Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1262

 906 RUSSIA

form by Alexander I., in the year 1810. It consists of a presi- dent — the Grand-duke Mikhail since 1882 — and an unlimited number of members appointed by the emperor. In 1894 the Council consisted of 62 members, exclusive of the ministers, who have a seat ex officio, and six princes of the imperial house. The Council is divided into three departments, namely, of Legislation, of Civil and Church Administration, and of Finance. Each de- partment has its own president, and a separate sphere of duties ; but there are collective meetings of the three sections. The chief function of the Council of the Empire is that of examining into the projects of laws which are brought before it by the ministers, and of discussing the budget and all the expenditures to be made during the year. But the Council has no power of proposing altera- tions and modifications of the laws of the realm ; it is, properly speaking, a consultative institution in matters of legislation. A special department is entrusted with the discussion of the requests addressed to the emperor against the decisions of the Senate.

The second of the great colleges or boards of government is the Ruling Senate or ' Pravitelstvuyuschiy Senat,' established by Peter I. in the year 1711. The functions of the Senate are partly of a deliberative and partly of an executive character. To be valid a law must be promulgated by the Senate. It is also the high court of justice for the Empire. The Senate is divided into nine departments or sections, which all sit at St. Petersburg, two of them being Courts of Cassation. Each department is authorised to decide in the last resort upon certain descriptions of cases. The senators are mostly persons of high rank, or who fill high stations ; but a lawyer of eminence presides over each department, who represents the emperor, and without whose signature its decisions would have no force. In the plenum, or general meeting of several sections, the Minister of Justice takes the chair. Besides its superintendence 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 special department consisting of seven members is entrusted with judgments in political offences, and another (six members) with disciplinary judgments against officials of the crown.

The third college, established by Peter I. in the year 1721, is the Holy Synod, and to it is committed the superintendence of the religious affairs of the Empire. It is composed of the three metropolitans (St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Kieff ), the archbishops of Georgia (Caucasus), and of Poland (Kholm and Warsaw), and several bishops sitting in turn. All its decisions run in the emperor's name; and have no force till approved by him. The