The Colony of Surinam. 243 
vested with extensive legislative authority. The execu- 
tive was vested in the Governor-General alone with 
nearly unlimited authority. Even the members of the 
High Court were subject to his authority, as it was only 
with the consent and permission of the Governor-General, 
as President, that they were allowed to move, at the 
meetings of the Court, matters for discussion and delibe- 
ration. The Court decided by majority of votes. The 
Governor had the casting vote. 
A Court of Civil and Criminal Justice was also con- 
stituted. The president and members were appointed by 
the Crown. All power and authority, executive and 
legislative, were now centred in government officials. 
The right of representation, granted and secured to the 
inhabitants under the fundamental law and o6lroy of 
1682 and from which neither the Sovereign nor the 
West Indian Company could in the future, by any means 
recede or deviate, had now entirely ceased to exist and 
remained only written in the historical records of the 
colony. The inhabitants were not any more represented, 
not even by "planters." 
A mere semblance of political freedom and liberty was 
granted to the colonists. Among the innovations intro- 
duced by the Royal Commissioner was a so-called 
Gemeente-Bestuur, a local Board, in the nature ot a 
Town Council, but with some unusual powers. Apart 
from the ordinary functions of a Town Council, it was 
invested with the power to solemnize marriages, the 
registering of births and deaths, the passing of trans- 
ports and mortgages, &c. It consisted of a president, 
ten members and a secretary, and staff of clerks. The 
president and members were originally appointed by the 
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