The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

22GKITSSIA IN EUROPE.The national representation, or " Diet," which shares with the Czar a portion ofthe legislative functions, consists of 200 members belonging to the four estatesnobility, Lutheran clergy, burgesses, and peasantry—since 1SG3 meeting everyfive years, each in a separate hall. In certain cases, however, they may deliberate,but not vote together. The unanimity of the four orders is required for all lawsaffecting the constitution, privileges, and taxation, nor can any troops be raisedwithout their unanimous consent. For the rest, the Diet discusses onty suchmatters as are submitted to it by the governor, being in all other respects limitedto the right of petition. To the address of the Russian governor the Finns andSwedes reply in their respective tongues, and, to avoid jealousy, the answers areoften made in French. All the noble families are represented in the Diet by thehead of the house, while the other three orders elect their representatives, professorsvoting with the clergy. Ship-owners, proprietors of real property, the leadingburgesses, manufacturers, and all exercising any privileged calling are includedin the order of the burgesses, who name a deputy for every 6,000 of the urbanpopulation. The rural electors include all landed proprietors and farmers underthe Crown, and each of the fifty-nine judiciary districts returns a deputy.For administrative purposes the country is divided into eight governments, orIan, subdivided into bailiwicks (harader) and communes, which manage their ownaffairs under the control of the governor, registrars, and other Crown functionaries.The towns, forming several administrative districts, have a Municipal Council,elected for three years, and one or two burgomasters chosen by the Czar from thethree candidates returned by the greatest number of votes.The Swedish code of 1734 is still in operation, though modified in severalparticulars. The fifty-nine district courts of first instance are often moved fromvillage to village, and consist of a judge, with at least five peasants, chosen fromamongst those of " good repute ;" that is, at the pleasure of the governor. In thetowns the burgomaster presides over the municipal courts, and above all are thethree courts of Abo, Nikolaistad, and Wiborg, and the High Court, consisting of thesection of the Senate forming the department of justice. Capital punishment,still legally existing, has not been enforced for half a century.The army, formed legally of volunteers alone, may be raised to 10,000 men,but during the last few years it has been reduced to a battalion of about 800,serving in the interior under native officers.Finland, like Sweden, has its State religion, the Lutheran, and except theOrthodox Russian, no other confession has yet been authorised to form separatecongregations. Even the Jews, numbering about 500, are only allowed to residein the country in virtue of special permits, and cannot be naturalised. Thecountry is divided into 3 bishoprics, 45 priories, 286 parishes, and 91 congregations,with about 900 ecclesiastics of all orders. Since 1866 the inspection of theschools has been transferred from the clergy to the communes.The Budget averages about £1,200,000, with a public debt of £2,400,000.Cities are only distinguished from towns and villages by commercial and municipalprivileges. The population of the chief places will be found in the Appendix.