The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-16 00:00:00

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.

The following is the text of the new Constitution :
" CONSTITUTION DRAWN UP IN VIRTUE OF
THE POWERS DELEGATED BY THE FRENCH
PEOPLE TO LOUIS NAPOLEON BONA-
PARTE, BY THE VOTE OF DEC. 20 AND 21,
1831.

" THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC,
" Considering that the French people were called on
to pronounce on the following resolution :
" ' The people wills the maintenance of Lous Napo-
leon Bonaparte, and gives hire the necessary powers to
draw up a Constitution, according to the bases esta-
blished in his proclamation of December 2.'
" Considering that the bases proposed for the accept-
anco of the people were :
" 1. A responsible chief named for ten years.
" 2. Ministers dependent on the executive power only.
"3. A Council of State formed of the most distinguished
men, preparing the laws, and supporting the discussion
of them before the legislative body.
" 4. A legislative body discussing and voting the laws,
named by universal suffrage, without scrutin die lisle,
which falsifies the election.
" 5. A second Assembly, formed of all the illustrious
men of the country, a power intended to act as a coun-
terpoise and guardian of the fundamental part and of
public liberties.
" Considering that the people has responded affirma-
tively by 7,500,000 votes;
" Promulgates the Constitution in the following
terms:—

" CHAP. I.
Art. 1. The Constitution admits, confirms, and
guarantees
which are the basis of the public right of the French.
Principles proclaimed in 1789, and
Hp. e_gFroe
Ra
18
OF
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
REPUBLIC.
Art, 2. The Government of the French Republic is
confided for,lo years to Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte,
the present President of the Republic.
" Art. 3. The President of the Republic governs by
means of Ministers, the Council of State, the Senate, and
the legislative body,
.4 Art. 4. The legislative power is exercised collec-
tively by the President of the Republic, the Senate, and
the legislative body.

" CHIP. 111. OP Tee
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC.
" Art. 5. The President of the Republic is responsible
to the French people, to whom he has always the right
to make an appeal.
" Art. 6. The President of the Republic is the chief
of the State; he commands the land and sea forces, de-
clares war, concludes treaties of peace, alliance, and com-
merce, appoints to
tions and decrees necessary for the execution of the laws.
all employments, and makes the regula-
" Art. 7. Justice is rendered in his name.
" Art. 8. He alone has the initiative of the laws.
" Art. 9. He has the right of granting pardon.
" Art. 10. He sanctions and promulgates the lawseand
the Senatus-Consultus.
" Art. 11. He presents every year to the Senate and
to the legislative body, ,by a
message, the state of the
affairs of the Republic,
"Art. 12.
siege in one or several departments, on condition of re-
He has the right to declare the state of
ferring it to the Senate within the shortest possible
delay. The consequences of the state of siege are regu-
lated by the law.
" Art. 13. Tho Ministers depend only on the chief of
the State; they are only responsible for the acts of the
Government as far as they are individually concerned
in them; there is no joint responsibility among them,
and they can only be impeached by the Senate.
" Art. 14. The Ministers, the members of the Senate,
of the legislative body, and of the Council of State, the
officers of the land and sea forces, the magistrates and
public functionaries, take the following oath: "I swear
obedience to the Constitution and fidelity to the Presi-
dent.'
Art. 15. A Senatus-Consultum fixes the sum allowed
annually to the President of the Republic, during the
whole continuance of his functions.
" Art. 16. If the President of the Republic dies before
the expiration of his term of office, the Senate is to con-
voke the nation in order to proceed to a fresh election.
" Art. 17. The chief of the State has the right, by a
secret act deposited in the archives of the Senate, to
point out to the people the name of the citizen whom he
recommends in the interest of France to the confidence
of the people, end to their suffrages.
" Art. 18. Until the election of the new President of
the Republic, the President of the Senate governs with
the co-operation of the Ministers in functions, whoiform
themselves into a Council of Government, and deliberate
by a majority of votes.
" CHAP. IV.-- OF THE SENATE.
" Art. 19. The number of senators shall not exceed
150; it is fixed for the first year at 80.
" Art. 20. The Senate is composed-1. Of cardinals,
marshals, and admirals; 2. Of citizens whom the Presi•
dent of the Republic may think proper to raise to the
dignity of senators.
Art. 21. The senators are appointed for life.
" Art. 22. The functions of senator are gratuitous;
nevertheless, the President of the Republic may grant to
senators, on account of services rendered, or of their
position with regard to fortune, a personal dotation which
cannot exceed 30,000 f. per annum.
" Art. 23. The President and the Vice-President of
the Senate are named by the President of the Republic,
and chosen from among the senators. They are ap.
pointed for one year. The salary of the President of
the Senate is fixed by a decree.
" Art. 24. The President of the Republic convokes
and prorogues the Senate. He fixes the duration of its
sessions by a decree. The sittings of the Senate are
not public.
"Art,2s. The Senate is the guardian of the fundamen-
tal compact and of public liberties. No law can be pro-
mulgated without being submitted to it.
" Art. 26. The Senate may oppose the promulgation-
" 1. Of laws which may be contrary to or be an at-
tack on the Constitution, on religion, on morals, on
freedom of worship, on individual liberty, on the equality
of citizens in the eye of the law, on the immobility of
property, and on the principle of the immovability of the
those
magtracy which may
compromise the defence of
the terriory.
Art.t 27. The Senate regulates by a Senatus-Con-
sultum-
" 1. The Constition of the Colonies and Algeria.
" 2. Of
" 2. All that has not been provided by the Constitu-
tion, and which is necessary for its march.
3. The sense of the articles of the Constitution which
give rise to different interpretations.
" A
28. These Senatus-Consulta will be submitted
to therts'anction
him of the President of the Republic, and
promulgated b.
.. Art. 29. Tyhe Senate maintains or annuls all the acts
which are referred to it AS unconstitutional by the Go-
vernment, or denounced for the same cause by the pe-
titions of citizens.
Art. 30. 3
301.. The
It
m Sayena so propose modifications in the
the President of the Republic, lay down the basis of Bills
of great national interest.
Constitution. If the proposition is adopted by thatle may, in a report addressed to
Executive power, it must be stated by a Senatus-
e
Consultura.
"Art. 32.;Nevertheless, all modifications in the funda-
mental basis of the Constitution, such as they were laid
down in the Proclamation of the 2d of December, and
adopted by the French People, shall be submitted to
universal suffrage.
" Art. 33. In case of the dissolution of the legislative
body, and until a new convocation, the Senate, on the
proposition of the President of the Republic, shall pro-
vide, by measures of urgency, for all that is necessary
for the progress of the Government.

