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out and the words "House of Representatives" inserted, so as to restrict the privilege of the floor to "ex-members of the House of Representatives."

The mere allegation that RULE XXXIV had been violated would not warrant or justify the Chair in excluding the person named from the floor.-Journal, 1, 48, p. 1298.

The Doorkeeper is required by RULE V, clause 1, to execute strictly the aforesaid rule.

A resolution relating in any way to the privileges of the floor is a "privileged question."-Journal, 1, 49, p. 781.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS-COMMITTEE on.

When appointed, number of members, and duties of.-RULES X and XI, clause 11.

This committee was created on the 13th of March, 1822 (1st sess., 17th Congress), and on the 19th of December, 1885 (1st sess., 49th Congress), was assigned the duty of reporting the consular and diplomatic appropriation bill.

FOREIGN PARLIAMENTS.

See also PARLIAMENTARY LAW.

In view of the fact that the question of correct "parliamentary practice and procedure" is one of engrossing importance, not only in this country but in the leading countries of Europe, and that a very remarkable step was taken in 1889 by the Emperor of Japan in respect to the establishment of a Parliament consisting of a House of Peers and a House of Representatives, the compiler has deemed it proper to insert in this edition as a matter of interest, a sketch of the constitution of and prac tice in, the principal foreign legislatures or parliaments. While most of the information herewith given is derived from recent official documents of the British Parliament, such as "Reports Respecting the Practice and Regulations of Legislative Assemblies in Foreign Countries," and "Reports on the Practice Prevailing in certain European Countries in Contests for Election to Representative Legislative Assemblies," the compiler is indebted for valuable information to the very admirable volume

compiled by Mr. Reginald Dickinson, barrister at law, and one of the clerks of the House of Commons of England, who has just published a second edition of his "Summary of the Constitution and Procedure of Foreign Parliaments." A brief summary of the constitutions of the following governments, being the prin cipal ones of Europe, is given with the remark that the compiler hopes in the next edition to give not only a more accurate abstract or summary of the more important features of these constitutions, but of the methods of procedure in the leading parliaments of Europe, viz: Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Norway, and Switzerland.

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

The constitution of Austria Hungary, as it at present exists, was finally promulgated in December, 1867. Each country has its separate executive government and its separate Parliament, consisting of two Chambers, whilst the hereditary sovereign, the army, the navy, and the diplomatic service are common to both.

The representative assembly of the Empire, known as the Delegations, consists of one hundred and twenty members, of whom half are chosen from the Austrian and half from the Hungarian Parliament, the upper house of each returning twenty, and the lower house forty representatives. In addi tion each Parliament elects thirty supplementary members (suppléants), ten being named by the upper house and twenty by the lower. The choice of delegates and their substitutes is renewed every year, but retiring members are eligible for re election. Any representative who ceases to be a member of the Parliament by which he has been chosen, ipso facto, loses his seat in the Delegation, and a new election takes place.

Should, however, the Parliament of the country from which he comes not be in session, his substitute takes his place. In the event of the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies in either kingdom, the powers of the particular Delegation come to an end, and the new Parliament elects a fresh Delegation. These Delegations exercise a parliamentary control over the

foreign affairs and military services of both countries; they have a final vote on all matters affecting the common weal, and their decisions need neither be confirmed nor approved by the assembly of either country from which they take their origin.

BELGIUM.

By the Belgian constitution the legislative power is exercised by the King, the Senate, and the Chamber of Representatives. New legislative measures may be introduced by either of these three branches, with the exception of laws relating to the revenue and expenditure of the state, and to the army contingent, which must be first voted in the lower chamber.

The Chamber of Representatives is composed of deputies elected directly by citizens of twenty-one years of age who are Belgians by birth or naturalization, and who pay in direct taxes the sum of 42 francs 32 centimes (20 florins), and whose names are inserted in the electoral lists. These lists are revised every year in the first fortnight in August by the burgomaster and sheriff's.

