Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/532

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The languages spoken in Belgium are French or Walloon (a dialect of the ancient French), and Flemish or Dutch. French is the language of the upper and educated classes, and is generally understood even in the Flemish parts of the kingdom. In 1866 those speaking French or Walloon amounted to 2,041,781; Flemish or Dutch, 2,406,991; French and Flemish, 308,361 ; German, 35,356 ; French and German, 20,448; Flemish and German, 1625; and the three languages, 4966. The French or Walloon is the prevailing language in the provinces of Hainault, Liege, Luxembourg, and Namur ; the Flemish or Dutch in Antwerp, Brabant, the two Flanders, and Limbourg.

Since the formation of Belgium into an independent state, the Government has taken a laudable interest in all that concerns the advancement and happiness of the people ; and not being trammelled by a respect for old laws or useless customs, it has adopted, as far as possible, the most improved systems of other countries. The whole system of government is based upon the broadest principles of rational freedom and liberality. All power emanates from the people, and can be exercised only according to lav/. The people are upon a strict equality in the eye of the law ; personal liberty is guaranteed to all, as well as entire freedom in opinion and in religious worship. All the religious sects are endowed by the state, and large grants are also given annually for educational and charitable purposes. Home is inviolable, nor can any one be deprived of his property unless for the good of the state and for a suitable indemnity. Justice is open to all, as well as the means of education, and the benefits of the public charities. The press is free, and civil death is abolished. Any one may address petitions to the public authorities signed by one or more persons. Trial by jury is established for all criminal and political charges, and for offences of the press. The contents of letters are inviolable, and the post-office is responsible for all letters committed to it. The government is a constitutional representative and hereditary monarchy. The legislative power is vested in the king, the chamber of representatives, and the senate. The judicial power is exercised by fixed tribunals, freed from all authoritative influences, judging publicly, and assigning reasons for their decisions. Affairs exclusively provincial or communal are managed by the provincial or communal councils.

The royal succession is in the direct male line in the Order of primogeniture, to the exclusion of females and their descendants. The king s person is declared sacred, and his ministers are held responsible for the acts of the Government No act of the king can have effect unless countersigned by one of his ministers, who thus becomes the responsible party. The king convokes, prorogues, and dissolves the chambers, and makes rules and orders necessary for the execution of the laws, but has no power to suspend or dispense with the execution of the laws themselves. He nominates to civil and military offices, and commands the sea and land forces. He declares war, and concludes treaties of peace, of alliance, and of com merce, communicating the same to the chambers as far as may be consistent with the interest and safety of the state. He sanctions and promulgates the laws, and has the power of remitting or reducing the punishments pronounced by the judges, except in the case of his ministers, to whom he can extend pardon only at the request of one of the chambers. In default of male heirs the king may nominate his suc cessor with the consent of the chambers. The regency can only be conferred upon one person, and no change in the constitution can be made under his rule.

The people are represented in the Legislature by the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate, the members of which are chosen by the people. Each chamber determines the manner of exercising its own powers, and every session nominates its president and vice-presidents, and forms its bureau. No petition can be presented personally ; and every resolution is adopted by the absolute majority, except iii some special cases, when two-thirds of the votes of the members are required to be favourable ; in the case of an equality of votes the proposition is thrown out. The chambers meet annually in the month of November, and should sit for at least forty days ; but the king has the power of convoking them on extraordinary occasions, and of dissolving them either simultaneously or separately. On dissolution a new election must take place within forty days, and a meeting of the chambers within two months. An adjournment cannot be made for a period exceeding one month without the consent of the chambers.

The Chamber of Representatives is composed of deputies chosen directly by the people paying a certain amount of direct taxes. &quot;The number of deputies is fixed according to the population, and cannot exceed one member for every 40,000 inhabitants; at present they amount to 124. To be eligible for membership it is necessary to be a Belgian by birth or to have received the grand naturalization, to be in the possession of the civil and political rights of the kingdom, to have attained the age of twenty -five years, and to be resident in Belgium. The members not residing in the town where the chamber sits receive, during the session, an indemnity of 200 florins (16, 13s. 4d.) each per month. The members are elected for four years, one- half going out every two years, except in the case of a dissolution, when a general election takes place. This chamber has the parliamentary initiative and theprelimiuary vote in all cases relating to the receipts and expenses of the state, and to the contingent of the army.

The electors of the Chamber of Representatives have also the nomination of the members of the Senate. To be eligible as a senator it is necessary to be a Belgian by birth or to have received the grand naturalization, to be in the enjoyment of civil and political rights, to be domi ciled in Belgium, to be forty years of age, and to pay at least 1000 florins (84) of direct taxes. In those pro vinces where the number of those paying 1000 florins of taxes does not amount to one in every 6000 inhabitants, this proportion is made up by those paying the highest amount below that sum. The permanent deputations of the provincial councils annually prepare a list of those who are eligible to the Senate. In 1874 the number of these was 453. At the age of eighteen the heir-presumptive to the throne has a seat in the Senate, but he has no voice in its deliberations till he attain the age of twenty-five. The senators receive no indemnity. They are elected for eight years, one-half going out every four years, except in the case of a dissolution. The Senate is composed of half as many members as the Chamber of Representatives, the number at present being 62.