Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/147

 elected by electoral districts, consisting of a number of electors who pay the highest taxes to the State; and, in addition, other thirty members elected by the members of the municipal councils of large towns. This original composition of the 'House of Lords' was greatly modified by the royal decree of October 12, 1854, which brought into life the Upper Chamber in its present form. It is composed of, first, the princes of the royal family who are of age, including the scions of the formerly sovereign families of Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen; secondly, the chiefs of the mediatised princely houses, recognised by the Congress of Vienna, to the number of sixteen in Prussia; thirdly, the heads of the territorial nobility formed by the king, and numbering some fifty members; fourthly, a number of life peers, chosen by the king among the class of rich landowners, great manufacturers, and 'national celebrities;' fifthly, eight titled noblemen elected in the eight provinces of Prussia by the resident landowners of all degrees; sixthly, the representatives of the universities, the heads of 'chapters,' and the burgomasters of towns with above fifty thousand inhabitants; and, seventhly, an unlimited number of members nominated by the king for life, or for a more or less restricted period.

The second Chamber consists of 432 members—352 for the old kingdom, and the rest added in 1867 to represent the newly-annexed provinces. Every Prussian who has attained his twenty-fifth year, and is qualified to vote for the municipal elections of his place of domicile, is eligible to vote as indirect elector. Persons who are entitled to vote for municipal elections in several parishes, can only exercise the right of indirect elector, or 'Urwähler,' in one. One direct elector, or 'Wahlmann,' is elected from every complete number of 250 souls. The indirect electors are divided into three classes, according to the respective amount of direct taxes paid by each; arranged in such manner, that each category pays one-third of the whole amount of direct taxes levied on the whole. The first category consist of all electors who pay the highest taxes to the amount of one- third of the whole. The second, of those who pay the next highest amount down to the limits of the second third. The third of all the lowest taxed, who, together, complete the last class. Each class may be divided into several electoral circles, none of which must, however, exceed 500 'Urwähler.' Direct electors may be nominated in each division of the circle from the number of persons entitled to vote indirectly, without regard to special divisions. The representatives are chosen by the direct electors. The legislative period of the second Chamber is limited to three years. Every Prussian is eligible to be a member of the second Chamber who has accomplished his thirtieth year, who has not forfeited the enjoyment of full civic rights through judicial sentence, and who has paid taxes during three years to the