To be qualified for election it is necessary to be a Belgian by birth, or to have received the "grande naturalisation," to be in the enjoyment of civil and political rights, to have attained the age of twenty-five years, and to be resident in Belgium. The members are elected for four years. Half of them retire every two years, according to the rotation fixed by the electoral law, but in case of a dissolution the Chamber is wholly re-elected

The number of Deputies is fixed at the rate of one member for every 40,000 of the population, and therefore varies from time to time. In 1874 there were 124 members; there are now 138. Each member not residing in the town where the Chamber sits enjoys during the session a monthly allowance of 430 franes (200 florins).

The members of the Senate are appointed in proportion to the population of each province by the same citizens who elect the Deputies. The upper house contains only half the number of members of which the lower house is composed. The Senators are chosen for eight years, half of them retiring every

four years; but in the case of a dissolution the whole number must be renewed. The conditions necessary for the election of a Senator are the same as those for a Deputy, with the addition that the former must be at least forty years of age and pay in direct taxes at least 2,116 francs 40 centimes (1,000 florins). In those provinces where the list of citizens paying this latter sum does not reach to the proportion of one in 6,000 of the population, the names of those citizens are added who pay the largest amount of direct taxes, so as to bring the number up to the required proportion. No Senator receives any allowance.

DENMARK.

The Danish legislative assembly, or Rigsdag, is composed of the Landsthing and the Folkething; the former being a Senate and the latter a Chamber of Representatives. The Landsthing consists of 66 and the Folkething of 102 members. The existing constitution is regulated by the Statute of July 28, 1866, which restored with modifications the charter of June 5, 1849.

The Rigsdag assembles at the seat of government every year on the first Monday in October. In extraordinary cases the King can convoke it in any other place in the interior of the country. It is inviolable, and any person who makes an attempt against its liberty is guilty of high treason.

Members of the Rigsdag are not bound except by their own convictions, and can not receive any imperative mandate from their electors.

The joint meeting of the Rigsdag is formed by the general assembly of the Folkething and the Landsthing. No resolution is valid unless half at least of the members of each chamber is present to take part in the vote. It elects its own president and fixes the rules of procedure.

The elections for the Landsthing take place under a somewhat complicated system. There are 66 members, 12 of whom are named for life by the King and the remaining 54 are elected; seven by Copenhagen, one by the island of Bornholm, one by the "Lagthing" of the Faroe Islands, and the rest by the electoral districts of Denmark.

The usual hours of meeting are for the Landsthing 1.30 p. m. and for the Folkething 1 p. m. The sittings last from two to three hours in the former and from four to five hours in the latter. Night sittings of either chamber occur very rarely, and, when they do take place, commence at 7.30 p. m. and last from two to three hours. The members receive each 6 kroners (about $2) per diem during the sitting of the Rigsdag. The average length of the sessions of the Rigsdag for the past eight years was about 200 days. Every question of importance is referred to either a standing or select committee.

In the Folkething it is specially required that more than onehalf of the whole number of members shall be present in order to transact business.

When an amendment to the constitution has been adopted by the two chambers, if the Government is willing to carry it out the Rigsdag will be at once dissolved and a general election proceeded with at once.

FRANCE.

In accordance with the terms of the first article of the constitutional law of the 25th of February, 1875, the legislative power is vested in two assemblies, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

The President of the Republic can, with the consent of the Senate, dissolve the Chamber of Deputies before the legai expiration of its mandate. In this case the electoral colleges are convoked within three months. He decrees the close of the session. He can convoke the chambers in extraordinary session if he thinks it necessary, and he is bound to summon them if the demand is made by an absolute majority of each chamber. He can also adjourn them for any time not exceeding a month, but he can not exercise this power more than twice in the same session.

The Senate is composed of 300 members, who will all eventually be elected by the departments and colonies as soon as the existing life Senators are dead or have resigned, in accordance with the provisions of the law of the 9th of December, 1884, which abolishes life senatorships and provide that the

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