76 



AUSTEIA. 



embracing chiefly the Slavi and the ultra Con- 

 servatives. The strength of the two parties 

 was about as follows: Bohemia, Federals 14, 

 Constitutionalists 40; Moravia, Federals 3, 

 Constitutionalists 19 ; Lower Austria, Federals 

 0, Constitutionalists 18; Upper Austria, Fed- 

 erals 0, Constitutionalists 10; Salzburg, Fed- 

 erals 0, Constitutionalists 3 ; Silesia, Federals 

 0, Constitutionalists 6 ; Tyrol, Federals 10, 

 Constitutionalists ; Vorarlberg, Federals 0, 

 Constitutionalists 2; Styria, Federals 3, Con- 

 stitutionalists 10 ; Carinthia, Federals 0, Con- 

 stitutionalists 5 ; Carniola, Federals 5, Con- 

 stitutionalist 1 ; Trieste, Federal 1, Constitu- 

 tionalist 1 ; Goertz and Gradisca, Federal 1, 

 Constitutionalist 1 ; Istria, Federal 1, Constitu- 

 tionalist 1 ; Galicia, Federals 34, Constitutional- 

 ists, 4 ; Bukovina, Federals 2, Constitutionalists 

 3. Total, 75 Federals, 128 Constitutionalists. 



In reply to the speech from the throne, the 

 Lower House adopted, with only two dissentient 

 votes, an address condemning the suppression 

 of the constitution, at the same time express- 

 ing hopes that the relations between Austria 

 and the Hungarian crown-lands would now 

 be happily solved, and that a satisfactory 

 settlement would be arrived at. The ad- 

 dress recognizes the duty of the Reichsrath 

 to accept readily the opportunity now offered 

 of coming to an understanding upon, the settle- 

 ment of the relations of the monarchy, but de- 

 mands guarantees for the Reichsrath 's constitu- 

 tional rights equivalent to those enjoyed by the 

 Hungarian constitution. It also expresses re- 

 gret at the issue of a law on the reorganization 

 of the army without the previous consent of 

 the representatives of the people. The address 

 further says : " We gladly welcome the promise 

 contained in the speech from the throne of a 

 bill on ministerial responsibility. The right of 

 public meeting and the press laws also require 

 to be regulated in a constitutional spirit. It is un- 

 deniable that it is necessary to proceed in a con- 

 stitutional manner to the revision of the concor- 

 dat. The Lower House of the Reichsrath will 

 give the most conscientious consideration to the 

 measures to be submitted to it by the minister 

 of finance. Austria requires peace at home 

 and abroad. The value of the successful steps 

 taken by your majesty's Government for the 

 preservation of the peace of Europe is en- 

 hanced by your majesty's repudiating any 

 thought of retaliation. Austria finds herself at 

 the turning-point which will prove decisive for 

 the whole of her future existence. The Lower 

 House will endeavor to fulfil the great tasks be- 

 fore it with constant loyalty and devotion. 

 May the conviction penetrate all the Austrian 

 people that only by their united strength is it 

 possible to overcome the difficulties which even 

 in the immediate future may break in upon 

 us! " The Government, through the session of 

 the Reichsrath, showed a desire to act hand 

 in hand with the representatives of the people. 

 Bills on ministerial ^responsibility and regulat- 

 ing the right of public meetings and the press 



laws, and guaranteeing the right of religious 

 worship, were introduced and adopted. The 

 modifications in the fundamental law of Febru- 

 ary 16, 1861, on national representation which 

 were demanded by the new agreement with 

 Hungary, were also agreed to. Accordingly, 

 the new law on national representation applies 

 to the Cis-Leithan countries only. Its chief 

 provisions are the following: 1. The Reichs- 

 rath is composed of the House of Lords and the 

 House of Deputies; 2. Hereditary members of 

 the House of Lords are the heads of the families 

 of the highest nobility, possessing large terri- 

 torial possessions, and to which the Emperor will 

 grant the hereditary dignity of members of the 

 Reichsrath ; 3. Members of the House of Lords 

 are also the archbishops of the countries repre- 

 sented in the Reichsrath, and the bishops pos- 

 sessing the rank of princes ; 4. The Emperor 

 reserves to himself the right of nominating as 

 members of the Upper House for life such citi- 

 zens as have rendered signal service to the 

 State, the Church, to science and art ; 5. The 

 Chamber of Deputies is composed of 203 mem- 

 bers, as follows : Bohemia 54, Dalmatia 5, Ga- 

 licia 38, Lower Austria 18, Upper Austria 10, 

 Salzburg 3, Styria 13, Carinthia 5, Carniola 6, 

 Bukovina 5, Moravia 22, Silesia 6, Tyrol and 

 Vorarlberg 12, Istria and Trieste 6. 



The revised constitution, as adopted by the 

 Reichsrath and approved by the Emperor, is 

 dated December 21st, and was promulgated as 

 the fundamental law of the empire on Decem- 

 ber 22d. It is, on the whole, one of the most 

 liberal constitutions of Continental Europe. 

 It recognizes the equality of all citizens before 

 the law, and the equal admissibility of all to all 

 State offices. Every citizen has the right of 

 settling in any part of the territories . repre- 

 sented in the Reichsrath, of exercising any 

 trade, of buying and selling real estate, and of 

 taking part and being eligible at the elections 

 held in his place of residence. This provision 

 abolishes the restriction laws which heretofore 

 in several provinces, as the Tyrol, Styria, etc., 

 excluded Protestants, Jews, etc., from set- 

 tling, purchasing real estate, etc. Moreover, 

 article 14 guarantees full freedom of reli- 

 gion and conscience to every one. Every rec- 

 ognized Church and religious society has the 

 right of public common worship, the mem- 

 bers of all religious societies which are not 

 recognized by the State have the right of 

 worship, provided it involves no violation 

 of a law or of good morals. The recog- 

 nized churches and religious societies have the 

 right of an independent administration of their 

 internal affairs ; and the possession and use of 

 their institutions and funds devoted to objects 

 of public worship, education, and benevolence 

 is guaranteed to them. Science is declared to 

 be free, and every one who can prove his capa- 

 bility has the right of establishing educational 

 institutions. For private instruction no certifi- 

 cate of capability is demanded. The churches 

 and religious societies have the duty to take care 



