The Colony of Surinam. 253 
The legislature is vested in a House of Assembly, 
under the name of Colonial Slates, the representative 
body of the colony. 
The election of members is, by majority of votes, 
direcl, by Kiezers (electors), being either Dutch subjects* 
or aliens domiciled in, and inhabitants of, the colony on 
the 1st January of the year in which the list of Kiezers 
is revised: 25 years of age: enjoying all civil rights, 
and paying in direct taxes a sum not less than twenty, 
and not exceeding a hundred guilders ($8 — $40), said 
census to be fixed by Colonial Ordinance regulating the 
franchise and its exercise. The freed or the emancipated 
to become entitled as kiezers after the ending of the 
state-supervision (apprenticeship) and also not eligible 
before that period. In like manner those who have been 
deprived of their civil rights by judgment of Court, or 
who have been declared insolvents and not having 
satisfied their creditors in full, are excluded. 
The members are 13 in number, of which 4 are elected 
yearly by the Governor and 9 by the electors. To this 
provision of the law I will revert hereafter. The term 
of office of the members expires after six years. Every 
two years one-third of the members vacate their seats, 
but are re-eligible. Their seats are not vacated by 
absence from the colony. They are free to resign. 
The speaker and chairman is yearly selected from 
the members, by the Governor at the yearly opening of 
the House in the month of May in each year. 
The Governor has a right to be present if he chooses 
at the debates of the States which are held in public, 
either in person or by his delegates, and to express 
his opinion and give his advice. He has no right to 
