Treaty of Concordia

The treated of Concordia or of the Agreements was a co-operative convention signed in 1648 between agents French and Dutch concerning the occupation, the sovereignty and the division of the island Saint Martin's day in the Lesser Antilles after the departure of the Spaniards, with freedom of movement of the goods and people on the whole of the island.

A Convention free-Dutchwoman of November 28th, 1839 specified the implementation of the agreements of Concordia with regard to hunting, fishing, the common exploitation of the saltworks and the extradition of the delinquents.

This “treaty” is always into force today.

Text

Today, March 23rd, 1648, are agreed Misters Robert de Lonvillliers, rider, sior of the known as place, governor of the island of St.Martin for Its very Christian Majesty (king de France), and Martin Thomas (captain-major), also governor of the aforesaid the island for the Orange Prince and States of Holland (to include/understand General states of the Netherlands), and Misters Henri de Lonvilliers, rider, sior of Benevent, and Savinien de Courpon, rider, sior of the Tower, lieutenant-colonel into the aforementioned the island, and Misters David Coppin, lieutenant of a Dutch company, and Clown Van-Zeun-Hus ( Pieter van Zevenhuizen? ), also lieutenant of a company of the aforesaid ones, which, on both sides, granted, and by these present, grant:

Art.1- That the French will remain in the district where they is now accustomed, and will live all the side which looks at the island of Anguilla.

Art.2- That the Dutchmen will have the district of the Fort (Amsterdam on Large-bay), and grounds which are with the entour of icelui southern part.

Art.3- That the French and Dutchmen, accustomed in the aforementioned island, will live like friends, and allied by unit, without no, neither of share nor of other, molester could be, unless to contravene the present legal settlement, and consequently punishable by the laws of the war.

Art.4- That, if somebody, either French, or Dutchman, is in offense or infringement of conventions, or, by refusal with the commands of their superiors, or some other kind of fault, was withdrawn in the other nation, the aforementioned granting sieurs oblige to make it stop in their district, and to represent it at the first request of its governor.

Art.5- That hunting, fishing, the saltworks, the rivers, ponds, fresh water, dyewood, mines or minerals, ports and roads, and other conveniences of the aforesaid the island, will be common, and it to provide for the need for the inhabitants.

Art.6- That is allowed to the French who are now accustomed with the Dutchmen to line up and put with the French, so good seems to them, and to carry their pieces of furniture, vivres, means and another ustensils, realizing which they satisfy their debts or give sufficient guarantee; and will be able the Dutchmen to make some in the same way under the same conditions.

Art.7- That, if it arrives of the enemies to attack one or the other district, the known as concordant sieurs oblige between helping and lending help one to the other.

Art.8- That the limits and partition of the aforesaid the island, which must make between the two nations, will be given in front of Mgr the general of the French, and Mr. governor of Saint Eustace, and the deputies who will be sent to visit the places, and after their submitted report/ratio, to divide their districts, and to proceed to it as known as is.

Art.9- That the claims which one can have on both sides will be given in front of the king of France and Sirs of his Council, and the prince of orange and States of Holland. However will be able the aforementioned concordant to strengthen neither on the one hand nor of other, unless contravening the known as legal settlement, and to suffer all costs, damages towards the other part.

“It was done and passed the year and day that above with the called mount of the Agreements in the aforementioned island; and the aforementioned granting sieurs have signed the present ones, where assisted the sior Bernard of the Fund, rider, sior of the Hope, lieutenant of a French company with Saint-Christophe. ”

Validity of the treaty of March 23rd, 1648

The problem of the validity of the treaty of 1648 arose and arises still nowadays. Research was to be undertaken near the French ministry of the Foreign affairs on this subject.

At the time of the treaty, the conventions signed between the representatives of the monarchs were to be recorded with the Council of the King. If this essential formality were not carried out, it seems however that the French civil law recognizes the validity of this convention.

The treaty honestly was always applied in practice facts and it is aimed in the following texts:

• Convention free-Dutchwoman of November 28th, 1839

• Stopped gubernatorial of February 11th, 1850 relating to the mode of salts of Saint Martin's day, of which article 32 precise: " the inhabitants of the French part of Saint Martin's day will enjoy faculty to consume and export abroad the salts collected by them in the Dutch part under the terms of the clauses of the treaty of 1648 "
• Decree of July 30th, 1935 which, in its article 40, envisages the free establishment in the French part of Saint Martin's day of the Dutch citizens of the Dutch part of Saint Martin's day: " The regulations of the known as decree do not apply the abroads originating in the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin's day with regard to their stay and their transit in the French part of the island. Foreigners of the islands of Sheba, Anguilla, Saint-Eustace, Saint-Christophe-and-Niévès, Nevis, which, at the date of this decree was definitively fixed in the dependences of Saint Martin's day and St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre will profit from the favor aimed to the precedent paragraphe".