§ XXX
The Sacredness of Promises to Conquered Peoples
A king must keep his word to conquered peoples as scrupulously as to enemies, because the promise is the foundation of their obedience.
It isn't enough to keep the terms of surrender toward your enemies; you must also keep them scrupulously toward conquered peoples.1 Just as you must keep your word to the enemy garrison withdrawing from a captured city, and practice no trickery there by exploiting ambiguous terms, so too you must keep your word to the people of that city and its dependencies. What does it matter to whom you promised terms for that people? Whether it was to them or to the garrison, it's all the same. What is certain is that you promised these terms for that people: it's up to you to keep them intact. Who will be able to trust you if you fail in this? What will remain sacred if a promise so solemn is not? It is a contract made with these peoples to make them your subjects: will you begin by violating your fundamental title? They only owe you obedience under this contract; and if you break it, you no longer deserve them to keep it.
Read the original French
H ne suffit pas de garder les capitulations à l'égard des ennemis, il faut encore les garder religieusement à l'égard des peuples conquis. Comme vous devez tenir parole à la garnison ennemie qui se retire d'une ville prise, et n'y faire aucune supercherie sur des termes ambigus; tout de même, vous devez tenir parole au peuple de cette ville et de ses dépendances. Qu'importe à qui vous ayez promis des conditions pour ce peuple ? que ce soit à lui ou à la garnison, tout cela est égal. Ce qui est certain, c'est que vous avez promis ces conditions pour ce peuple : c'est à vous à les garder inviolablement. Qui pourra se fier à vous, si vous y manquez ? qu'y aura-t-il de sacré si une promesse si solennelle ne l'est pas ? C'est un contrat fait avec ces peuples pour les rendre vos sujets : commencerez-vous par violer votre titre fondamental?
Ils ne vous doivent obéissance que suivant ce contrat ; et, si vous le violez, vous ne méritez plus qu'ils l'observent.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source opens with bare 'H' before 'ne suffit pas'; almost certainly a corruption of 'Il' (Il ne suffit pas). Translated as that intended reading.
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