took its present form in the year, Code de l’Hum
The Diet is to be convoked by the Emperor, or on his failure, by the Archbishop of Mentz with consent of Electors once in ten years at least from the last adjournment, and six months before the time of meeting. Ratisbon is the seat of the Diet since 1663.
The members amount to 285, and compose three Colleges, to wit, that of the Electors—of Princes—of Imperial Cities. The voices amount to 159, of which 153 are individual, & 6 collective. The latter are particular to the College of princes and are formed out of 39 prelates &c, and 93 Counts &c. The individual voices are common to the three Colleges, and are given by 9 Electors—94 princes, 33 of the ecclesiastical & 61 of the Secular Bench.—& 50 Imperial Cities. 13 of the Rhenish, & 37 of Suabian Bench.—The K. of Prussia has nine voices in as many differt. capacities. Id
The three Colleges assemble in the same House but in different apartments. Id
The Emperor as head of the Germanic body is presidt. of the Diet. He & others are represented by proxies at present. Id
The deliberations are groundd. on propositions from Emperor & commence in the College of Electors, from whence they pass to that of the Princes, & thence to that of the Imperial Cities. They are not resolutions till they have been passed in each. When the Electors & Princes cannot agree, they confer; but do not confer with the Imperial Cities. Plurality of voices decide in each College, except in matters of Religion & a few reserved cases, in which according to the Treaty of Westphalia, and the Imperial Capitulations the Empire is divided into the Catholic & Evangelic Corps. Id.
After the Resolutions have passed the three Colleges, they are presented to the Representative of the Emperor, without whose ratification they are null. Id They are called placita after passing the three colleges—conclusa after ratification by Emperor. Id.
The Collection of Acts of one Diet is called the Recess which cannot be made up & have the force of law, till the Close of the Diet. The subsisting diet has not been closed for more than a hundred years. Of course it has furnished no effective Resolution though a great number of Interesting ones have passed. This delay proceeds from the Imperial Court who refuse to grant a Recess, notwithstanding the frequent & pressing applications made for one. Id