Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-10-11
PRUSSIA.

Prussia Is q Constitutional Mon-
archy, hereditary in the male line Of
the Hohenzollerns. The Constitution
granted by King Frederick William
", in consequence Of the revolution
airy occurrences Of 1s4s, bears date
January 81, 1850, but has been consid-
erably modified by nine royal DEGREES,
made between 1850 and 1857. The
Executive and part Of the Legislative
authority Is vested. in the King, who
attains his majority on reaching the
age Of eighteen. In the exercise Of tile
Government the King is assisted BY
Council Of Ministers appointed n
dismissed by royal decree. The legs
lative authority the King shares with n
representative assembly composed OF
two chambers, the "Herrenhaus," or
House of Lords, and the "Abgeordne-
tenlaus," or House of Deputies. The
House of Lords Is composed Of the
princes Of the royal family who are Of
age; the chiefs of sixteen ''mediat-
lied" princely houses; the heads Of
the territorial nobility formed by the
King, and numbering about fifty;
eight life peers chosen by the King
among the rich land owners, great
manufacturers and national celebrities;
| eight titled noblemen elected in the
eight provinces Of Prussia by the resi-
dent land owners; representatives OF
the universities the heads Of chapters
the burgomasters Of the towns having
above $4,000 inhabitants, and an un-
limited number of members nominated
by the King for life or for n limited
period. The House Of Deputies con-
sists of 1872 MEMBERSHIP for the old
Kingdom and SO for the provinces IN
nexed In 1867. The legislative period
of the Chamber of Deputies is limited
to three years, and every Prussian Is
eligible to be a member who is thirty
years old, who has not forfeited the
enjoyment of his full civic rights
through judicial sentence. and who has
paid taxes during three years to the
State. Every Prussian twenty-five
years old, who is qualified to vote at
the municipal elections Of his place OF
domlcil, Is qualified to vote rs an indi-
rect .elector, or "Urwahler." The
indirect electors choose a direct elector
or :" Wahlman," who Is selected from
every complete number of $50 souls.
The representatives In the Chamber OF
Deputies are chosen by the direct
electors. The Deputies receive travel
ing expenses and q compensation Of
81 25 a day, which cannot be refused
Every PrusSlan subject is enrolled IN
the army OH reaching the age Of
twenty, and serves three years in the
regular army. He is then transferred
to the reserves for four years, and In
case Of war Is liable to be called oui
in active duty. For the next nine
years he Is enrolled in the "Land'
wehr'' or militia, and IL the occasion
arise. he is liable to be called upon fol
duty in that body. Even at the age o.
fifty he is not exempt from military
duty, but is then enrolled in the
"Landsturm," or home guard. On a
peace footing, a Prussian regiment
consists of three battalions, numbering
SIS each; In war, the battalions are
increased to 1,O02 each. Prussia
proper contains q, O4s, 296 inhabitants
the North German Confederation, In
Guiding Prussia, 29,0lO,S77; the popu'
lation Of the South German States |:
S,6ll, ~522-making the total population
of all the countries under the military
leadership of King William, 3S,52l,9 900
, That Of France Is 80, 49,, 094.