The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-27 00:00:00

GREEK CONSTITUTION.

ISIONAL CONS TITUTI ON or the GREEKS,
r,onlulgaed by the NATIONAL CONGRESS.
CHAPTER L—Os RELIGION.
411. 1. The Religion of the State is the Orthodox Religion
of
'lle Eastern (Greek) Church.
let all religions are • tolerated, and their ceremonies freely
exeTcised.

PRov

eIIATTER IL—PUBLIC RIGHTS OF THE GREEKS.
. All natives of Greece, professing the Christian
are Greeks, and entitled to all political rights.
Greeks are equal, in the eye of the law, without distinc-
'lon of rank or dignity.
4. Foreigners established or sojourning temporarily in Greece
ere entitled there to the same civil rights as the Greeks.
& a law of naturalization shall shortly be Published by the
Gorernm ent. •

R. All 6
nreeeinkestabreeperliegfeibrelenctoe.every employment.; merit alone
shall deter
7. TheAlaced under
property, honour, and. safety of every citizen are
the protection of the laws.
, . ,
teentributions for the expences of the State are.to be levied
etl'rattlg to the fortune of each individual. No tax shall be
Maul witheut the sanction of law.
CIIAPTER.III.—Fonef OF twoR
Government is composed of Bodies—the Le-
``.'ne Senate and the Executive Council.
. ‘
_These two Bodies must concur in the framing of laws.
tee ."11neil may refuse its sanction to the laws adopted by
iweeriate, in like manner as the latter may reject the plans of
I,P. mimed by the Council.
The Legislative Senate is composed of Deputies, elected
12'.!,11,Yrerent provinces. .
the I ne uumber of. Deputies to the Senate shall be fixed by
~ -.Rev of Election..
ale The The Law of Elections, to be published by the Govern.
shall contain the two following regulations :-Ist, The
y: e es eri t ativ es must be Greeks. 2d, They must be thirty
e old.
14.
qtee The Deputies of all the. Provinces and free Islands of
ler" shall be admitted as soon as their powers are acknow-
ri to be valid b the Senate.
teo;Erery year the Senate nominates its President and Vice-
eeent, by a majority of votes.
eC• In like manner, and for the same period, it nominates a
of and second Secretary, and Under Secretaries.
The Senate is re-elected every year.
40 The Executive Council is composed of five Members,
cor see from the Members of the Legislative Senate and ac-
e4N to the regulations established by the special law, con-
lee. i
ng_ the formation of this Council.
pres'i t;very year the Council nominates ts President and Vice-
-20 erent by a majority of votes.
of 4: It nominates eight Ministers, viz. the Arch-Chancellor
the tare, for the conduct of Foreign Affairs; the Ministers of
ei,,,..lnete'rior, of Finance, of Justice, of War, of the Marine, of
ii.snP, and of Police.
e. It has also the nomination to all Government Offices.
th`e.;:eThe functions of the Council to cease at the expiration of
CHAPTER IV.—OF THE LEGISLATIVE SENATE.
23. SECTION I.—Legislative Power of the Senate.
titi Considering the urgency and importance of the neces...
the State,
Y e'a3°fthe Legislative Senate is to continue this
2 r itslabours without interruption.
4' The President fixes the opening of the Sessions, and de-
--rsules their duration.
Re may, in case
e of necessity, convoke the Senate to hold
Xtrae e•
„ ?ery Sittings.
„t emln case the
PresidentPe should be absent, the Vice-Presi-
-2,1,118 to carry on s.
e'. Two-thirds of the Members are sufficient to constitute
the Senate.
211- The Resolutions of the Senate are decided by a majority
se yet". •
ti 29. In case the votes should be equal, the President's vote
eterneines the majority.
, 0- All the Acts of the Senate are signed by the President,
°and counter-signed by the Chief Secretary.
31. The President transmits the Resolutions of the Senate
to the Council, and submits them to its approbation..
1032- If the Council refuses its sanction, or proposes amend-
iteentl, the prottct is returned to the Senate, with the causes of
After this
or e amendments proposed to be again discussed.
t 0 the
this new examination, the project is sent a second time
toe Council, who either adopts or rejects it definitively.
t •!‘). The Senate receives and xamines all Petitions addressed
whatever may be theobjeect of them.
2:- Every three months, the Senate forms from among its
ISlembers as many
helpCommttees as there are Ministries.
eir- At the selection of resident, each of these Corn-
pe'teee is attached to a branch of the public service, and pre-
-& the projects of law relating to that branch.
ter- Every Member ma propose a prect of law in writing,
telt the President refers to the competent Committee.
