or if third persons claim the amount of the compensation or a part thereof, the payment of the whole will be withheld until the parties agree or the dispute is settled by final award.

XIV. The right to the compensation granted in virtue of this Law will be forfeited in regard to the sums not demanded within 4 years from the abolition of slavery.

XV. The statements, declarations, and other administrative documents required in consequence of the provisions of this Law are not liable to stamp duty.

CHAPTER III.-Of the Freedmen.

XVI. The slaves who are to be made free will take a family name under which they will be entered by families, as far as possible, in the registers for the purpose.

A voucher of the registration will be given, stating the number of the entry, the name and surname, and the date of birth or pre sumed age. The Governor in Curaçao and the Administrators in the other islands will take care that the registration be effected at the time of the abolition of slavery.

XVII. The ordinary civil and criminal law is applicable to the freedmen.

XVIII. The freedmen will be considered as inhabitants of the colony. They will enjoy the special protection of the Administration.

CHAPTER IV.-General Provisions.

XIX. Religious service and school instruction will be encouraged, and, as far as possible, supported by the State.

XX. Freedmen will not be allowed to possess and wear arms except under special circumstances.

XXI. Idleness and vagrancy will be liable to punishment according to general regulations to be established.

XXII. The owners will still have to afford lodgings for those who have been their slaves and have been unable to provide them for themselves for 3 months after the abolition of slavery; but the farmers can escape this liability by paying the cost of lodging elsewhere, to the satisfaction of the Administration.

On the other hand the freedmen are bound to do at least 4 days' work a week for those with whom they live.

XXIII. The Administration undertakes, as far as necessary, the lodging and maintenance of unprovided and other indigent persons.

XXIV. The Governor of Curaçao retains in pressing circumstances the right conferred upon him in Article LXIII of the Regulations for conducting the Government of the Colony of Curaçao and Dependencies, confirmed by Royal Decree of 27th January, 1818, No. 51.

XXV. Expenditure required by this law is not to be incurred unless the money for it has been granted by law.

XXVI. Within a year, reckoned from the 31st of July, 1863, our Minister for the Colonies will send in a report to the StatesGeneral on the execution of the present Law.

We direct and command that this be inserted in the State Journal, and that all Ministerial Departments, authorities, boards, and officers whom it concerns shall look to the exact fulfilment thereof.

Wiesbaden, August 8, 1862.

G. H. UHLENBECK, Minister of the Colonies.

WILLIAM.

SPEECH of the King of Wurtemberg, on the Closing of the Chambers. Stuttgardt, June 20, 1874.

(Translation.)

TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED,

THE session of Parliament which ends to-day, and which is distinguished by the number and importance of its results, commenced at a memorable period when the public mind was stirred by events of world-wide interest.

As early as the opening of the session I was enabled to indicate as the most important subject for your deliberations the Treaties which had been concluded for the purpose of establishing a newly united Germany through the medium of an Emperor and Empire, the greatest amongst the fruits of the national successes.

Animated by sentiments of patriotism you have given your sanction to these Treaties.

The new conditions of public law created by them furnished an additional motive for extending the constitutional reforms previously commenced to some other points which appeared to require modification at once, in harmony with the spirit of the times. The results which have been obtained justify me in hoping that further reforms may be successfully carried out in the future in an equally satisfactory manner by steady and prudent progress.

The public administration had also to adapt itself in various ways to the new position of Wurtemberg in the German Empire. The introduction of institutions resulting from Imperial legislation necessitated several, and some of them radical, changes in the existing law requiring your co-operation.

Owing to the increased demands upon the public purse, the maintenance of the equilibrium of the Budget was attended with difficulty. But by the increase of the ordinary revenue, and by the

influx of the war indemnity money, the Finance Department was placed in the fortunate position of being able, without increase of taxation, to dispose of funds sufficient to cover various extraordinary disbursements, including especially such as were required to place my Army Corps in a state of war efficiency.

With a readiness which I have pleasure in acknowledging, you have voted the supplies necessary for the service of the State, and have been fully mindful at the same time of the interests of lower and higher education. The public functionaries are indebted to your just and intelligent appreciation of the measures proposed by my Government, with a view to improve their condition, for the increase in their salaries which has again been granted to them.

In accordance with wishes expressed in various quarters, my Government have readily met the economical requirement of a further extension of the network of railways; you have contributed by your decisions to the advantageous development of this most important means of communication.

The reform of the system of direct taxation, which could be postponed no longer, has been largely initiated by the law which you have passed on the subject.

The new General Building Act regulates procedure in all that relates to the erection of buildings, in a manner suited to the requirements of the times.

The development of agriculture and of forest cultivation has been promoted by the law relating to the exercise and redemption of pasture and "litter leaves " rights.

Numerous other measures have been passed in addition to those which I have enumerated.

I thank you for the zeal and devotion with which you have brought your labours to a successful conclusion.

The results of your deliberations will contribute to the benefit of the country. May our beloved Wurtemberg, by the help of God, permanently enjoy the blessings of undisturbed peace, of increasing prosperity and civilization.

I hereby declare the Diet to be closed.

DISCOURS du Prince de Serbie, à l'Ouverture de l'Assemblée Nationale.-Belgrade, le 10 Novembre, 1874.

(Traduction.)

