Dictionary of Historical AllusionsHarbottle, Thomas Benfield
History
Dictionary of Historical Allusions
Harbottle, Thomas Benfield
History -- Dictionaries
A treaty signed in 1783 between Great Britain on the one hand, and
Spain, France and the United States on the other, at the conclusion of
the American War of Independence. France retained Tobago, and Spain,
Florida and Minorca, but all other conquests were restored on both
sides. As between Great Britain and the United States, this treaty
simply confirmed the provisions of the Treaty of Peace of 1782.
Vervins, Treaty of.
A treaty signed in 1598 between Henri IV of France and Philip II of
Spain, after the recovery by Henri of Amiens, which had fallen into the
hands of the Spaniards. By its terms France recovered all the territory
occupied by Spain during the previous ten years, her frontier being
restored to that settled by the Treaty of Câteau Cambrésis.
Veto.
Under the Swiss Constitution, the right of the people to reject a law
passed by the Assembly, by means of the Referendum.
Veto Act.
An Act passed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1834,
at the instigation of Dr. Chalmers, declaring it to be a fundamental law
of the Church that no pastor could be imposed on a congregation against
their will.
Victorian Deadlocks.
These were three in number, caused by attempts to tack on to the
Appropriation Bill resolutions of a controversial character. The first
occurred in 1865, when the Legislative Council refused to pass the
Appropriation Bill with certain tariff resolutions of a protective
character appended. The Governor thereupon declined to sign warrants for
payments out of the Treasury, and the business of the country was at a
standstill. The Government, however, got out of the difficulty by having
recourse to the banks. The second or great deadlock arose from the
inclusion in the Appropriation Bill of a grant of £20,000 to Sir Charles
Darling, the retiring Governor, in 1867. This was ended by the refusal
of Sir Charles, in July 1868, to accept the grant. The third arose in
1877 over the question of payment of members, the council again
refusing to pass the Appropriation Bill with this provision tacked on.
The Government thereupon dismissed a large number of civil servants. A
compromise was, however, arrived at, and the officials reinstated. The
day on which the dismissals took place is known as Black Wednesday.
Vienna Congress.
A congress of the Great Powers, held in 1814-15, at which Great Britain,
France, Austria, Prussia and Russia were represented. It confirmed in
its main features the Treaty of Paris of 1815, with the following
additional provisions: one-third of the kingdom of Saxony was
surrendered to Prussia; the Duchy of Posen was retained by Prussia, and
part of Galicia by Austria, while Russia secured the rest of Poland; the
Bourbons were restored in Naples, the Tyrol was given back to Austria,
and certain arrangements made as to the minor German and Italian States.
The Congress further pronounced in favour of the free navigation of
rivers, and of the suppression of the slave trade.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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