C`9B
The Senate receives projects of law which the Executive
2.11,1cil sends to it, and approves, amends, or rejects them.
• "' Every declaration of' war and treaty of peace shall be
Mitted to the Senate, and in general treaties entered into
/ the Executive Council with Foreign Powers, whatever may
its Objects, shall not be considered conclusive until they shall
eh °een approved by the Senate. Truces and armistices of
c3hrt duration are not comprised under this regulation.
01,9* At the beginning of each year the Council submits tp
approbation of the Senate an estimate of the expences of
the Year, and the means of probationdefrayin and at the end pa
conYear,lt also presents to the app of the Senate
coke
account of the receipts and expenses.
lue, however, rendering it impossibl to present
beernate for the current year, the Senate shallop rovi.de for
:he "Pences of the war and other public charges, subject to
naPProbation of the detailed account, which shall be sub-
to the Senate at the end of the year, conformably to the
heeortd regulation of this Article.
40 rre.
tie • he
Senate approves or rejects propositions for promo-
-P in the army made by the Council.
c„ t• It also approves or rejects propositions made by the
Veil for rewarding great civil or military services.
f• The Senate shall regulate the new system for the este-
e„, i:lnient of a mint, and the Council shall cause a new coinage
treatstarnped in the name of the nation.
• It is expressly prohibited for the Senate to approve any
if.e' mical to the political independence of the nation ; and
atilt should receive information that the Council is engaged in
criminal negotiation of this nature, it is required to im-
ei_ch the President, and if the 'charge be proved, to degrade
1 from his office.'
• Journalists. ,have the right of being present at all the
then of
,e Senate, except when i Secret Committees, and
Whenever five Members require n their presence.
0 SECTION 2.—Of the Secretaries of the Senate.
toe!. The Chief Secretary of the Senate is charged with the
ee:"Pilation of the Acts of this Body, and is to keep an authen-
••teollection of them.
4,16- Re receives from the President the Resolutions of the Se-
pandis , transmits them to the Council.
teeYn case the Chief Secretary is absent, the second Secre-
co supply his place.
di, °ECTION 3—Of the Judicial Power of the Senate.
poF: If one or more .'Members of the Senate are accused of ,a
thilltical offence, a Cemmission of seven Members, named for
drawPurkse by the Senate, shall investigate the charge, and
ate a rene-e in writing on the subject. If the Commission
0
lake .
,pirnoe the accusation is well founded, the Senate shall
eus,cit into consideration, and in case the person or persons ac-
he,,`", be condemned by a majority of two-thirds of the votes,
thethey shall be degraded from his dignity, and sent before
fit ''ullretrie• Tribunal of Greece, to be there tried like a simple
lzere
14.249- No Senator can be arrested until after he has been Con-
t,'
op. -?„.„' an offence or a crime.
clued
01',.v nen a Member of the Executive Council shall be ac-
'late fr a crime or a political offence, the Senate shall nomi-
shell
enrn among its own members a commission of nine, who
• b'llake a report conformably to article 48. If the commis-
tiee,:e of opinion that there are good grounds for the accusa-
tive-, 'and if the Senate•who in this case takes the affair into its
foue_fi3nde, condemns the party accused by a majority of
his
of of the votes, the President shall degrade the accused
ope:itine's dignity, and send him before the Supreme Tribunal
Greece to be tried as provided for in article 48.
hen one or several :Ministers are accused of a crime or
.40,1 al offence, he or they shall be tried according to the forms
4 'l,l?de prescribed in article 48.
42.0_-_tIATPIOTITEIR V.—OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
—Of the Executive power of the Council.
43. The Executive Council, as a body, is inviolable.
c 0,11•
If the whole bedy of the Executive Council were to be-
:4lilty of. a political crime or offence, the President shall
nom- inatiaondpunished conform bl tp article 43 ; and after the
paratel of a new Presidentathye other Members shall be se-
peov,_.Y prosecuted, tried, and punished conformably to the
i..'ee9s of article 50.
through Co_ u.neil causes the laws to be carried into execution
uie inisters.
lae
66- eve ecsanetions or rejects the projects 'adopted by the Legis-
Senate.
Them. It
,-,Pet I%;PPoses. projects of law to t Senate, who discusses
intsters have a right to he
be present at these dis

