Protocol of the Congress of Vienna (territory ceded to the Canton of Geneva) (PC-Vienne-1) - er .

His Majesty the King of Sardinia places at the disposal of the High Allied Powers the part of Savoy that lies between the Arve River, the Rhône, the limits of the part of Savoy occupied by France, and the Salève Mountain up to and including Veyrier, as well as the area lying between the main road known as the Simplon, Lake Geneva, and the current territory of the canton of Geneva from Vezenas to the point where the Hermance River crosses the aforementioned road and from there continuing the course of this river to its mouth in Lake Geneva to the east of the village of Hermance (the entire road known as the Simplon continues to be owned by His Majesty the King of Sardinia), so that these territories may be reunited with the canton of Geneva, with the more precise boundary to be established by respective Commissioners, especially concerning the delimitation above Veyrier and on the Salève Mountain. In all places and territories included in this demarcation, His Majesty renounces for Himself and His successors in perpetuity all rights of sovereignty and others that may belong to Him without exceptions or reservations.

**Article**: His Majesty grants the communication between the canton of Geneva and Valais via the route known as the Simplon, in the same manner that France has granted it between Geneva and the country of Vaud, via the road that passes through Versoix. His Majesty similarly grants at all times free communication for the Geneva militias, between the territory of Geneva and the Jussi mandate, and any facilities that might be necessary on occasion to reach the aforementioned route known as the Simplon by way of the lake.

On the other hand, His Majesty, unable to consent that a part of his territory be annexed to a State where the dominant Religion is different, without providing the inhabitants of the country he cedes the certainty that they will enjoy the free exercise of their Religion, that they will continue to have the means to bear the costs of their Worship, and enjoy themselves the full rights of Citizens;

It is agreed that

§ 1. The Catholic Religion will be maintained and protected in the same manner as it is now in all the Communes ceded by His Majesty the King of Sardinia, and that will be annexed to the Canton of Geneva.

§ 2. The current Parishes that will not be dismembered or separated by the delimitation of the new boundaries will retain their current jurisdictions, and will be served by the same number of Ecclesiastics. As for the dismembered portions, which would be too weak to constitute a Parish, it will be addressed to the Diocesan Bishop to have them annexed to some other Parish of the Canton of Geneva.

§ 3. In the same Communes ceded by His Majesty, if the Protestant inhabitants do not equal in number the Catholic inhabitants, the Schoolmasters will always be Catholic. No Protestant Temple will be established, except for the town of Carouge which may have one.

§ 4. Municipal Officers will always be, at least for two-thirds, Catholic, and specifically among the three Individuals who will hold the positions of Mayors and the two Deputies, there will always be two Catholics. In the event that the number of Protestants in some Communes equals that of the Catholics, equality and alternation will be established both for the formation of the Municipal Council and for that of the Mayoralty. In this case, however, there will always be a Catholic Schoolmaster, even if a Protestant one is established. This article is not intended to prevent Protestant Individuals living in a Catholic Commune from having, if they deem it appropriate, a private Chapel for the exercise of their worship, to establish at their expense, and also at their expense a Protestant Schoolmaster for the instruction of their children. There will be no interference with, either for the funds and revenues, or for the administration of existing pious donations and foundations, and individuals will not be prevented from making new ones.

§ 5. The Government will provide for the same expenses that the current Government provides for the maintenance of Ecclesiastics and Worship.

§ 6. The currently existing Catholic Church in Geneva will be maintained as it exists, at the expense of the State, as the possible laws of the Constitution had already decreed; the Curate will be housed and endowed suitably.

§ 7. The Catholic Communes and the Parish of Geneva will continue to be part of the Diocese that governs the provinces of Chablais and Faucigny, unless otherwise regulated by the authority of the Holy See.

§ 8. In all cases, the Bishop will never be troubled in the Pastoral visits.

§ 9. The inhabitants of the ceded territory are fully assimilated, for civil and political rights, to the Genevans of the City; they will exercise them concurrently with them, subject to the reservation of property, City or Commune rights.

§ 10. Catholic Children will be admitted to public educational institutions; the teaching of Religion will not take place in common, but separately, and for this purpose, Ecclesiastics of their Communion will be employed for the Catholics.

§ 11. The communal properties or properties belonging to the new communes will be preserved, and they will continue to manage them, as in the past, and to use the revenues for their benefit.

§ 12. These same Communes will not be subject to more significant charges than the old Communes.

§ 13. His Majesty the King of Sardinia reserves the right to bring to the attention of the Helvetic Diet, and to support through the Channel of his diplomatic Agents with it, any complaint to which the non-execution of the above articles may give rise.

All land registry titles and documents concerning the ceded properties shall be delivered by His Majesty the King of Sardinia to the Canton of Geneva as soon as possible.

The treaty concluded in Turin on the 3rd of June 1754, between His Majesty the King of Sardinia and the Republic of Geneva, is upheld for all articles to which the present agreement does not derogate. However, His Majesty, wishing to provide the Canton of Geneva with a particular token of his goodwill, nevertheless consents to annul the portion of Article 13 of the aforementioned treaty, which prohibited the Citizens of Geneva who at that time owned houses and properties located in Savoy from making their principal residence there.

His Majesty agrees, for the same reasons, to make arrangements with the Canton of Geneva to facilitate the exit from his states of goods intended for the consumption of the City and the Canton.

Vienna, March 26, 1815.

Signed: de St. MARSAN.

Approved in the session of March 29, 1815, by the Plenipotentiaries of the Powers signatory to the Treaty of Paris.

(Accepted by the Representative and Sovereign Council of the Canton of Geneva on July 8, 1815.)

(Accepted by the Diet of the Swiss Confederation on August 12, 1815.)