The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-07-15

n NyIlEI w uilC 81 uduI
countries of the globe have been undergo
ing changes, either brought about or ac-
companied by violence, the kingdom of
Sweden has lately passed through peace
able revolution OF the most sweeping char
ecter. From time immemorial her Par
lament, called the Rigsrad. has consisted
of four houses, representing the four most
influential classes of her people. These
houses were styled the Chamber of MOBILES,
the Chamber Of the Clergy, the Chamber
of Burghers, and the Chamber of Peas
ants. Each of them met separately, and
the consent of three was necessary to the
enactment of any law. The awkwardness,
the expense, and the slow progress of legis-
lation under such system may readily be
imagined. The Burghers were almost in
constant opposition to the MOBILES and
Clergy, who represented small but privi-
legged classes. Many citizens could not
rightly be reckoned in either of the four
divisions Of the population, and were con-
sequently unrepresented.
The suffrage of the peasants was based
upon the amount of land which they own
ed, each individual possessing vote for
every acre of his farm, while the franchise
of the burghers was based upon taxation,
some very wealthy citizens casting as
many as forty votes Multitudes were ex-
cluded from the privilege of the ballot, SO
that in Stockholm, with population of
over one hundred and twelve thousand,
the constituency numbered but three thou
sand. The Chamber of the Clergy, rep
resenting only few thousand priests, had
reilly as much power as the Chamber of
Peasants, which was chosen BY two hun
dred thousand voters. In fact the anoma-
lies of the old system were almost innu-
1t combined the inequalities
and injustice Of the English rotten Dor
ough system, with multitude of absurd
features derived from the old feudal insti-
buttons of the country.
The difficulties in the way of a peaceful
overthrow of this unwieldly and incompe-
tent method of legislation seemed insu-
perable. In order to establish new Or
der of things, it was necessary to abolish
the Chamber of Mobiles, and the Cham
Der of the Clergy. Were they likely to
vote that their privileges in the State
should be given up to commit political
suicide in fact? Yet unless they did so
there was no way of changing the constr
tutional means. For many years they
held out. The two unpriviledged houses
1t each session Of the Parliament passed
l law reforming the legislative system,
which the two priviledged houses as readi-
y rejected. Popular feeling rose at last
20 such height that the King himself es-
1oused the cause of the reformers, and ap-
pointed a ministry favorable to reform.
Carefully drawn bills reducing the four
houses to two were introduced by govern
nent, but to no avail Adopted by two
houses, they were rejected by the other
,wo. AT last the radical leaders adopted
! more earnest method of action Meet
ngs were held, attended by large crowds,
n every part of the Kingdom monster
petitions were sent to the Parliament:
he press was enlisted in the movement,
md by multitudes of prominent citizens
he King was urged to take the matter in
o his own hands, decree the demise of the
.ncient Legislature and summon conven-
ion to devise plan for new one. The
lobles and clergy were at last convinced
hat the country was on the brink of
evolution which might not only deprive
hem of their governing privileges, but en-
irely sweep away their orders. At length, |
fter many fierce debates they yielded, but
many of the mobiles refused to vote for the
lew scheme, although they allowed it to
Ass by neglecting to record their vote
gainst it. The new Parliament meets
nnually, instead of once in three years.
t consists of two houses, an upper and
over, both elected by the people. The
primer is composed of one representative
Or every thirty thousand people; the lat
er of one for every forty thousand inhab-
tants. E fL