dasions ; and the Minister to whose department the project in
diacassion relates must always be present.
57. All the acts and decrees of the Council are signed by the
President, counter-signed by the chief Secretary, and sealed
with the national seal.
58. The Council disposes of the forces by land and sea.
59. It is authorized to issue such directions as it deems pro-
per, and to enforce the laws which concern public order.
'6O. It is also authorized to take all measures deemed neces-
sary for the public tranquillity in all matters of Police, pro-
vided it communicates the same to the Senate.
61. It is empowered, with the consent of the Senate, to
raise loans, at home and abroad, on the security of the national
domains.
62. It is in like manner empowered, with the consent of the
Senate, to sell a part of the national domains.
63. It nominates the Ministers, and regulates their appoint-
ments, allowances, &c.
64. The Ministers are responsible for every act of their re-
spective departments, and consequently they are not to execute
any act or decree contrary to the rights and duties proclaimed
by the present act.
65. The Council nominates all persons employed by the
Government at Foreign Courts.
66. It is to inform the Senate of the state of its relations
with Foreign Powers, and of the internal condition of Greece.
67. It has the power of changing the Ministers, and every
other person whom it nominates to office.
68. In urgent cases, it convokes an extraordinary Session of
the Senate.
69. In cases of high treason, the Council may take such
measures as shall be deemed necessary, whatever may be the
rank of the persons accused.
70. The Council may, in • such cases, if circumstances de-
mand it, make promotions and provisional nominations in the
army, which shall be submitted to the Senate, on the restora-
tion of tranquillity.
71. In these cases, the Council shall present to the Senate, in
the course of a few days, a circumstantial report in writing of
the causes which led to the necessity of adopting extraordinary
measures.
72. As it disposes of all forces by land and sea, the Council
may, in time of war, take also extraordinary measures to pro-
cure billets, provisions, clothing, munitions, and every other
article requisite for armaments by land and sea.
73. It shall present to the Senate a project of law on deco-
rations to be given in reward for services rendered to the '
country.
74. The Executive Council is required to keep up a cor-
respondence with Foreign Powers, and to undertake and carry
on all kinds of negotiations; but declarations of war and
treaties of peace, commerce, &c. are to be submitted to the
approbation of the Senate.
75. The Council may, however, conclude conventions for
truces of short duration, conformably to Article 38, always com-
municating them to the Senate.
76. At the beginning of each year it shall present to the Se-
nate an estimate, and at the end of each year an exact and de-
tailed account of the revenues and expences of the current year.
These two statements are to be prepared by the Minister of
Finance, and accompanied with the necessary vouchers and do-
cuments.
Nevertheless for this year the accounts, shall he made, as
specified in Article 39.
77. The Resolutions of the Council are determined by a ma-
jority of voices.
78 In no case, and'under no pretext, can the Council enter
into any negociation or conclude any treaty hostile to the Roli-
tical independence of the Nation. In the event of such a crime
the President of the Council is prosecuted, degraded, and pu-
nished in the manner set out in Article 53.
79. The Council shall propose a project of law for the uni-
form of the Troops by land and sea.
80. It shall present also a project of law to regulate the pay
of the Troops by land and sea, and to fix the allowances, &c. of
all the persons employed by the Government.
SECTION 11.-Mode of Prosecuting Members of the Council.
81. As soon as the impeachment for a political offence,
brought against a Member of the Council, has been voted by
the Senate, the party accused is degraded from his functions,
and the indictment and trial are to be prosecuted in the manner
mentioned in article 50.
82. No Members of the Council can be arrested until after
condemnation ; in case of the deposition or absence' of a
Counsellor, if the number of votes are equal in a deliberation,
the vote of the President determines the majority.
83. The accusation against one or several Ministers admitted
by the Senate to be justly founded, 'Mist be followed by his or
their dismissal, and the proceedings for his or their trial shall
be prosecuted conformably to article 51.
84. In cases of High Treason the Council may form,,in the
place where the Government is sitting, a central and extraordi-
nary commission, to take cognizance of such crimes until the
Supreme Tribunal of Greece shall be established.
CHAPTER V1.;,-.T-01: T.IIE.JUDICIAL POWER.
85. The Judicial Power is independent of 'the Legislative
and Executive Powers.
86. It is composed of eleven Members, elected by the Govern-
ment, who'are to chuse their own President.
87. A law on the organization of the Tribunals shall soon
be published.
88. This law shall fix the extent of their jurisdiction and the
general forms of procedure to be adopted in the prosecution of
trials.
89. This law shall be founded on the following five ar-

