New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-30
/ TRIAL BY THEIR PEERS.
PEOPLE IN THE OLD WORLD WHO ARE
EXEMPT FROM THE JURISDICTION
OF ORDINARY TRIBUNALS.

belong enjoy
ordinary tribunals. In Austria and in Spain, for
! instance the knights OF the Order OF the Golden
! Fleece have the right of demanding trial by the
/ chapter of the order, and immunity from all
| other legal procedure In Austria suits against
/ members of the reigning house can only be dealt
! with by tribunal presided over by the Minister
! Of the Imperial House. any one whom he may
! delegate for the purpose; court the verdict OF
which must be approved by the sovereign In or
der TO become effective. 1t was owing TO the
| fact of Princess Philip of Coburg daughter or
the King of the Belgians, being regarded as be-
! longing to the court Of Austria that shevwas
| exempted from the jurisdiction Of the ordinary
| tribunals three years ago. and that the charges
of fraud and forgery brought against her by
! Austrian and foreign tradespeople and bill dis
counters were referred to the "Hofmarschal-
amtsgericht," or imperial court. presided over
by the Minister OF the Imperial House, jointly
with the Lord High Steward of the Court. which
| declared her mentally irresponsible. and thus
acquitted her OF all criminal intent.
| MEDIATIZED FAMILIES IN GERMANY.
| In Germany the members of the so-ealed me-
| diatized families, TO the enumeration OF which
Part II Of the "Almanach de Gotha" is devoted.
| were altogether exempt from the jurisdiction Of
| the ordinary tribunals of the land until 1873
| (even when engaged in legal disputes with per-
sons who did not belong to their caste). and were
only subject to tribunal of their peers. specially
| organized for the occasion. And, although since
that time they have 10 a great extent been as
simulated to the ordinary citizen in legal matters,
yet they still retain a large number Of legal
prerogatives and immunities. For instance, they
are not obliged 10 take the ordinary form of oath
in court their mere word being held to be suffi-
cient; they can demand trial by the Supreme
] i,for
and in matters which concern offences not
against the commonwealth the State against
common law. but merely against the family to
which they belong. as well as in family disputes
about property and the guardianship of minors,
4 spendthrifts and lunatics, the issues dealt
with by a special tribunal composed OF the ag-
mates OF the family the decisions OF which are
subsequently ratified and enforced by the Su-
preme Court. II should be explained that the
heads of these mediatized houses. some of them
dukes, some princes. others merely marquises
and counts. formerly enjoyed the rank and power
of petty sovereigns vassal however TO his apos-
tolic majesty the Emperor OF the Holy Roman
Empire. The Napoeonic wars swept the ma
jority OF these small States away and the treaty
OF Vienna set its seal to their disappearance. 1t
was felt. however az the time OF the Congress OF
Vienna. that these dispossessed petty soveregns
of their dominions. as we'll as a balm for their
wounded pride. Accordingly. they and their
lineal descendants were invested with a number
OF extraordinary privileges similar to those
joyed 10 this day by princes and princesses Of
reigning dynasties. and which served 70 dstin-
guish them from the ordinary mobiles 81 the land.
Among these prerogatves were exemptions from
taxation. from the jurisdiction Of ordinary trl-
bunais and from obligatory military service.
Little by little they being deprived OF these
immunties, which where not entirely abolished.
are at any rate modified. Thus, although the
scions OF the medatized houses are now brought
within the scope Of the law OF obligatory mill
tary service, they enter the army as officers
without having 10 go through the ordinary pro-
cedure 20 secure a commission.
In France Italy. Spain. Portugal and several
other European countries the Senate serves as
tribunal for the trial OF offences OF a treason
able character against the State and likewise in
cases Of crimes against common law. where the
offenders Cabinet ministers great dignitaries
of the State members of the Senate. Thus in
France a man who has the Grand Cross OF the
National Order OF the Legion of Honor de-
mand exemption from the Jurisdiction OF the
binary courts Of law. and trial by the Senate
sitting the supreme tribunal OF the land.
matter what his offence: and the French Senate
-saluces who charged with partaking
In Royalist conspiracy having for Its object
the overthrow of the republic.
THE BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH
In England all the members Of the royal house
hold and the officials Of the royal court, no mat
ter what their degree. are subject to a special
tribunal. known the Board of Green Cloth
which has likewise exclusive jurisdiction in the
case of all offences committed within the pre-
cincts of the royal palaces and the gardens
grounds and parks connected Herewith. The
Board of Green Cloth. composed Of several high
dgnitaries Of the household, is presided over by
the Lord Steward OF the Household, who has the
power to delegate TO any Judge or magistrate his
authority TO deal, in the name of the board. with
offences that would legally come before the lat
ter IL is as the representative of the Board of
Green Cloth. and the deputy OF the Lord
Steward, that the senior police magistrate of the
metropolis holds court in a room underneath the
grandstand at Ascot during the Ascot race meet
each year, the Ascot raeeeourse forming part
of the royal domain of Windsor.
Besides the Board of Green Cloth, there is the
House of Lords which is called upon serve
a tribunal in a number of specific cases. Strictly
speaking, there two separate tribunals known
as the House of Lords There is, for instance,
the tribunal to which may be carried on
appeal from the Supreme Court, and which is
composed of what are known the law lords,
that is 70 say, of peers who have occupied seats
on the bench. who still regular members
of the High Court of Judieature. But no lay or
spiritual peers have anything to do with this
tribunal which has Jurisdiction only in the
United Kingdom the Judicial Committee of the