STATE PAPERS. 



675 



resided the six preceding years, not 

 related to his immediate predeces- 

 sor in the third degree of consan- 

 guinity, or collateral relation (by 

 marriage). If abroad in the ser- 

 vice of the republic it is no impedi- 

 ment. The pensionary does not, 

 in any case, exercise any legislative 

 authority ; he has no concern with 

 any cause which is pending in a 

 court of justice, established by law, 

 nor with the application of the pe- 

 cuniary ways and means of the state, 

 otherwise than pursuant to the law. 

 He appoints a council of state, of 

 not less than five, ijor more than 

 nine members, whose qualifications 

 must be like those of their high 

 mightinesses. He lays no proposal 

 for a law before the assembly, with- 

 out having previously consulted the 

 /souncil of state, in the assembly 

 of their high mightinesses, he may 

 either propose the laws in person, 

 or through the members of the coun- 

 cil in his name. He appoints a se- 

 cretary-general of state, who is to 

 countersign all public acts of the 

 fctate. He also nominates five se- 

 cretaries of state, one for foreign af- 

 fairs, one for the navy, one for the 

 war department, one iqr the interior, 

 and one for the finances, with a 

 council of finance, consisting of 

 .three members as counsellors. He 

 appoints all foreign ministers, all 

 officers of the army and navy, all 

 national ofiicers of state, and all 

 »)embcrs of the tribunals, except 

 the members of the national court of 

 justice, concerning whom there arc 

 regulations stipulatt-d by article 79. 

 He directs the Jleets and camps of 

 the Batavian commonwealth ; sct- 

 ,tlvs the military ranks, provides for 

 the security of the state, for the un- 

 disturbed administration of justice, 

 for the execution of the laws, and 



is charged with the highest political 

 authority of the w hole state, as well 

 in civil as ecclesiastical alfairs, and 

 he appoints the magistrates for the 

 place where the government resides. 

 All acts ^f the government are made 

 out in the name of their high migh, 

 finesses, representing the Bataviaa 

 commonwealth, and signed by the 

 pensionary, and countersigned by 

 the secretary-general of state, The 

 pensionary has the chief administra- 

 tion of the national pecuniary re» 

 sources. He fixes the salaries of 

 the officers of state. He also grants 

 pensions pursuant to the stipula.^ 

 tions made by laAV. He delivers an- 

 nually to the assembly, a general 

 account of the exigencies of the 

 state, which their high mightinesses 

 approve or reject, but they jnust 

 make no alteration in it. Ja that 

 account there is a head for objects 

 not susceptible of specification, ma- 

 naged by the ])ensionary for the Ker= 

 vice of the state, and for defraying 

 the expence of supporting the ho- 

 nour and dignity of his post, and 

 the expenditure of his own otlices, 

 and of the persons there employed. 

 In justfication of the demand of that 

 sum, there shall only be required a 

 declaration, signed with his owu 

 hand, that it has been used exclu- 

 sively for the concerns and hervice 

 of the state, and in no wise for en- 

 riching him or his relations. The 

 financial means remain at first, as 

 already established in each depart- 

 ment, but the pensipnar) 's first care 

 will be, to consider every thing 

 tending to increase the revenue of 

 the state, to simplify the dilierent 

 branches of the administration, and 

 to intrgcjuce the strictest economy 

 every vvhere ; also to pro|)osc laws 

 cither for amending the estii'ilished 

 sybtem of taxation, or for introdnc 



