FRANCE. 



311 



The test of the enat\t-ron*ultum was as 



follows: 



i CUE 1. The Senate shares the legislative pow- 

 t-r with tin: KiMjn-ror and thu h<>w<-r Chamber. It 

 ha* the initiative of bills ; nevertheless, every 

 linuiioiul measure inuHt first be voted by the othor 

 House. 



ABT. 2. The number of Senators may bo rained to 

 two-thirds of that of the Deputies, without includ- 

 ing those who are members by right of thtit high as- 

 wmMy. Tho Emperor cannot name more than twen- 

 ty in each year. 



ABT. 3. The constituent power attributed to the 

 Senate by articles 31 and 82 of the Constitution of 

 January 14, 1852, ceases to exist. , 



ART. 4. The dispositions annexed to the present 

 ttnatut-contultum. which are comprised in the />/.'- 

 Uscitet of December 14 and 21, 1851, and December 

 21 and 22, 1852, and which sprang from it, form the 

 Constitution of the empire. 



AST. 5. Tho Constitution can only bo modified by 

 the people. 



CHAPTER II. OF TOE IMPEU1AL DIGNITY AND THE RE- 



II. The imperial dignity conferred on Napoleon 

 III. by the plebiscite of November 21, 1852, is hered- 

 itary 111 the direct and legitimate heirs of Louis Na- 

 poleon Bonaparte, from male to male, in the order 

 of primogeniture, and to the perpetual exclusion of 

 women and their descendants. 



III. Napoleon III., if be has no male heir, can 

 adopt the children and legitimate descendants in the 

 male line of the brothers of Napoleon I. The adop- 

 tion is interdicted to the successors of Napoleon III., 

 and their descendants. If, after the adoption, Napo- 

 leon III. should have any male heirs, the children so 

 adopted cannot be called to succeed him until after 

 his legitimate successors. Such act of adoption is 

 interdicted to the successors of Napoleon III. and 

 their heirs. 



IV. In default of a legitimate or adopted heir, are 

 called to the throne Prince Napoleon Bonaparte and 

 liis direct heirs, natural and legitimate, from male to 

 male by order of primogeniture, and to the perpetual 

 exclusion of women and their descendants. 



V. In default of a lawful or adopted heir of Napo- 

 leon III., and of the successors in the collateral line 

 taking their rights from the preceding article, the 

 people nominates the Emperor and regulates in his 

 lamily the -hereditary order from male to male, to 

 the perpetual exclusion of females and their descend- 

 ants. The draft of the plebiscite is successively dis- 

 cussed in the Senate and Legislative body on the 

 proposition of the ministers formed into council of 

 government. Up to the moment when the election 

 of the new Emperor is terminated, the affairs of the 

 state are directed by the ministers in office, forming 

 a council of government and deliberating by a ma- 

 jority of votes. 



VI. Tho members of the family of Napoleon III.. 

 called eventually to the chance of inheriting, and 

 their descendants of both sexes, form part of the 

 imperial family. They cannot marry without the 

 Emperor's authorization ; and their marriage without 

 that permission entails the privation of all claim 

 to the succession, both for the person contracting the 

 said union and for his descendants. Nevertheless, 

 if there should not be any issue from such marriage, 

 in case of a dissolution caused by decease, the prince 

 who has contracted it recovers his right of succes- 

 sion. The Emperor fixes the titles and conditions of 

 the various other members of the family ; ho has full 

 authority over them, and regulates their duties and 

 rights by statutes. 



VII. The regency of the empire is regulated by 

 the senatiu-consultum of July 17, 1856. However, in 

 cases provided for by paragraph three of article five, 

 the Legislative Body is convoked at the same time as 

 the Senate. In the case foreseen in the paragraph 



which follows, the votes of the LegUhUive Body eo- 

 opcrutu with those of the Senate iu the election of 



VIII. Tho members of the imperial family .called 

 eventually to the succession, take the title ol 1 

 prince*. Tho eldest sou of tho Emperor takes tho 

 title of Prince Imperial. 



IX. The French princes are members of tho Sen- 

 ate and of the Council of Stato when thcv have at- 

 tained the age of eighteen years completed : but they 

 cannot sit in them without tho consent of the Ein- 

 peror. 



CHAITEH III. FORM 07 THE IVFKROB'S COVER* MEST. 



X. The Emperor governs with the aid of the min- 

 isters, the Senate, tho Legislative Body, and the Coun- 

 cil of State. 



XI. The legislative power is exercised collectively 

 by the Emperor, tho Senate, and the Legislative 

 Bodv. 



XII. The initiative of laws belongs to the Emper- 

 or, the Senate, and the Legislative Bt dy. Neverthe- 

 less, every bill imposing a tax must first be voted by 

 tho Lower Chamber. 



CHAPTEB iv. or THE EMPEROR. 



XIII. The Emperor is responsible to the French 

 people, to whom he has always a right to make an 

 appeal. 



XIV. The Emperor is the chief of the state. He 

 commands the land and sea forces, declares war, con- 

 tracts treaties of peace, alliances, and commerce, nomi- 

 nates to all posts, ana fixes the regulations and de- 

 crees necessary for the execution of the laws. 



XV. Justice is administered in his name. 



XVI. He has the right to grant pardons and to ac- 

 cord amnesties. 



XVII. He sanctions and promulgates the laws. 



XVIII. The modifications to bo hereafter made in 

 the laws, customs tariffs, or postal charges by inter- 

 national treaties, will only be obligatory after having 

 been voted by the Chambers. 



XIX. The ministers depend only on tho Emperor. 

 (Reproduction of the plebiscite.') They deliberate in 

 council, with his Majesty presiding, and are respon- 

 sible. 



XX. The ministers can be members either of the 

 Senate or of the Legislative Body. They can enter 

 either assembly when they please, and have a 

 right to be heard whenever they think proper to 

 speak. 



XXI. The ministers, Senators, Deputies, per- 

 sons composing the Council of State, officers of tho 

 army and navy, judges and public functionaries are 

 to take the following path : "I swear obedience to the 

 Constitution and fidelity to tho Emperor." 



XXII. The senatus-consulta of the 12th of Decem- 

 ber, 1852, and 23d of April, 1856, relative to the civil 

 list, remain in force. In future, the allowance to 

 the crown shall be fixed for the whole duration of 

 the reign by tho Legislature which meets after the 

 Emperor's accession. 



CHAPTEB VI. OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODT. 



XXVIII. The basis of election is the population. 



XXIX. Tho Deputies are returned by universal 

 suffrage, and are to be voted for individually. 



XXX. They will be chosen for a period which can- 

 not be less than three years. 



XXXI. The Lower Chamber discusses and votes 

 laws and taxe . 



XXXII. It chooses, at the commencement of each 

 session, its president, vice-presidents, and secre- 

 taries. 



XXXIII. The Emperor convokes, adjourns, pro- 

 rogues, and dissolves tho Chamber. In the latter case 

 his Majesty is bound to summon a new one within 

 six months. 



XXXIV. The sittings are public, but at the re- 

 quest of five members they can be held in secret. 





