Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/364

 328 NETHERLANDS.

Constitution and Government.

The present constitution — grondwet — of the Netherlands received the royal sanction October 14, 1848, and was solemnly proclaimed Nov. 3, 1848. It vests the whole legislative authority in a Parlia- ment composed of two Chambers, called the States- General. The Upper House, or first Chamber, consists of 39 members, elected by the provincial States from among the most highly assessed inhabitants of the various counties. The second Chamber of the States-General, elected by ballot, at the rate of one deputy to every 45,000 souls, numbered 80 members in 1869. All citizens, natives of the Netherlands, not deprived of civil rights, and paying assessed taxes to the amount of not less than 20 guilders, or 11. 13s., are voters. Clergymen, judges of the Hooge Eaad, or High Court of Justice, and Governors of Provinces are debarred from being elected. The members of the second Chamber receive an annual allowance of 2,000 guilders, or 166/., besides travelling expenses. Every two years one- half of the members of the second Chamber, and every three years one-third of the members of the Upper House retire by rotation. The Sovereign has the right to dissolve either of the Chambers separately, or both together, at any time, but new elections must take place within forty days. The second Chamber alone has the initiative of new laws, together with the government, and the functions of the Upper House are restricted to either approving or rejecting them, without the right of inserting amendments. The constitutional advisers of the King, having a seat in the Cabinet, must attend at the meetings of both Houses, and have a deliberative voice, but they cannot take an active part in the debate. The King has full veto power, but it is seldom, if ever, brought into practice. Altera- tions in the Constitution can only be made by the vote of two-thirds of the members of both Houses, followed by a general election, and a second confirmation, by two-third vote, of the new States-General. The executive authority is, under the sovereign, exercised by a responsible Council of Ministers. There are seven departments in the Ministerial Council, namely : —

1. The Ministry of Finance. — P. P. Van Bosse, appointed June

3, 1868.

2. The Ministry of the Interior. — C. Fock, appointed June 4, 1868.

3. The Ministry of Justice. — F. G. E. Van Lilaar, appointed June

4, 1868.

4. The Ministry of the Colonies. — E. De Waal, appointed June 4, 1868.