The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-05 00:00:00

THE FRANKFORT CONFERENCE.

The following is a complete analysis of the
Reform Act which has been signed by the members

of the Confederation :

REFORM OF THE GERMAN BUND, AS PROPOSED BY THE

CONGRESS OF PRINCES HELD AT FRANKFORT.
Art. 1. The objects of the German Confederation are :
The maintenance of the security and power of Germany in

regard to foreign countries; tha maintenance of public order
at home, the furtherance of the interests of the German na-

ion, &c.

Art. 2. A Directory to be formed for the management of
the affairs of the Confederation. A Federal Council to be

"voices"—seslisEes
formed of the plenipotentiaries of the Government. An as•
sembly of Princes to meet at stated periods. A Federa'
Court of Justice to be established.
Art. 3. The Directory of the Bund to consist of six
of the King of Bavaria, of the Kings of Saxony, Hanover,urtember,
and W peror of Austria, of the King of Prussia,
g, who shall alternately be in the Directory
for the period of one year; of a representative of the Grand
Duke of Baden, of the Elector of Hesse, of the Grand Duke
of Hesse-Darmstadt, of the King of Denmark (for Holstein
and Lauenburg), of the King of the Netherlands (tor Lux-
emburg), of the Duke of Brunswick, of the Grand Dukes of
Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and of
the Duke of Nassau; and of a representative of the Grand
Ab a the flaemt 5 family,
ande yt
Duke of Saxe-Weimar, of the Duke of Oldenburg, of the
s
Dukes of Saxe.Meiningen, Saxe. Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-
Gotha, and Anhalt ; of the Princes of SchwarzburgeSon-
derhausen, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Liechtenstein, Wal-
deck, Reuss of the elder line, Renee of the younger branch
0f
r a Se6c members
ue
t hs
rm the Directory
uuDf rt
trhe
theyti
Directory
reservet
obe e
willtl
elected
eD tteehbdt
eels ofmoroi
represented
one
eeso
sefynetttahhe
rd
y a Members Plenipotentiary,
u the
right of appearing.
Hargrave of g-Leo PPel L ,ylDe
Hesse-Homburg, and of the four free cities.
in person on extraordinary occasions.
Art. 4. The Federal Council to be composed of the 17
"voices" of the Engerer Rath (Smaller Council). But as
Austria and Prussia are now to have three votes each, the
number of voices in the Federal Council will be 21.
Art. 5. Austria to preside in the Directory and in the
ctodivided,
b
ion
e unable to appear Prussia is to take the chair. No other
prerivilege is attached to the Presidency than the formal
affairs.di-
t All th
partye resolutionswth
which otfhtehree
representative
Directory t
vto e be
taken
of
by a simple majority of votes. Should the votes be
equally
The mentioned below,
the Dukes, Princes, and free cities votes will be understood
to have the majority,
are
majority of votes, except in certain cases which
The resolutions of the Federal Council will be taken by
a simple
s in the Directory are bound to obey
the instructions received from their respective Governments.
The relations between the Directory and the separate Go-
vernments will be maintained by their Plenipotentiaries in
the Federal Council. The Military Commission of the Bund
is subject to the Directory. The seat of the Directory and
Federal Council is Frankfort-on-the-Maine.
Art. 6. The executive power of the Band to be in the
hands of the Directory. In some cases, which will be speci-
fied, the Directory is bound to consult the Federal Council,
and to follow its opinions.
Art. 7. In as far as Foreign Powers are concerned the
Directory is the representative of the Bund. The Directory
to appoint the diplomatic agents of the Confederation.
Art. 8. The Directory has to care for the external secu-
rity of Germany. Should there be any danger of an attack
on the Confederation, or on any part of the Federal terri-
tory, the Directory to take the necessary steps for the de-
fence of the same. No formal declaration of war can be
made without the consent of two-thirds cf the voices of
the Federal Council. Should there be danger of a war be-
tween a Foreign Power and a Federal State which has pos-
sessions not belonging to the German Bund, the Directory
must leave it to the Federal Council to decide whether the
Bund will take part in the war. There must be a majority
of two-thirds of the voices in the Federal Council before
war can be declared.*
If the territory of the Bund is attacked by hostile forces,
Germany, as a matter of course, is at war. The Directory
has a right to take steps for restoring peace, but the condi-
tions mud be made by the Federal Council, and no peace
can be concluded unless with the consent of two-thirds of
the voices of the said Council. The Directory will have to
uphold the neutrality of the Bund, in accordance with Art.
45 of the Act of Confederation. Should there be quarrels
between Federal States and foreign Powers, the Directory
has to act in accordance with the instructions contained in
