The History of Cuba, vol. 2Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 2
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
Guiteras in his "Historia de la Isla de Cuba" has set forth the position
of Spain at this time and her relation to France, which led to the
famous alliance known as the Family Pact. He says justly, that the
general interests of the nation demanded from Carlos III. the
continuation of the strict neutrality which his brother had pursued in
this war; for by that neutrality the commerce and general welfare of
Spain had derived great benefits. But personal motives of resentment
against England and of esteem and gratitude for Louis XV. predominated
in his mind against the serious reasons of state and the advantages to
his subjects, and the voluminous correspondence carried on between him
and the king of France made him deeply share the humiliation of the
principal branch of his family under the triumph of British arms. These
sentiments and other motives finally gave birth to the treaty which was
concluded between the two sovereigns on the fifteenth of August, 1761,
and which was a defensive and offensive alliance of the two countries
with the object of creating between them firm and lasting bonds for the
mutual protection of their interests, and thus to secure on a solid
basis the internal prosperity of the two kingdoms and the predominance
of the house of Bourbon among the princes of Europe.
It was agreed to consider henceforth as a common enemy any government
that would declare war against either of the two kingdoms and
reciprocally to guarantee the dominions they possessed at the conclusion
of the war, in which France saw herself involved; to lend each other aid
at sea and on land, and not to listen to or enter into any settlement
with the enemies of both crowns unless so done with common accord. For
as much in peace as in war they had to consider the identified interests
of the two nations, compensate their losses and divide their respective
acquisitions and operate as though the two peoples were one, by granting
to the subjects of both kingdoms in their European dominions the
enjoyment of the same privileges as those of their native subjects; and,
finally, to admit to participation in this treaty only such countries as
were ruled by sovereigns of the House of Bourbon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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