No. 297.
Mr. Andrews to Mr. Fish.
Stockholm, March 23, 1876. (Received April 13.)
Sir: I beg leave to state that in my No. 322, of the 17th ultimo, relative to the adoption by the Riksdag of an amendment to the constitution authorizing the King to select from among the members of the cabinet one to be minister of state and leading member, I erroneously reported that it would be necessary for the amendment to be passed by a succeeding Riksdag. On the contrary, it is sufficient to effect a change in the constitution of Sweden that the identical amendment has been considered at a previous Riksdag and then passed by each chamber of a following Riksdag—a new election of the second chamber having intervened—and that it finally becomes approved by the King.
The amendment in question, to paragraph 5 on the form of government, has received the King’s approval and has become a part of the constitution. It provides that the King shall select from among the members of the cabinet one to be minister of state and leading member of the cabinet. Heretofore, the head of the department of foreign affairs as well as the head of the department of justice has had the title of minister of state. Now, the former is to be designated simply as the minister of foreign affairs. The head of every other department is to be designated as chief of the same.
The King has directed that during the time the present incumbent of the ministry of foreign affairs holds his position he shall retain the title he has heretofore enjoyed of minister of state.
At present, Baron De Geer, chief of the department of justice, is by general consent the one most suitable to act as leading member of the cabinet, and he was on the 20th instant appointed by the King to that position.
Among two or three other amendments to the constitution which the King has just approved, the more important, perhaps, is that to the eightieth section on the form of government, providing that in case another military establishment shall be created by law, involving at the same time the abo ition of the present so-called “indelning” military system, then such military establishment shall not be altered without the joint consent of the King and the Riksdag.
I have, &c.,