5l6 Declarations of 



No confribiidon ought to be dfinanJ- 

 ed excepting lor general ulility. All 

 the citizens, by their representatives, 

 have a right to assist in the decree of 

 contributions, and to observe and de- 

 mand an account of the employment of 

 them. 



Every lax or contribution is for pub- 

 lic utility : it ought to be assessed on 

 those able to contribute, in proportion 

 to tlieir means. 



The public succours are a sacred 

 debt. Society owes subsistence to un- 

 fortunate citizens, either by procuring 

 them work, or by ensuring the means of 

 subsistence to those who are not in a 

 condition to work : the unfortunate 

 having submitted to the regulations of 

 society, have a right to its protection 

 and asiistance. 



The civil authority ought to be so 

 organized, and attended by a civil and 

 legal force, that it should never have 

 occasion to call in the dangerous assis- 

 tance of the military power, but in the 

 last extremity of incivism. 



The military power is created for, 

 exists for, and ought otdy to act in, 

 foreign political relations ; so that the 

 soldier ought never (with the above ex- 

 ceptions,) to be employed against the 

 citizen. He can only bo commanded 

 against a foreign enemy. 



The guarantee of the rights of men 

 and citizens, renders necessary a public 

 force; this force is then instituted for 

 the advantage of all, and not for the 

 private views or purposes of those to 

 whom it is contided. 



The number of public officers ought 

 to be no greater than is strictly neces- 

 sary : above all, it is absurd that sine- 

 cures should exist in a state. 



The right of presenting petitions to 

 those exercising public authority, can- 

 not in any case be forbidden, suspended, 

 or limited. 



Men united in society ought to have 

 a legal means of resisting oppression. 



Oppression exists, when a law vio- 

 lates the natural, civil, and political, 

 rights, which it ought to ensure. 



Oppression exists, when the law is 

 violated by the public officers, in the 

 application of it to private benefit. 



Oppression exists, when arbitrary 



Social Rights. , [Julv I, 



acts violate t!ie rights of the citizen, 

 contrary to the expressed law. 



In every free government, the mode 

 of resisting these diflcrent acts of op- 

 pression ought to be pointed out and 

 regulated by the coiisliiulion. 



Resistance to oi)pression is a conse- 

 quence of tiie other rijchts of man. 



Oppression of one of the members is 

 oppression of the whole social body ; 

 and oppression of the social body is 

 oppression of every member. 



When the government violates the 

 rights of the people, insurrection is, 

 with the whole and every class of the 

 nation, the most sacred and indispensa- 

 ble of duties. 



Inasmuch as every actual service 

 ought to have and has its salary, it fol- 

 lows, that pensions can be solicited 

 from the public treasury only as a re- 

 compense, or as a charitable succour. 



Pecuniary recompenses stippose either 

 eminent or very long services rendered 

 to the state, by men who can no longer 

 be usefully employed, and who possess 

 otherwise no fortune. 



As to public charities, it is evident 

 that they should be bestowed only ujjon 

 ])ersons really unable to provide for 

 their wants; and by the word wants, 

 must be under: tood the wants of nature, 

 and not luxuries: for it never would be 

 the intention of those able to contribute 

 to deprive themselves sometimes of a 

 portion even of the necessaries of life, 

 to furnish luxuries to a state-pensioner. 

 Again, charitable relief should cease at 

 the same time as the inability which jus- 

 tified it. 



And as the introduction of abuses, 

 and the right of succeeding giMierations, 

 necessitates the revision ol every human 

 establishment, it is imperative on the 

 nation to have, in certain cases, an ex- 

 traordinary convocation of deputies, 

 whose sole object should be to examine 

 and correct, if necessary, the vices of 

 the constitution. It is even proper to 

 determine fixed periods when this revi- 

 sion shall take place, whatever be the 

 necessity for it. 



A society in which the guarantee of 

 riglits is not assured, and the separation 

 of public authorities not determined, 

 has no constitution. 



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