treaty of Vienna Limbourg was annexed to the Seven United Provinces.
Luxembourg, by the same treaty, was constituted a separate sovereignty,
as a grand duchy, to be held by the same individual who should be king
of the Netherlands; but by a separate title, and transmissible in a
separate line of succession. The kingdom of the Netherlands went to the
heirs general of the king, while Luxembourg would descend to the heirs
male only: the king of the Netherlands in that character was not a
member of the Germanic confederation, but he was a member as grand duke
of Luxembourg; and when the grand duchy was formed, it became subject to
the federal constitution, and to the regulations which bound the
members of the confederacy. When the revolution broke out it extended to
Luxembourg, and the king of the Netherlands applied for aid to the
five powers. It was ultimately found that the only way of arranging the
difficulties between Holland and Belgium was a separation; but the
five powers did not feel themselves competent, nor were they competent
according to the treaties which governed the relations of the states
of Europe, to deal with the question as regarded Luxembourg. In the
progress of the negociation the Belgian government expressed a strong
desire that a portion of Luxembourg and Limbourg should form a part
of Belgium; and the five powers had no objection to this, provided
the consent of the Germanic confederation, which had full liberty to
re-establish the grand duke in his rights, could be obtained. The diet
gave permission, on condition that some equivalent portion of territory
should be ceded by Belgium in return for what was detached from the
duchy of Luxembourg. To these terms the Belgian government consented,
and an arrangement was made, by which it was agreed that for the
incorporation of a part of Luxembourg in the kingdom of Belgium an
equivalent should be provided by the latter state. This arrangement
formed part of the twenty-four articles; and it was perfectly true that
these articles, as Mr. O'Connell had said, were accepted by Belgium, and
not by Holland. When, however, these articles were incorporated into
a regular treaty between Belgium and the five powers, then that treaty
became a binding in