CHAP. 111 E LEGISLATIVE BODY'

—The election laaTio7itihasis the number
of
the population.
34
" Art. 35. There shall be one deputy to the legislative
body for every 35,000 electors.
" Art 36. The deputies are to be elected by universal
suffrage, without scri!tin de tiste.
“ Art. 37. They will not receive any salary,
"Art. 38. They are named for six years.
" Art. 39. The legislative body discusses and votes
bills and taxes.
" Art. 40. Any amendment adopted by the committee
charged to examines Bill shall be sent back without dis-
cussion to the Council Of State by the president of the
legislative body. If the amendment is not adopted by
the Council of State, it cannot be submitted to the dis-
cussion of the legislative body.
members' it may
" Art. 41. The ordinary sessions of the legislative
bodies last three months; its sittings are public; but at
the demand of five
form itself into a
secret committee.
"Art. 42. The report of the sittings of the legislative
body by the journals or by any other means of publica-
tion, shall only consist in the reproduction of the minutes
of the sitting, drawn
up
at its conclusion by the care of
the President of the legislative body.
" Art i
. 43. The 'president and vice-presidents of the
legislativefor onebody
Year; they are to be chosen from among
are named by the President of the Re-
publicthe deputies; The salary of the president of the legis-
lative body will be fixed by a decree.
" Art. 44. The Ministers cannot be members of the
legislative body.
" Art. 45. The right of petition can only be exercised
to the Senate. No petition can be addressed to the legis-
lative body.
" Art. 46. The President of the Republic convokes,
adjourns, prorogues, and dissolves the legislative body.
In the event of its being dissolved, the President of the
Republic must convoke a new one within a delay of six
months.

" CIL". VI.-CF TUE COUNCIL OF STATE.
" Art. 47. The number of Councillors of btate in ordi-
nary service is from 40 to 50.
" Art. 48. The Councillors of State are named by
the President of the Republic, and may be dismissed by
him.

" Art. 49. The Council of State is presided over by the
President of the Republic, and in his absence by the
person whom ho appoints as Vice-President of the
Couuncil of State.
" Art. 50. The Council of State is charged, under the
direction of the President of the Republic, to draw up
Bills, and the regulations of public administration, and
to solve the difficulties which may arise in administra-
tive matters.
" Art. 51. It supports, in the name of the Govern-
ment, the discussion of the Bills before the Senate and
the legislative body. The Councillors of State charged
to speak in the name of the Government are to be named
by the President of the Republic.
" Art. 52. The salary of each Councillor of State is
25,000 f.
" Art. 53. The Ministers have rank, sitting, and de-
liberative votes, in the Council of State,