Franz Joseph to By supreme command: BERNHARD RITTER Y. MEYER, September 20, 1865

Imperial patent.

We, Francis Joseph the First, by the grace of God Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, King of Lombardy, &c., &c., make known, to wit:

In consideration of the unavoidable necessity of forming a durable and constitutional charter of rights for the empire which shall receive strength and importance from the free participation of all its subjects, the legal representatives of the lands of the Hungarian crown included, and of proposing to the diets for their acceptance the diploma of 20th October, 1860, and the patent of the 26th February, 1861, concerning the representation of the empire:

In further consideration, as these laws are forbidden to be considered generally binding in every part of the empire, with the advice and counsel of our ministers, we decree as follows:

First. The effect of the fundamental laws concerning the representation of the empire, with certain exceptions, is suspended, and the deliberations of the Hungarian and Croatian diets, in case they comprehend a modification of the existing laws, compatible with the unity of the empire, and its position as a great power, shall be laid for our ultimate approval before the legal representatives of the other kingdoms and provinces, to receive and worthily estimate their expression of opinion.

Second. So long as the imperial representatives do not assemble, it is the duty of our government to forward all measures that cannot be postponed, and among these, especially, such as are required by the financial and commercial interests of the empire.