At present, it being a limited monarchy, he can only make laws by the
will and consent of the people.

There is, however, a clause in the Austrian Constitution, an emergency
clause, known as Article XIV., which in case of need gives the Emperor
the right to suspend the constitution and act on his own
responsibility.

The necessity of coming to a decision on the Hungarian question has
become so great that the ministers are of the opinion that the Emperor
will have to use this privilege. The Minister of Finance therefore
uttered a warning to the members of the Parliament, telling them that
they had better not drive the Government too far, as there was the
gravest danger of the Emperor insisting upon exercising this right.

The latest despatches say that the published reports give but a slight
idea of the grave trouble that is underlying this matter. It is feared
that a revolution may be the result, and that martial law will have to
be proclaimed in Bohemia this winter to quell the language riots.

There was great indignation in the Parliament when the warning of the
Minister of Finance was announced; and grave as it seems thus to deprive
the people of their rights, something must soon be done to bring the
deputies to their senses. The warring factions in the Reichsrath have
learned that if they cannot obtain the laws they wish to have for
themselves, they can at least prevent laws from being made for others,
and so they have brought the affairs of Parliament to a deadlock.

The latest news is that the House has been adjourned for a period of
four days. If the members continue to act as before when the House