Arts. 36 and 37 of the Act of Confederation.
Art. 9. The Federal Governments have to take care that
peace and order are maintained in their States, but the di-
rectory has to see that the internal peace of Germany is not
imperilled. [The offensive passage in the draught of the
siTtlulhbeetiirectorY has to see that peace and con-
cord,::-sen the different members of the Bund.
le
)ins 'es,,to‘pbreeecn struckautiona out.]
Ary measures against
oss
bp Reform
Bill
bn
l reelvod .
Serious disputes to be referred to the Bundes-Gericht, the
new Federal Court of Justice.
Art, 11. In virtue of resolutions taken by the Federal
Council the Directory to have the right to make proposi-
tions in legislative matters. No propositions for an altera-
tion of the constitution of the Bund, or for a supplement
(Zusatz) to the same, can be made " unless unanimity prevail
in tho Federal Council." [ln the original project it was
"unless there be a majority of 17 voices in the Federal
Council," and the foregoing change was made at the express
request of the smaller potentates, who are terribly afraid of
being " mediatised."] No resolution can be taken in regard
to religious matters unless with the unanimous consent of
the members of the Confederation.
Art. 12. The directory has to see that the resolutions of
the Bund are properly carried out, and if necessary by
means of an adequate number of troops.
Art. 13. The Directory to have the management of all
the military matters of the Confederation.
Art, 14. The Directory to have the management of the
financial matters of the Directory. Every three years it
will, with the approval of the Federal Council, lay before
the House of Deputies the estimates of the ordinary and
extraordinary expenditure of the Bund. Should the Direc-
tory not be able to come to an understanding with the
Chamber of Deputies in reap ct to the estimates, the sum
expended during the preceding period to be disturbelt
In order to recover an unexpected outlay the Directory may,
without the consent of the Federal Counciland the Chamber
of Deputies, levy the sums required. If the Directory
cannot come to an understanding with the National Assem-
bly, it has to give to that body a satisfactory explanation as
to the cause of the extraordinary expenditure. Every three
years the Directory has to lay before the Chamber of Depu-
ties its account of ways and means.
Art. 15. The Directory to convoke, open, prorogue, close,
and dissolve the Assembly of Federal Delegates. The
Directory to represent the Federal Governments vis-a-vis
the Assembly of Deputies.
OF THE ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES.
Art. 16. The Federal Assembly to be formed of dele-
gates from the representative bodies of the several Gorman
States. Austria to send 75 delegates from the members of
the Reichsrath, who were elected in the States belonging to
the German Confederation, or from the members of the
Diets of provinces belonging to the same. Prussia to send 75
delegates from the representatives of the German provinces
in the Prussian Diet. Bavaria to send 27 delegates; Saxony,
Hanover, and Wurcemberg, 15 each; Baden, 12; Hesse'-
Cassel, 9 ; Hesse-Darmstadt, 9 ; Holstein and Lauenburg,
5 ; Luxemburg and Limburg, 4 ; Brunswick, 3 ; the two
Mecklenburgs, 6 ; Nassau, 4 ; Saxe-Weimar, 3 ; Saxe'
Meiningin, Saxe-Altenburg, and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 2
each; Oldenburg, 3; and the other States 1 each. The Mar-
gravate of Hesse-Homburg is also to have a representative
in the Federal Diet. The four free cities will have two re-
presentatives instead of one, as was originally proposed. In
States in which aro two Chambers the Upper House will
elect one-third and the Lower House two-thirds of the dele-
gates. The Federal Assembly will consist of 302 persons.
Art. 17. The delegates to be elected in accordance with
the laws which are iu force in the countries they are to re-
present. The Aesembly of Delegates to meet once iu three
years,t and in the month of May. The Assembly can be
prorogued by the Directory for a period not exceeding two
months, and it is at liberty to adjourn for eight days.
Should the Assembly be dissolved, the Directory has imme-
diately to issue orders for new elections.
Art. 19. The Chamber of Delegates to elect its Presi-
dents, Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries; its sittings to be
public. A House is formed when two-thirds of the dele-
gates are present. As a rule a bill may be passed by a
simple majority of votes.
Art. 20. The Chamber of Delegates has a right to pass

* Tho original wording was " a majority of the voices in
the Federal Council will decide whether the Bund shall
interfere," and it was stongly objected to by the French
and Italian Governments.
1- This stipulation renders the right givAn to the National
Assembly to vote the supplies perfectly illusory.
The King of Saxony tried to persuade his fellow Sove-
reigns to allow the Federal Assembly to ratet once a year,
but he was outvoted,