The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-07-14
The German Confederation.

place i'm Berlin, few days ago, recalls
attention to the Germanic Empire or
Confederation, of which the Emperor
William is President His jurisdiction
in this capacity is now extended over
population of about Al 900, 900, includ-
ing Alsace and Lorraine, and it i worth
while TO notice the conditions under
which this is brought about. The ORR
ginal Constitution of the North German
Confederation, comprehending the
Prussian monarchy and the small North
ern and Central States, came into
operation on the lst of July, 1867. 1t
instituted Federal Council of 43 men,
bers and an Imperial Parliament OF 297,
which bodies were to form the Legis-
lature in all matters affecting the COM
mon interests of the Kingdoms and
States in the Union. such as the civil
rights of German subjects, the army and
the navy, matters of trade and finance,
railways, posts and telegraphs, and the
administration ofjustice.
The presidency was assigned 10 the
King of Prussia, with power to declare
war and to make peace, to conclude
treaties with foreign powers, and TO
send and receive diplomatic agents.
Where such treaties affected matters
reserved to the Legislature, they would
uire the sanction of the Federal Coun-
Gil and the Imperial Parliament. The
war with France and victorious progress
of the German armies determined the
South German States, which had pre-
viously stood aloof, to accede to the
Union. First came Baden and the south.
ern portion of Hesse Darmstadt by
convention signed on the 18th Novem-
Der, 1870. The treaty with Wurtemberg
was concluded on the 25th and that
with Bavaria on the 23rd of the same
month, and they severally took effect
on the 3lst December, just before the
assumption of the Imperial crown by the
Prussian king Baden and Hesse adopt
ed the Federal Constitution with very
few alterations. 1t was, however, stipu-
lated that the President should in no
case declare war without the consent of
the Federal Council, and that any
ch lnge in the constitution should re-
nure majority in the Council of three
forths instead of two-thirds. The number
of votes in the Council was increased
from AZ to As, and the number of
d ,puties in the Parliament from 297 to
81. Baden reserved to herself all
taxes raised on brandy and beer. BY
the treaty with Wurtemberg the votes
in the Council were increased to %, and
the deputies in the Parliament to 334.
Wurtemberg reserved the taxes raised
on brandy and beer, and also, tor the
present, the regulation of her own posts
and telegraphs. The military relations
of Wurtemberg to the confederation
were settled by separate convention
bearing the same date, in such way
that the Wurtemberg army was to form
compact army corps as part OF the
Federal army, and under the supreme
| direction of the President of the Con-
| federation.
The accession of Bavaria was not so
easily effected. By the treaty with that
State, the votes in the Federal Council
were finally raised to the number of 5S,
and the Deputies in the Parliament to
the number of $50. In submitting to
the Federal laws respecting changes Of
residence, the Bavarian Government
reserves to itself the right of separate
legislation in matters of domicile and
settlement. of the enjoyment of political
rights, of marriage, and Of regulating
| the laws of assurance and mortgage as
|
reserved the administration of its own
railways, posts and telegraphs, subject
to the control of the Confederation in
so far as the general interests might be
concerned, and to the normal principles
which the Confederation might pre-.
scribe for railways to be used in the
Federal defences.
A committee of the Federal Council
was to be appointed for Foreign Affairs,
consisting of Bavaria, Saxony and Wur-
temberg, with Bavaria as President. At
those foreign Courts where there were
Bavarian Enjoys, the latter were to re-
present the Federal Body in case of the
absence of the Federal Envoy, and at
the Courts where Bavaria might keep
ENJOYS the Federal Envoy should not
be charged with affairs exclusively Ba-
varian, and in the absence of Prussia,
Bavaria to have the Presidency in the
Federal Council. The taxation of Ba-
varian brandy and beer was reserved.
The costs of the Bavarian army were to
be borne by that State, as an army corps
belonging to the Federal Army, and
such army corps to be regulated in time
Of peace by the Bavarian Government.
The Bavarian fOrtresses to continue her
own, subject, however, to Federal super
vision. Lastly came the important
stipulation, that in the Federal Council
fourteen adverse votes should suffice for
the rejection of any measure affecting
the Constitution so that the provision
previously agreed to, for majority of
three.fourths of the Council, falls 10 the
ground, and it is in the power of Bava-
ria, in conjunction with the other South
ern States, to defeat any amendment
whatever which may hereafter be pro-
posed to the Federal Constitution
Notre. Dame Horrors.