POPULATION.
The constitution of B., dating from Mar. 25, 1824, establishes four powers in the state—the legislative, the executive, the judicial, and the moderating power, or royal prerogative. Senators are chosen for life at electoral meetings specially convened, each of which nominates three candidates, leaving the choice of them to the sovereign or his ministers. A senator must be of native birth, 40 years old, and must have an annual income of $800; there are 58 of then], and their salaries are $1800 per annum. Members of the house, or congress, are elected for four years. The empire is divided into elec toral districts, in which every 30 voters select one elector, and the electors, varying in number according to population, nominate a deputy from each district. The house is composed of 122 members. A voter must have an income of (about) $112; an elector of $225, and a deputy of $450 per year. All registered voters must vote, or suffer a pen alty. Minors, monks, and servants may not vote; and naturalized foreigners, and persons not of the state religion (Roman Catholic), are ineligible as deputies. The deputies have a salary of $1200 per annum, besides traveling expenses. Sessions are limited to four months. Each house chooses its own officers, and at the opening and closing of a session both houses sit in a general assembly for the disposal of important business. For ordinary purposes, they sit separately. Taxation, provision for the army and navy, and, if it should become necessary, the choice of a sovereign, originate in the house of deputies. The senate deals with offenses committed by members of the imperial family. and by senators and deputies if committed during the session, and is invested with the right of convoking the legislative assembly should the emperor fail to do so for two months after the period fixed by law. The executive power is in the sovereign, assisted by the ministers and a council of state. The ministers are responsible for treason, corruption, abuse of power, and all acts contrary to the constitution, or the liberty, security, and property of citizens; a responsibility from which they cannot escape on the plea of orders from the sovereign. The executive functions consist in the convoca• non of the ordinary meetings of the legislative assembly; the nomination of bishops, governors of provinces, and magistrates; the declaration of peace or war, and the gene ral execution and superintendence of all measures voted by the legislature. The moder• sting power, vested in the sovereign, gives hint authority not only to select ministers and senators, but to temporarily withhold his sanction from legislative measures, to convoke extraordinary sessions of the legislative assemblies, to dissolve the chamber of deputies, and to grant amnesty and pardon. There are 7 ministries—war, foreign,
interior, marine, finance, justice and public works, agriculture and commerce. The ministers are assisted by a council of state consisting of 12 ordinary and 12 extraordinary members, all named by the emperor, and holding office continuously. They are usually ex-ministers. The heir to the throne, if of age, is by right a councilor of state. At the head of each province is a president appointed by the general government; and each province has its local legislature, or provincial chamber, called the legislative assembly of the province. The members of the latter are nominated by the electors who choose deputies to the national assembly, but the members of the provincial chambers are chosen directly by the electors for two years. The power of these provin cial bodies over local affairs is analogous to that of the general assembly over affairs of the empire.
The Roman Catholic is the established religion, but all others are tolerated " with the domestic or private forms of worship in buildings destined for the purpose, but without the exterior forms of temples." No one can be persecuted for religious acts or motives. The Roman Catholic clergy are maintained by the state; but funds are also voted for the assistance of other sects. No ecclesiastical decree can have force without permission of the emperor or of the general assembly. Marriages of Protestants cele brated in foreign countries are respected. The empire constitutes an ecclesiastical province of the Romansee, with an archbishop, 11 bishops, 12 vicars general, and about 1300 curates. Public education is in three distinct divisions—primary, secondary, and scientific. The first is gratuitous, and "will become compulsory as soon as the govern ment considers it opportune." Thus far it is very backward.
The trade and commerce of B. have rapidly increased within the past decade. In 1877, there were 1438 tn. of railroad open for traffic, and 800 m. in course of construc tion. Telegraphs, though comparatively new, reported 3890 miles. There were at the close of 1876; 1018"post-offices, and 13,165,000 letters for the year. Weights and measures are those of the French metric system. The standard of value is the gold octava of 22 carats, equal to 4 milreis, or 4000 rein; value at the U. S. mint, $2.18.