The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-12 00:00:00

111.

" CONSTITUTION FOR THE EMPIRE: OF
AUSTRIA.
'• CHAPTER 1.-TREATING OF THE EMPIRE.
" Section 1.-The Empire of Austria consists of the
following Crown lands, viz :-
" The archduchy of Austria on either bank of 016
Enns; the duchies of Salzburg and Styria; the king-
dom f Illyria (consisting of the duchies of Karintbis
and Brain, the princely counties of Golz and Geadishe',
the margravate of Istria, and the city of Trieste,
the territories thereunto appertaining); the princely
county of Tyrol and Voralberg; the kingdom of Bobe'
mia ; the margravate of Moravia; the duchies of UPPer
and Lower Silesia, the kingdoms of Gallicia and Lode'
meria, with the duchies of Auschwitz and Zator and the
grand duchy of Cracow; the duchy of Bukowina; the
kingdoms of Dalmatia, Croatia, and Slavonia, with the
territories of the Croatian coast; the city of Fiume, with
the territories thereunto appertaining; the kingdom °
Hungary ; the grand duchy of Transylvania, inclusive
of the Saxish country and the counties of Kritszet!
Middle Szolnok, and Zaraud; the districts of Kovar en"
the city of Zilah; the territories of the military border
and the kingdoms of Lombardy and Venice.
" Sec. 2.-These Crown lands form the free, indePer
dent, indivisible, and indissoluble constitutional Austria')
hereditary monarchy.
" Sec. 3.-Vienna is the capital of the empire, and the
seat of the Imperial power.
" Sec. 4.-The independence of the individual Crown
lands is guaranteed within the limits fixed by the NW
stitution of the empire.
" Ste. 5.-All tribes have an equality of rights, fold,
each tribe has an inviolable right to preserve and foster
its nationality and language.
" Sec. 6.-The limits of the empire and of the indiri;
dual Crown lands cannot be changed, unless by speei°l
law.
"Sec. 7.-The whole of the empire forms one site
area forcustoms and commerce. Customs in the country
shall not be introduced, under whatever .name or title tt
may be, and such customs, wherever they exist, shall be
abolished. The separation of single places and parts f
districts from the area of import duties, and the anness'
tion of foreign districts to the same, fall within the Pr
vince of the Imperial power.
"Sec. 8.-The arms and colours of the Imperial dig'
nity and of the several Crown lands shall be retained.
" CHAPTER 11.-TREATING OF THE EmpErtoß• b
" Sec. 9.-The Crown of the empire and of es°
single Crown land is hereditary in the house of HaPsci
burg-Lorraine, according to the Pragmatic Sanction's°
the Austrian family laws.
" Sec. 10.-The provisions of the Austrian farait.l/0
laws respecting the coming of age of the successor to ill
Crown and the appointment of a Regency remain such
as they are.
" Sec. 11.-The Emperor takes the titles of a Grti;
Duke of Cracow and a Duke of the Bukowina, in so'.
Lion to his former titles, dignities, and honours. Of
" Sec. 12.-The Emperor is crowned as Emperor
Austria. Further regulations shall be provided by
special statute.
112:
" Sec. 13.-At his coronation the Emperor takes
oath on the constitution. That oath shall be taken "„il
his successors, and by the Regent at the commenceole"
of his office.
" Sec. 14.-The Emperor is august, inviolable, and
irresponsible.
" Sec. 15.-The Emperor has the supreme conne'nd
of the armed power, either personally or by his generals'
" Sec. 16.-The Emperor decides in matters of peak
and war.
" Sec. 17.-The Emperor receives Ambassadors sed
,„
sends them, and he concludes treaties with for"-
Powers.
" Sec. 18.-The Emperor proclaims the laws and P.„,,
lishes the decrees respecting the same. Each deev.,
must have the counter-signature of a responsible Ministed
" Sec. 19.-The Emperor appoints the Ministers, °,ll
he dismisses them; he appoints to all offices in
branches of the Administration; he confers titles, ode'
and distinctions.
" Sec. 20.-The administration of justice through-c°
the empire is carried on in the name of the Emperor:
" Sec, 21.-The Emperor has the right of groat
free pardons and of the commutation of punishmea;
excepting always certain further provisions with roe°
to the Ministers. r, ,
" Sec. 22.-Coin is struck in the name of the Emperor'
" CHAPTER 111.-TREATING OF THE CITIZENSHIP -
THE EMPIRE.
t
" Sec. 23.-For all peoples of the empire there is Mi
one general Austrian citizenship. A special law B
determine the conditions under which it may be acquired
or lost.
" Sec. 24.-In no Crown land shall there be any dif:
ference between its netiye and those of another Croy":1
land, neither in the administration of civil or criudo.7,
justice, nor in the ways and manners of justice, nor 1"
the distribution of the public burdens.
" The verdicts of the courts of justice of all Atletcillii
Crown lands are equally binding on all.
" Sec. 25.-No limit shall be put to the right des%
citizen to settle wherever he pleases within the confinaeo
of the empire. Emigration is restrained only b 1
fulfilment of military service.
" Sec. 26.-Serfdom, no matter of what kind or do'
be
nomination, is abolished. A slave becomes free
touching Austrian ground, or going on board an Bus•
trian ship.
" Sec. 27.-All Austrian citizens are equal before 111a
law and before the courts of justice.
"Sec. 28.-Public offices are open to all persons qusli
fled fur the same.
" Sec 29.-Property is under the protection of the ell;
pire; it can only be limited or withdrawn for plicirl
of public benefit, and in consideration of a legal jot'
nification.
Sc.e 30.-Every Austrian citizen has the right to tie "
quire landed property of all kinds in all parts of the em",,„
pire, and he is likewise entitled to the practice of "'
trade or profession which the law permits. n'
" Sec. 31.-The removal of property within the c-o fines of the empire is not subject to any restrictioSo.
e,
Duties; upon property removing into foreign countries
shall only be taken on the principle of reciprocity. to
" Sec. 32.-All dues, works, or payments attached
or weighing upon landed property, be they caused he
servitude or by former division of property, shall be Peel
off at the pleasure of the landowner, nor shall it in focu
be legal to divide property so as to load one part o' it
with a permanent burden.

