CARLSBAD DECREES, the name usually given to a series of resolutions (Beschlusse) passed by a conference of the min isters of the more important German States, held at Carlsbad Aug. 6-31 1819. The occasion of the meeting was the desire of Prince Metternich to take advantage of the consternation caused by recent revolutionary outrages (especially the murder of the dramatist Kotzebue) to persuade the German Governments to combine in a system for the suppression of the Liberal agitation in Germany. The business to be discussed, as announced in Met ternich's opening address, was twofold: (1) Matters of urgent importance necessitating immediate action; (2) Questions affect ing the fundamental constitution of the German Confederation, demanding more careful and prolonged discussion.
These questions were debated in 23 formal conferences. On the issues raised by the first class there was practical unanimity. All were agreed that the state of Germany demanded disciplinary measures, and it was decided to lay before the Federal Diet defi nite proposals for (1) a uniform press censorship of all periodical publications; (2) a system of "curators" to supervise education in universities and schools; and (3) the erection of a central com mission at Mainz, armed with inquisitorial powers, for the purpose of unmasking the widespread revolutionary conspiracy assumed to exist.
On the questions raised under the second class there was more fundamental difference of opinion, especially on the burning ques tion of the due interpretation of Article XIII. of the Federal act. The controversy raged round the distinction between "assemblies of estates," as laid down in the article, and "representative assem blies," such as had been already established in several German States. Gentz, in an elaborate memorandum, laid down that rep resentation by estates was the only system compatible with the conservative principle, whereas representative assemblies were based on "the sovereignty of the people." In answer Count Wintzingerode, on behalf of the king of Wurttemberg, placed on record a protest, in which he urged that insistence upon the system of estates would be to stereotype caste distinctions foreign to the whole spirit of the age, would alienate public opinion from the Governments, and—if enforced by the central power—would violate the sovereign independence of those States which, like Wurttemberg, had already established representative constitu tions. Though the majority of those present favoured the Aus trian interpretation of Article XIII. as elaborated by Gentz, they were as little prepared as the representative of Wurttemberg to agree to any measures for strengthening the Federal Government at the expense of the prerogatives of the minor sovereignties. The result was that constitutional questions were reserved for further discussion at a general conference of German ministers to be summoned to Vienna later in the year. The effective Carlsbad resolutions, subsequently issued as laws by the Federal Diet, were therefore only those dealing with the curbing of the "revolution ary" agitation.