Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-25
IN SWEDEN.
TEE FeEM OF e0VEgaMgsT EEJ0FED
BY TEE sWEDEs.
Four Fundamental la~s-Ths Mini Try
Diet OF Riksdag- Crown Success
sio1-Tbs standing army
Lcarresponaares Of Ia REeoap. 80 |

Correspondence OF the Recon. UNioS
GorHENBURG. Sweden, July IS, 1883.
n my former letter I promised brief
account Of the form Of government in this
much eulogizsd liberal monarchy, Swe,
den has since pristine times had a mo-
narehial form Of government, which. with
the exception of a few brief periods during
the last century, has been limited in its
rule, or, 70 use a modern expression, con.
stitutional. 1t is true that Charles KI.,
Charles XII, Gustavus III and Gustavus
" possessed en- almost absolute power,
but no unlimited monarchy could take per-
manent root among people who had be-
come accustomed to take part in the man
agement of their own affairs. The first
question that arose on the death Of Gus
ssvus " was therefore the fe.adoption Of
the former organic law, with such modil-
cations as experience might dictate, bnd
the constitutional convention which as
sembled ct Stockholm il the year 1903
gave to the Swedish people what IS known
as
TUE -FOUR FUNDAMENTAL LAWS
Which have up to the present time re-
NAMED in force. The first Of these Yeats
the executive power in the hing, and d.
vidos the legislative power between MIN
and the representatives Of tie people, by
giving him the right 10 recommend the
enactment of suoh laws rs in ma Judgment
may be required and to veto those which
do not meet with h's approval no legis-
latiye enactment becomes law until the
same shall have been signed and pro
claimed by the ning It iurther defines
the duties, the preTogatives and the re-
sponsi5ilities Of the Ministry, whom he
is compelled TO consult, and relieves the
usonascb OF personal accountability I1r all
acts done by consent OF his constitutional
advisers. His person Il sacred and auas-
sailable, The Ministry is composed OF ten
members, Of whom seven are heads OF the
following departments Foreign Affairs,
Justice, War, Navy, Civil, flnauco,aGd
Education. The three remaining are what
are termed cOnsultiye members. One OF
their number is designated by the n'ng
Prime M.nister, and he alone is entitled 20
be styled his EXceil5ncy. The highest
Court Of Appeals is composed OF T. to Is
mem bars and the King is himself entitled
TO two votes in such matters as he may de-
sire 10 personally watch he5ore IT,. The
second OF these organic Acts, relating to
THE DIET OR EICksDAC,
And the manner IN which the people were
30 bee rspresented IN four different branches
the nobility, the clergy, the burgers and
tie peassnts-was soon found to be de-
faosive in many respects. More OF these
represented She grill @ the whole
people. but instead OF that the.r own sell
fish interests. In Sweden, IS in the Dem
ocratic party Of the United States, therein
q very distinct line between the chlvalry
and the shovelry," bug while the former
is largely in the minority il managed to
euntrO, Two, and sometimes three, of the
legislative branches under TIE old system
Of representation, and this soon led TO an
ominous murmur among tie shovelry,
or masses Of the people, which the wise
men of that period deemed it advisable to
heed Attempts were made in lS40-44
aud l84S to modify this Aes, but all proved
futile until the Riksdag q 1860 memorial
ized the Government to draft
a New Law OF REPRESENTATION,
Based as nearly as possible on the one
existing in England. In spite OF the Bit
ter opposition of tie mobiles and clergy,
an amendment was finally adopted On
December 8, 1865. which provides substsn-
TALLY IS follows The Rlksdag shall con
set Of two coordinate branches, to be
known rs the First and Second Chambers. (
Re shall assemble IN regular session on the /
18TH day Of January each year, and in
extra session whenever the King may deem I.
&c 30 call it. To be eligible as a member /
Of the FIRST chamber, one must be 80 years /
Of age, possessed o at least 50, 600 crowns I
IN taxable uToDsrtI, or Gpayilg an income I
tax on not less s1an i, 000 crowns amt /
ally. Members Of the First Chamber are /
eleGsed to serve for nine years. on the basis /
Of one repTesens for 30 coo inhabitants /
in oonmunes Ct incorporated cities, and re.
,eive no pay or their services.
QUA1IFICa TloS OF REPRESENTATIVES,. 1
Every citizen owning real estate valued |
at rot lest than 1000 crowns, or who has
leased fer period Of five years or more
landed estate valued at not less than 600
crowns or who is paying an income tax on
not less than 500 crowns annually, is eligi-
BILE to seat in the Second Chamber.
These members are elected for three years,
and apportioned as follows One for every
,0O0 inhabitants IN country districts and
one for every 10000 in towns and cities.
a member Of the Second Chamber mus5
have attained the age of % years and
have been voter in the same precinct at
least one year preceding his election. His
conn 3nBation Is I, 200 crowns for each ses-
sion aui travelling expenses to and from
the capital The KING selects two mem
bers il each house TO act as Speaker and
Speaker pro tenn, but those bodies sp-
point .her own Secretaries and commit
tees
TIE MINISTRY