The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-09
Russian Government

l. he SOfeIuueuL VI ItuSSld 10 dill dU-
solute monarchy The whole legisla-
tive, executive and judicial power is
united III the emperor, whose will
alone is law. There are, however, GER
tain rules of government which the
sovereigns of the present reigning
house have acknowledged as binding.
The chief of these is the law of sue
cession to the throne, which, accord
ing to decree of Emperor Paul, of
the year 1897, is to be that OF regu-
lar descent, by the right OF primogeni-
ture, with preference of male over fe-
male heirs. Another fundamental law
of the realm, proclaimed by Peter l.,
| is that every sovereign of Russia, with
his consort and children, must be
member of the Orthodox Greek church.
The princes and princesses OF the i'm
perial house, according to decree of
Alexander L., must obtain the consent
Of the emperor to any marriage they
may contract, otherwise the issue of
such union can not inherit the throne.
! The administration of the empire is
intrusted to four great boards, or coun-
ellis, possessing separate functions. The
| first Of these boards is the council OF
state, established by Alexander I. in
1901 and reorganized by the imperial
ukase of May 20, 1901. 1t consists of
president nominated every year by the
emperor, and an unlimited number of
members appointed by him. The coun-
Gil is divided into four departments
legislative, civil and church admins
| tration, states economy and industry,
and sciences and commerce. Each
department has it's president and a
separate sphere of duties, but there
are collective meetings of the four sec
lions. The chief function of the cOun-
Gil of empire is that of examining into
the projects of the laws which are
brought before it by the ministers who
have seat ex-officio, and of discussing
the budget and all the expenditures to
be made during the year. But the coun-
ell has no power Of proposing altera-
tons and notifications of the laws of
the realm. 1t is, properly speaking, a
consultative institution i'll matters OF
legislation.
The second of the great colleges or
boards of government is the ruling
senate, established by Peter l., in I'LL.
1.-THE functions of the senate are partly
of a deliberative and partly Of an
executive character. To De valid law
must be promulgated by the senate.
1t is also the high court of justice for
the empire. The senate is divided into
six departments. which all sit at ST.
Petersburg, two of them being courts
of CESSATION Each department is au-
thorized to decide in the last resort on
certain descriptions of cases. The SEN
ators are mostly persons of high rank
or who fill high stations, but law
yer of eminence pre- ides over each de-
partment, who represents the emperor
and without whose signature it's deci.
sions would have no force. In the gen.
eral meetings of several sections the
minister of justice takes the chair. Be
Isides it's superintendent over The
courts of law the senate examines into
the state of the general administration
of the empire, and has power to make
remonstrances to the emperor. A spe
cial department consisting Of five
members is intrusted with judgments
in political offenses, and another Ner
members) with disciplinary judgments
against officials Of the crown.
The third college established by
Peter l., in the year 1721, is the holJ
synod, and to it is committed the SUI