"CHAPTER W.—TREATING OP THE IMPERIAL D1151.;11
" Sec. 33.—The General Austrian Imperial Diet 911
consist of two houses, viz., of an Upper House and of
Lower House, to be convoked every year by the
peror.

" Sec. 34.—The Imperial Diet assembles at Ifienliii;
but the Emperor has power to convoke it to any 01119
place.
"Sec. 35.—The Upper House is formed by deputiel,
to be chosen by the Crown lands from the members
their respective provincial diets.
" Sec. 36.—Their number is one-half of the ecinstitd.
tional number of the Lower House. a
"Sec. 37.—The two members which each Crown let,
sends to the Imperial Diet are required to be in the t3;l
joyment of all their civil and political rights; they Oat
have been citizens of the Austrian empire for at 1"-
five years, and they must be 40 years of age.
The other members of the Upper House shall 1760,
elected by the Diet among citizens possessing the abelo
named qualifications, and paying at least 500 IR"-
(441.) direct taxes.
..
"In those Crown lands in which the number of elo o
t
zens so taxed does not amount to the proportion of 1 I,
6,000 souls, that number shall be completed by sliced
citizens whose taxes come nearest to the above-nao
census.
Sec. 38.—The Lower House proceeds from gen
and direct elections.

"The franchise belongs to every Austrian citizen Vb-
is of age, who is in the full enjoyment of civil and poP,,
ni
tical rights, and who either pays the annual amount
„v$
direct taxes fixed by the electoral law, or who, on accon'd
'
of his personal qualities, possesses the active franchise
a parish of an Austrian Crown land.
" Sec. 39.—The elections for the Lower House are t°
be held in the districts and the places fixed in the clef;
toral law, which likewise determines the number of IP
deputies, in proportion to the population. These 1111
bers are to be at the rate of one deputy to 100,000 sots
le-
" The electoral law is to determine the aforesaid 01:1:
nual contribution to the directitaxes in each Crown Ise
with reference to the peculiar condition of each, on &lin
principle that, in the country and in towns of less OA
10/000 souls, the amount of taxes required shall be
less than five florins (nine shillings), and in towns Wi;s
more than 10,000 inhabitants, not less than ten llnrs
(18 shillings), but that the sum of 20 florins shall no
be exceeded on any account.
est
" Sec. 40.—A candidate for the Lower House
have the franchise; he must be an Austrian citizen, en
not under 30 years of age.
" Sec. 41.—The votes to the elections fur either h°llsB
are given by word of mouth and publicly. ff
" Sec. 42.—A member elect, if a Government office
cannot be denied leave of absence.
" Sec. 43.—1 t a member of the Diet accept a Pliv-d,
salaried office his election is void, unless he be re-eleote..
"Sec. 44.—The members of the Upper House re-elect
elected for ten years; those of the Lower House for fir
They may be re-elected.
• et
" Sec. 45.—The members of the Lower House reel°
an indemnification, but not those of the Upper House. ot
" Sec. 46.—Nobody can be a member of both houses
one and the same time. to
" Sec. 47.—Each member of the Imperial Diet bos,.„
take his oath of fealty to the Emperor and the constli"
tion of the empire.
" Sec. 48.—The members are not allowed to receive ill.
structions, or to vote by proxy.
"Sec. 49.—Either house has the right to inquire into
and decide on theelection of its members.
"Sec. 50.—Each house elects its President and
its
Vice-Presidents for the session.
Sec.
51.—N0 resolution is legal without the Pre;
sence of the majority of the constitutional number
members.
"Sec. 52.—Secret voting, with the exception of votes
at elections, shall not take place.
" Sec. 53.—A reaolutiou cau only be made by 102