Publications of the University of Pennsylvania (Volume 10 ); Series in Political Economy and Public Law

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1891 Excerpt: ... 'Germany the weightiest functions of the federal government devolve upon the state governments. Not only do they as a whole form the most important organ of the central government, but to them individually is intrusted, as a rule, the execution of the federal laws in their respective territories. The committee just mentioned is a part of this system of correspondence. It has nothing to do with the instruction of diplomatic agents, or with the conclusion of treaties and conventions with foreign nations, nor even with the preparation of bills for the Bundesrath. It is there solely for the purpose of receiving communications regarding foreign affairs, which are in this manner brought before the ministers of the chief states, who consult on the ends to be pursued and the means best adapted to reach these ends. In this committee alone Prussia is not represented, for the obvious reason that the Emperor, to whom falls the direction of the foreign policy of the country, is necessarily the source of the information of which the committee is the recipient. III. We have thus far directed our attention to the historical development, the nature, composition and organization of the Bundesrath; it remains to consider its f unctions as an organ of the central government. So soon as the plenipotentiary has cast his vote, this loses its previous connection This committee was not among those founded by the Constitution of the North German Federation, but was established by the treaty between this Union and Bavaria (Nov. 2iS, 1870), evidently as a concession to the three kingdoms which were to compose it for their diminished international importance. Of the significance of this committee, Delbriick said in the Keichstag, 1870: Er wild seinerseits Kenntniss von der Lage der D...