George Bancroft to To the Diet, May 6, 1871

Mr. Bancroft to Mr. Fish

Sir: I inclose to you to-day a copy of the constitution of Germany, as reported to the diet, and as adopted without change.

A bill is now pending in the Parliament fixing the rate of payment to the members of the diet for their legislative services, and their traveling expenses in coming to and returning from the place of session. The pay proposed to be fixed is prospective; not to be received until a new Parliament is chosen. The per diem allowance is three thalers, or $2 16 of our money. The average length of the annual session has not been more than sixty days. The number of the members of the diet is three hundred and eighty-two; the pay of the members for the year would, therefore, amount to $49,507 20. The amount allowed for traveling expenses is the fare in a second-class carriage from the nearest station to Berlin and back again. I have taken some pains to get at the average which the members would receive, and I find it to be in our money, $6 12 each way; each member, therefore, would receive $12 24 for traveling expenses, and the whole amount would be $4,675 68.

German statesmen are already studying the constitution of our Supreme Court of the United States, and the wish is already heard that a like institution may find a place in Germany.

I am, &c.,