I
96 CHANNEL ISLANDS
municipal and local usages ; by royal ordinances ; acts
of the States, confirmed by the king; and by orders
in council, registered in the island.
I am now prepared to speak of the constitution of
the States.
The legislative body, is composed of thirty-six
members, besides the governor and the bailly, consisting
of:—1. The twelve judges, who being judges
for life, are legislators for life. 2. The rectors of the
twelve parishes, nominated (with the exception of the
dean) by the governor, also legislators for life. 3.
The twelve constables of the twelve parishes, elected
by the people triennially. The king’s officers and
the viscomte, have also seats in the States; and may
speak, but cannot vote.
It is scarcely possible to conceive a more faulty
constitution of a legislative assembly than this. Here
we have men frairiing laws, and executing them,—
judges to day, legislators to-morrow: here we have a
legislative body, which is not a representative assembly
—nor a responsible assembly; since one-third of the
number, the clergy, are nominated by the governor:
and since two-thirds—both the twelve judges and the
twelve clergy, are legislators for life, and are therefore
never called upon to account for their stewardship.
Only one-third part of the legislative assembly
is representative and responsible:—viz. the twelve
constables, who are chosen triennially in each parish,
by the same electors who choose the jurats; and who
are in fact the heads of the police of each parish, and
have under them, sundry inferior officers and deputies.
The States possess the powers (under certain limita-
JERSEY.
tions) which belong to any legislative body. They
originate and pass laws; raise funds for the public
service; enact appropriations of the revenue; and
preside generally, over the well-being of the island.
This assembly, however, cannot be convened without
the assent of the governor,—who has also a veto on its
deliberations, for the exercise of which powers, however,
he is accountable to the king in council; and
all acts passed by the States, if meant to continue
in force more than three years, require the king’s
assent.
The government of Jersey, is, as the reader probably
knows, a sinecure office, at present held by Lord
Beresford; and which, I believe I am vrarranted in
believing, will not much longer be suffered to exist.
The whole crown revenue of the island is, with certain
deductions, appropriated to the governor, and consists
of the corn tithes of ten of the parishes.
As the disposal of this revenue has lately been
brought under notice, by a parliamentary commission,
I will briefly state its amount, and deductions. The
tables before me, have reference to the revenue received
and appropriated, of 1818, since which year,
the amount has decreased about .300Z.
Amount of Wheat, Rye, Beans, Barley and Oat rents £ 7 1 1 1 1 6 i
Tithes -
Lands -
Fines -
Money Rents
Tavern Licences
Successions -
Renunciations
1414 11
446 7 OK o1
57 14 4 i
32 7 4 i
13 15 0
75 15 H i
88 12 4 i
£ 2 8 4 0 15 7
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