GOVERNMENT. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna, which met to reorganize Europe after the Na poleonic wars, formed the thirty-nine component States of Germany (kingdoms, duchies, free cities, and principalities) into a confederation or Bund, leaving to each its complete autonomy except in a. few matters of common concern. Its only organ of government was a Diet (Bundestag), composed of ambassadors from the several mem bers of the Confederation, who voted according to instructions given by their governments. Almost the only powers of the Diet were to declare for eign war and make peace, organize the Federal force made up of the various contingents, and settle interstate disputes. To Austria belonged the presidency of the Confederation, in which she had a predominating influence. As time passed the feeble government of the Confedera tion fell more and more into disrepute. In 1848 the Liberals throughout Germany united in a revolutionary movement to overthrow the Con federation, and establish in its stead a closer and more efficient union of the German States; and although they failed in this particular, their up rising led to the establishment of constitutional government generally throughout Germany be tween 1848 and 1851. The war of 1866 between l'russia and Austria was followed by the disso lution of the Confederation. Prussia drew about her the States of North Germany, and formed the North German Confederation, the connection of Austria with the Germanic body being severed, while the States south of the Main concluded of fensive and defensive alliances with the new Confederation. The war with France in 1870-71 consummated the union of all the German States into an empire.
The Constitution of the Empire bears the date of April 16, 1871. It is a written instrument, and enumerates with considerable detail the pow ers and relations of the different organs of gov ernment. It may be amended by the Imperial Legislature, according to the usual processes of legislation, except that fourteen negative votes in the Federal Council will defeat an amendment, and that those provisions which guarantee specific rights to individual States are unamendable. The empire which this, the new Constitution, created, consists of four kingdoms, six grand duchies, five duchies, seven principalities, three free cities, and one territory, all under the presidency of the King of Prussia, who bears the title of German Emperor (art. ii.). It is not, however, a union
of equals, for some of the States refused to join except upon their own terms. It thus happens that certain members enjoy specific privileges which do not belong to others. Of these, Prussia is the most highly favored. She has the hereditary right to the presidency of the Union; her representation in the Federal Council is large enough to prevent changes in the Constitution without her consent; she has the casting vote in ease of a tie in the Federal Council, and the chairmanship of all the stand ing committees except one in that body. Among the States upon whom special privileges were bestowed as inducement to enter the Union are Bavaria, Wiirttemberg, and Baden. They are all exempt from Imperial excises on domestic liquors and beer, while Bavaria and Wiirttem berg have their own postal and telegraph sys tems, and, with certain restrictions, their own military systems. Bavaria, moreover, is ex empt from the regulation of the Imperial laws for the regulation of railroads except for pur poses of military defense, and from the Imperial law of residence and settlement. Bavaria, MIA temberg, and Saxony are entitled to seats in the standing committees of the Federal Council on Foreign Affairs and on Army and Fortifica tions, the chairmanship of the first mentioned committee belonging to Bavaria. The Constitu tion contains a guarantee that no State so privileged shall be deprived of its rights with out its consent (art. lxxviii.). The German Imperial Government may be described as a fed eral representative system, containing democratic and elective elements on the one hand, and monarchic and hereditary elements on the other. Its federal feature is shown in the constitutional division of the powers of government between the Central Government and the State Govern ments, and the marking out of a sphere of activity for each. The elective and democratic ele ments appear in the structure of the Reichstag or National Diet, while the presidency of the Em pire furnishes the monarchic and hereditary fea tures. In regard to the methods of governing, the Imperial rule is not parliamentary in the sense of parliamentary government in England, as there is no provision for a responsible Ministry.