MESSIEURS LES DÉPUTÉS,

CONFORMÉMENT à la loi constitutionnelle de nouvelles élections générales des Députés choisis par la nation et de ceux nommés par le Prince ont eu lieu cette année. Honorés de la confiance de vos con

citoyens et de votre Souverain, vous constituez la seconde Assemblée Nationale Législative. C'est pour moi un plaisir réel que de me trouver au milieu de vous et d'ouvrir vos séances dans la capitale de notre chère patrie en vous y souhaitant une cordiale bienvenue.

Dans le cours de cette année je me suis déterminé à entreprendre un voyage à Constantinople, où j'ai été de la part de Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan l'objet d'un accueil flatteur et plein d'égards. À mon retour j'ai fait une courte visite au Souverain de la Principauté voisine et amie de Roumanie et ai eu l'occasion de voir le prix que le peuple Roumain et son Souverain attachent aux bons rapports avec notre Principauté. Peu de temps après je me suis rendu aux eaux dans les Pyrénées. Dans ce voyage des entrevues avec d'augustes Souverains, des Chefs d'États et de hauts dignitaires des Grandes Puissances m'ont fourni l'occasion d'échanger avec eux des idées sur diverses questions qui intéressent notre chère patrie. Je me fais un devoir de rappeler avec des sentiments de reconnaissance l'affectueuse cordialité qui partout a présidé à l'accueil qui m'a été fait. J'ai du reste lieu de croire que ces entrevues personnelles ne peuvent être qu'avantageuses pour nos intérêts politiques.

Dans le courant de cette année nous avons eu l'occasion de constater deux fois l'attention et les égards que nous témoignent les États Européens. Sur l'invitation de la Puissance voisine et amie, un délégué Serbe a été admis à la Conférence Sanitaire Internationale de Vienne; de même au Congrès Postal de Berne la Serbie a été représentée à l'égal des autres États et est entrée dans l'Union Postale Européen, dont la réalisation, marquée au coin de la civilisation et du progrès, sera consignée dans l'histoire comme un évènement qui honore notre époque.

Mon Gouvernement vous soumettra dans toutes les branches de l'Administration des projets de lois nécessitées par les besoins du pays, et j'attends de vous, MM. les Députés, que vous apportiez dans leur discussion toute votre maturité de jugement, de même que j'attends en général de votre patriotisme que vous facilitiez par votre sincère appui la tâche difficile qui incombe à mon Gouvernement. Notre jeune Principauté, désireuse à juste titre de réaliser les conditions de bon ordre, de prospérité et de progrès, a encore beaucoup à créer et à perfectionner pour parvenir à la position que nous assignent nos désirs et nos aspirations. Elle ne pourra y atteindre qu'au prix de beaucoup d'efforts tant matériels que

moraux.

L'augmentation du budget des dépenses est une conséquence naturelle de notre situation et de nos incontestables besoins. Pour faire face à ces derniers et afin d'arriver à ce que les revenus puissent suffire aux dépenses sans altérer l'équilibre du budget de l'État, le Ministre des Finances vous soumettra des propositions sur

de nouvelles sources de revenus. Je suis en droit d'attendre de l'Assemblée Nationale qu'elle leur consacre toute son attention, et que dans sa sagesse et son patriotisme elle assure la satisfaction des besoins de l'État sans porter atteinte à l'équilibre budgétaire.

En parlant des questions qui auront à vous occuper, je regrette de ne pouvoir y comprendre la loi sur une plus grande responsabilité ministérielle, que je considère comme tout-à-fait indispensable. Mon Gouvernement, dans la conscience de son devoir, vous eut soumis un projet de loi dans le sens d'une responsabilité ministérielle plus étendue; mais, comme il aurait été impossible de modifier la loi actuelle sans toucher à la Constitution, je laisse à votre appréciation et à votre sagesse de juger s'il n'y aurait pas opportunité et avantage à faire usage du droit que vous confère l'Article CXXXI de la Constitution.

Plein de confiance dans votre patriotisme et en invoquant sur vos travaux la bénédiction de Dieu, je déclare ouverte la session annuelle de l'Assemblée Nationale.

SPEECH of the Emperor of Brazil, on the Opening of the General Assembly.-Rio de Janeiro, May 5, 1874.

(Translation.)

AUGUST AND MOST WORTHY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NATION, It is always with the greatest pleasure and with well-founded confidence that I see the meeting of the General Assembly.

Thanks to the Divine Providence, internal peace continues unshaken, and Brazil prospers under the influence of this great blessing.

The last news which I received from my esteemed daughter, the Princess Imperial, Countess d'Eu, gave me the pleasing certainty of her hopes of maternity. Under such circumstances she should return to Brazil, in order to fulfil one of the conditions of the marriage contract; but she may, perhaps, find herself compelled, by the opinion of her medical advisers, to avoid so long a voyage.

The sanitary condition has not been satisfactory in many parts of the Empire; but the sufferings of the people have been much lessened by the succour afforded to them by the State and by private charity.

Our international relations have suffered no alteration, and the Government seeks to strengthen them by the bonds of friendship and of reciprocal interests. The definitive restoration of peace between the Argentine Republic and that of Paraguay is not yet accomplished; it is, however, to be hoped that it may soon be peaceably