tides
Ist. The supreme tribunal shall be formed and established
in the town where the Government shall be sitting. This
tribunal shall take cognizance, without appeal, of crimes of
high treason and attempts against the safety of the State.
2d. General tribunals shall be established in all the chief
towns of the local governments. Appeals from the judg-
ments of these tribunals may be made to the supreme tri-
bunal.
3d. An inferior tribunal shall be established in each dis-
trict. • Appeals from their judgments may be made to the
general tribunal of the chief town. The inferior tribunals
cannot take cognizance of political offences.
4th. In each town or village a Justice of the Peace shall
be established, who shall take cognizance of all pecuniary
disputes not exceeding the sum of one hundred piastres, and
of all family differences.
sth. Justices of the Peace may be indicted before the Dis-
trict Tribunals ; the District Judges before. the tribunal of
each town, and those of the chief town before the Supreme
Tribunal.
90. The Executive Council shall form a Commission, com-
posed of men Celebrated for their knowledge and virtues, to
digest a system of laws which shall form the civil, criminal, and
commercial codes. These laws shall be submitted to the con-
sideration and approbation of the Senate and Council.
91. Until these laws are made public, judgment shall be
pronounced in confOrmity with the laws of our ancestors, pro-
mulgated by the Greek Emperors of Bysantium,* and those
published by the present Government.
With regard to commercial affairs the French commercial
code shall be the law of Greece.--
92. Torture is abolished.—Confiscation is in like manner
abolished for all citizens.
93. After the complete organization of the Judicial Body,
no citizen can be arrested without a special order from the
competent tribunal, except in cases of flagrant crimes.
CHAPTER VH.—SUPPLEMENTAL ARTICJ ES.
94. -The Socal Governments established before the convoca-
tion of the National Congress are subject to the authority of
the supreme Government.
95. Corinth is declared the seat of the Provisional Govern
ment. In case a change should be rendered necessary by spe-
cial circumstances, it is to be decreed by the. Senate ana Coun-

cil.
96. The Seal of the State shall be the figure of Minerva, or=
namented with the symbols of Wisdom.
97. The National Colours, as well for the ensigns on shore, as
for the flags at sea, are white and blue.
98. The arrangement of the colours in the formation of the
ensigns and flags shall be determined by the Council.
99. The. Government is to take every necessary measure to
afford paternal assistance to the widows and orphans of men
who have died for their country.
100. It is also to distribute honours and rewards for all bril-
liant actions and signal services rendered to the country.
101. At the termination of the war, it shall also grant re-
compence to' hose who have contributed to the regeneration of
Greece by pecuniary sacrifices, and give remuneration to those
whose generous efforts in this noble cause shall have reduced
them to misfortunes.
102. The present organic law shall be printed and distri-
buted throughout the whole extent of Greece. The original
shall be deposited in the archives of the Legislative Senate.
Given at Epidaurus Jan. 1, (13,) 1822, and the first year of
Independence.
(Signed) ALEXANDER MAVROCORDATO,
President of the Congress.
And by all the Members of the Congres6, 58 in number.

* This is the Code known under the title of the Basilica,
which succeeded that of Justinian. It is the work of the Em-
perors Basilius Macedon, Leo, the Philosopher, his son, and
Constantine Porphyrogenetus, his grandson. This Code has
continued to be m force among the Greeks up to the present
day.
- The French Commercial Code began to have the force of
Law in some mercantile Towns of the Levant as early as
1817. The Greek merchants had purchased this permission
from the Turkish Government. Two Greek translations of
this Code have been published, the first at Constantinople, and
the other at Paris,