607 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



The post of grand officer is perpe- 

 tual. — 50. Each of the grand offi- 

 cers of the empire presides over an 

 clcdloral college, which is specially 

 appointed to him at the moment of 

 his nomination. — 51. If, by an or- 

 der of the emperor, or by any other 

 cause whatever, a titulary of a 

 grand dignity of the empire, or a 

 grand officer relinquishes his func- 

 tions, he nevertheless preserves his 

 title, rank, privileges, and a moiety 

 of the salary attached to his office. 

 He can only forfeit them by a judg- 

 ment of the high imperial court. 

 Tifle VII.— 0/ Oaths. 

 52. Inthecourseof the two years 

 subsequent to his accession or ma- 

 jority, the emperor, accompanied 

 by the titularies of the ^rand digni- 

 ties of the empire, the ministers, 

 the grand officers of the empire, 

 takes the oath of fidelity to the 

 French people upon the evangelists, 

 and in the presence of the senate, 

 the council of state, the legislative 

 body, the tribunate, the court of 

 cassation, the archbishops, the bi- 

 shops, the grand officers of the le- 

 gion o^ honour, the national ac- 

 countants, tlie presidents of the 

 courts of appeal, the presidents of the 

 cledtoral colleges, the presidents of 

 the cantonal assemblies, the presi- 

 dents of the consistories, and the 

 mayors of the 36 principal towns 

 of the empire. The secretary of 

 state prepares t]\e proces verbal of 

 the ceremony. — 53. The oath taken 

 by the emperor is couched as fol- 

 lows: " I swear to maintain the 

 integrity of the territory of the 

 republic ; to respe6t and to cause 

 to be respe6ted the laws of the con- 

 cordat and the liberty of public 

 worship ; to Tcspecl and to cause to 

 be respected the equality of rights, 

 political and civil liberty, the irre- 

 vocability of the sales of national 



domains ; to levy no duty, io im^ 

 pose no tax but by virtue of the 

 law ; to maintain the institution of 

 the legion of honour ; and to have 

 no view in governing, but the in^ 

 terest, the happiness, and the glory 

 of the French people." — 54. Before 

 he enters upon the exercise of his 

 fun6tions, the regent, accompanied 

 by the titularies of the grand digni- 

 taries of the empire, the ministers, 

 and the grand officers of the empire 

 take the oath upon the evangelists 

 and in the presence of the senate, 

 the council of state, the president 

 and qucstors of the legislative body^ 

 the president and questors of the 

 tribunate, and the grand officers of 

 the legion of honour. The secre- 

 tary of state prepares the proces 

 verbal of the ceremony. — 55. The 

 oath taken by the regent is as fol- 

 lows : " I swear to administer the 

 affairs of the state, conformably to 

 the constitutions of the empire, the 

 senatus consulta and the laws ; to 

 maintain in all its integrity the ter- 

 ritory of the republic, the rights of 

 the nation and those of the imperial 

 dignity, and faithfully to deliver 

 up to the emperor, as soon as he 

 attains his majority, the power which 



has been confided tb me." 56. 



The titularies of the grand dignities 

 of the empire, the ministers and the 

 secretary of state, the grand officers, 

 the members of the senate, the le- 

 gislative 'body, the tribunate, the 

 elcftoral colleges, and the cantonal 

 assemblies, take the following oath: 

 " I swear obedience to the consti- 

 tutions of the empire and fidelity to 

 the emperor." The public function- 

 aries, civil and judicial, the officers 

 and soldiers of the army on land and 

 sea take the same oath. 



Tide Vlll.—Of the Senate. 

 67. The senate is composed, Ist. 

 of the French princes who have at- 

 tained 



