edict was followed by the establishment of Dutch as the official language of both countries in civil and military matters; the financial system was unjust to Belgium, the old Holland debt having been revived and saddled equally on the two countries; the Dutch, taking advantage of the numbers in the legislature passed commercial ordinances which discriminated in favor of Holland; the Supreme Court and certain other common institutions were placed in Holland, and every important lawyer was thus obliged to learn Dutch and lose practice at that; in religious matters the Protestant government was not sufficiently considerate of the strong Catholic population of Belgium, for there was always a lingering fear that the Hollanders would attempt to protestantize the country completely through the schools. In short, the king appeared to look upon these provinces as his own and to act in the spirit of the clause in the agreement of the powers which said that he should be given "an accession of territory."

In view of these facts it is not surprising that in 1830 a little spark kindled a patriotic revolution. A few enthusiasts cried out, "Imitons les Parisiens," and the country followed, but only part way in the path of destruction. With all the temptation to violent reaction the moderation of the actors in this revolution is striking. The statesmen who were called upon to rebuild the nation refused to follow recent example and establish a republic. They refused to separate themselves from their historic past, but founded a constitutional monarchy and then looked about to find a suitable person to wear the crown.

Leopold, Duke of Saxe-Coburg, accepted the task and during a reign of thirty-four years displayed a similar

moderation in the exercise of his powers. Leopold II., his son, has likewise been a man of great discretion, but has lived to see some great changes in the political condition and political aspirations of his people.

Since the adoption of the constitution there has been a constant advancement in public welfare in so far as this could be accomplished by statute law. The fundamental law has from time to time been interpreted in a liberal spirit and the maximum of freedom made use of. Party government has not been without friction, but heated periods and alarming crises have been safely passed. The same native moderation has proved the safety of the nation. The controlling powers, sometimes Liberal, sometimes Catholic Conservative, have never been extreme in their demands; neither the radicals nor the ultramontanes having been in a position to command. A recent writer has thus briefly characterized the situation :

"One may summarize our whole political movement in saying that the progressive liberals prepare the reforms, that the moderate liberals realize them, and that the governmental catholics do not dare undo the work, in spite of the objurgations of the ultramontanes."1

The political experience of Belgium has been of great interest to all students of government, but as this did not until recently result in changes in the constitution, the history of the matter does not come within the scope of this paper. Suffice it to say that before sixty years of state life had passed it was plainly seen that the old foundation was too narrow for the new age. Agitation was in progress for many years, demanding particularly an enlargement of the suffrage. The composition of 1 Goblet d'Alviella, in “Cinquante Ans de Liberté," Vol. i, p. 192.

the senate was also an issue, though of less importance in the public mind. In both matters amendments were effected. A strong party backed by the disfranchised working classes demanded universal suffrage pure and simple; others demanded an educational qualification of various kinds, while the conservatives stood for a moderate widening of the property qualification. Compromises between the extremes were finally agreed upon and the changes were recorded in the fundamental law in 1893. A few comments on the nature of these amendments will be found in the notes appended to the constitution.

Johns Hopkins University.

J. M. VINCENT.

1 Promulgated in September, 1893. See Recueil des Lois, No. xiii, 1893.

THE CONSTITUTION OF BELGIUM.

In the name of the Belgian people, the National Congress enacts:

TITLE I.

THE TERRITORY AND ITS DIVISIONS.

ARTICLE 1. Belgium is divided into provinces. These provinces are: Antwerp, Brabant, West Flanders, East Flanders, Hainaut, Liége, Limbourg, Luxembourg, Namur. If required, the territory may be divided by law into a greater number of provinces.

The colonies, possessions beyond the sea or protectorates which Belgium may acquire shall be governed by special laws. The Belgian forces required for their defence shall be recruited only by voluntary enlistment.' ART. 2. Subdivisions of the provinces cannot be made except by law.

1 Before the French Revolution Belgium was divided into three states; the principality of Liége, the principality of Stavelot and the provinces of the Pays Bas Catholique. The subdivisions in these were of a feudal character and were separated, in respect to political rights, by many barriers of law and custom. The Directory introduced uniformity on the plan of the departments, districts and cantons used in France and the idea has prevailed ever since. In the revision the words "except the relations of Luxembourg to the Germanic Confederation" are omitted. In 1839 a portion of that province was erected into a German duchy and the boundaries of the countries fixed by treaty. The paragraph on colonies is entirely new. The early framers of the constitution could scarcely have dreamed that their king would become also the sovereign of an immense territory in the depths of Africa, nor that the people of Belgium would eventually inherit his dominion over a Congo Free State.

ART. 3. The boundaries of the state, or of the provinces, or of the communities cannot be changed or rectified except by law.

TITLE II.

BELGIAN CITIZENS AND THEIR RIGHTS.

ART. 4. Belgian citizenship is acquired, maintained and lost according to regulations established by the civil law.

The present constitution and the other laws relating to political rights determine what other conditions are necessary for the exercise of these rights.

ART. 5. Naturalization is granted by the Legislative

power.

Full naturalization alone admits foreigners to equality with Belgians in the exercise of political rights.

ART. 6. There shall be no distinction of classes in the state.

Belgian citizens are equal before the law; they alone are admissible to civil and military offices, with such exceptions as may be established by law for particular

cases.

ART. 7. Individual liberty is guaranteed.

No one may be prosecuted except in cases provided for by law and in the form therein prescribed.

Except in the case of flagrant offense no one may be arrested without a warrant issued by a magistrate, which ought to be shown at the time of arrest, or at the latest within twenty-four hours thereafter.

ART. 8. No person shall be removed against his will from the jurisdiction of the judge to whom the law assigns him.