The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-12 00:00:00

Pirti

E PRUSSIAN CONSTITUTION.
The Royal Message, containing the decision of the
Cabinet on the articles of the Constitution on which
the two Chambers could not agree was communi-
cated to them by the Ilininisters, on the 9th, by Count
firandenburgh. Us stated that the Crown had in
general accepted the amendments of the Chamber:,
but had thought it necessary to make some modifica-
tions in them, and that it entertained the hope
of seeing the Constitution definitively established
within a short period, in order that the Sovereign
might take the oath to it. The Government hoped
also that the people would recognise in the present
step a proof of the conscientious adherence of the
Sovereign to his promises. Ha also stated that the
legislation with regard to the press and the right of
association ought to be proceeded with immediately,
according to Arts. 24 and in order that the Go-
vern merit might be able to preserve public peace and
order without resorting to exceptional measures.
The following are the most important modifica-
tions of the Constitution as agreed to by the Cham-
bers :

The 26th article is cancelled. It contained the
power of prosecuting the publisher, printer, and dis-
tributor of a work when the author of the same was
not known. _

In article 33 the definition of the army is stated
thus :—" The army includes every part of the stand-
ing military force and the Landwehr. In case of
war the King can, under the provisions of the regular
law, summon the whole landsturm (the arming of the
whole population).
Article 35 is cancelled, and instead of it, an addi-
tion to article 104 is made to this effect :—" For the
preservation of order, a Burgherwehr can be organ-
ised, by the resolution of the Communes, with the
assent of the Government."
In Article 38 is inserted—" The creation of fiefs is
prohibited. Those now in existence are, according
to a future law, to be changed into freeholds.
Another law will render more easy a similar change
in the case of family entails, and establish the condi-
tions under which new entails can be established.
(By the Constitution, as it stood, entails were uncon-
ditionally abolished.)
Art. 42. " The Ministers are responsible to the
King and the nation."
Art. 49. In case of a dissolution the election for
.the new Chambers is to take place within sixty days ;
the Chambers themselves are to be summoned within
nirety days:

Ari. 66. To this article is added, " lAws relating
to the finances (or money bills) are to be first intro-
duced in the Second Chamber."

Art. 63 relates to the Upper Chamber ; by this
article, as amended by the Cabinet, the Upper Cham-
ber is to consist of—

1. The Princes of the Royal House who may be
summoned to it by the King.
2. The heads of the princely families of the empire
existing in Prussia, and the heads of those families
who, according to the law of primogeniture and lineal
descent, may be called to a seat and voice in the
Chamber by the King. The summons itself will
contain the conditions on which the right is exercised.
No representatives (or proxies) are allowed, and the
right is suspended it the possessor of it is in the ser-
vice of another German State.

3. Of such members as the King may nominate for
life only. Their number cannot exceed the tenth of
those created by the preceding articles.
4 Of 60 members elected by 200 of the highest
tax-pavers in each province by direct election.
5. Of six members elected by the six universities of
Prus-i3, the right of election is given to the public
professors of those bodies.
The whole number of the Upper Chamber, consist-
ing of the above members, is not to exceed 200
Articles from 66 to 70 define the constitution of the
Second Chamber. It is to consist of 350 members ;
the elective districts are to be fixed by law ; they may
consist of one or more circles, that contain more than
10,000 inhabitants.
After article 93 the following new article is intro-
duced :

The legislature may create a Court of Special
Jurisdiction that is to take cognizance of all charges
of high treasons and offences against the internal and
outward security of the state. The law will also define
how far the ordinary courts can exercise their juris-
diction over these offences."
Art. 95. Toe conditions under which the civil
and military officers of the state can be prosecuted
for exceeding their powers are to be defined by a
special law.
Art. 107. The members of both Chambers and
the civil officers in the employ of the Government
are to take the oath of allegiance and obedience to
the King and of a conscientious observance of the
Constitution. The army will not be sworn to the
Constitution.

The motives on which these alterations are grounded
are stated at great length, but may be omitted with-
out loss. This message completes the work of the
Prussian Constitution. Its working must be left to
tim' and events ; at present the objections raised are
to the creation of a partial hereditary peerage, and to
the refusal to swear the army to the Constitution.