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London, England, 1815-04-27 00:00:00

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THE EMPIRE.

SECOND TITLE._

't_7`o RE IGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENC EI , PAPERS.

[RECEIVED YESTERDAY A.FTER/ZOON.]

ADDITIONAL ACT TO THE_CONSTITUTIONS OF

.NArottos, hy the Grace of GOD and the Constitutions,
EMPEROR of the VnEscrr, to dil present, and to come;

Ever since W -were, fifteen years ago, called by the wishes
of the French people to the Gavernment of the State; we have
endeavoured, at different times, to I.ring to perfection the
constitutional forms, conformahly to the cares and wishes
of the nation, and with the lessons of experience before us.
The Constitutions of the Empire have thus been foriucd by
a series of acts which ha'r'e been sanctioned by the accept-
ence of the people. Our object then was, to organize a
grand federative Enropean system, which we had adopted as
'conformable to the spirit of the age, and favourable to the
progress of civilization. In order to effect its completion,
and to -sive it every kind of scope and stability of which it
was eapalde, we deferred the establishment of several in-
ternal institutions; which were morn particularly intended
to protect the liberty of the citizens. Our sole object here-
after its to increase the prosperity of France, by the con-
solidation of public liberty. Hence arises the necessity
for several important modifications in the Constitution, the
Senatus-Consulta, and other acts which govern this Empire.
Fur these reasons, wishing on the one hand to retain every
thing of the past that is good and salithiry; and on the other
hand, to make the Constitutions of our E;npire in every res-
'peel c.eiforniable to the natiOnal wishes anti wants, as well ;
as to the state of peace which we wish to maintain with Eu-
rope, we have resolved to 'propose to the people a series of
regulations tending to modify and perfeetfhose Constitutional
Acts ; to invest the rights of the citizens with, every necessary
scent-4y ;to give to the Representative System all its exten-
sion ; to invest the intermediate bodies with the•consideration
and power which they ought to possess ; and tb combine the
_highest pitch of. political liberty and individual security,with
the force and concentration necessary to make the indepen,
tlence of the Freachl'eeple and tte dignity "of our Crown
tespected by foreigners. Therefore the folloWing Articles, r
forming a supplementary Act, in addition to the Constitu-
tions of the Empire, shall be submitted to the free and solemn
acceptance of the citizens throughoUt the whole extent of
France.

FIRST TITLE,
GENERAL DISt,osItIONS.

Art. 1. The Constitutions of the Empire called the Consti,
tlitional Act of the e2d Fremaire, in the year 8, the Senatus
Coersultum of 14 and 16 Thermidor, in the year 10, and that
of the 28th FlOrial, in the year 12, shall he inodified by the
following regulations: in other respects they are confirmed.
Art. The Legislative power is exercised by the Emperor
and Two Hooves.
Art. 3. The First House is called the House of Peers, and it
hereditary.
Art. 4. The Emperor appoints the Membert, who arc irre--
Vocable, and their descendants from the eldest to the eldest in
the male line direct. The number of Peers is not limited.—
Adoption does not confer the quality of Pier to the person
ivlio is adopted. The Peers are admitted at 21 years of age,
but have no deliberative voice till ga.
Art. fi. The Arch-Chancellor of the Empire is the President
of the House of Peels, or in the ease as provided by the Ar-
ticle 51 of the Senatus Consultum of the 28th Modal, in the
year 12 one of the Members of this House is fixed upon by the
Emperor=.
Art. 6. The Members of the Imperial Family in the order
of Hereditary right, are Peers of course; they sit after the
President) they take their seats at 18 years of 117,,, but bare
no deliberative voice till Ql.
Ait. 7. The Second House is called the House of Represen-
tatives, and is elected by the people,
Art. 8.. The Members of this House are to he 62.9 ; they
Must not be under 25 years of age.'
Art. 9. The President of the Chamber of Representatites is
appointed by the House at the opening of the first Session.—
He remains to the end of it; his appointment is submitted to.
the approbation of the Emperor. •
Arr. 10. The Chainher of Representatives verifies the qua-
liiicatiiins of its Members, and decides upon
,Contested
Eleetioi4.

The Members of the Chamber of Representatives
recei-re for travelling expences, and during the Session, the
allowance decreed by the Constittitint Assembly.
Art. 12. They are indefinitely re-eligible,.
Art. 13. The.Chambev of Reptesentatires is renewed of ob-
ligation erery firs. years. -
. Art. 14. No Member of either House is liable to arrest,
except in the case of flagrant offence, nor .14 case of a einni-
nal prosecution during the Ses►(Sn, luit $ resolution of the.
House of which he is a Member.

Art. 15. No Member can be atrested or detained for debt
from the time of the Cobirucation, nor for forty days after the
Session."

Art. 16. The Peers are Judges, as a House, in criminal or
connectional matters, according to the forms which shah he
regulated 6v-the law.

Art. 17. The quality of Peer and Representative is compa-
tible with all public functions, except those of Accountants.
The Prefects and Sub-Prefects are at all times ineligible
for election by the College of the Department, or of the
Dis-
triet in which they administer.
Art. is. The Emperor may send the Ministers and Coon-
eillqrs of State to the Departments, who shall sit therein, and
take part in the discussions but they shall have no delibe-
rative voice, except in case they shall be Members of- the
Chambers, either as Peers, or as elected by the people.
Art. 19. The Alinisters who are, Members of the Chambers
of Peers, or . Representatives, or who may sit at the instance
of the Government, shall give to the Chambers the informa-
tion that may be judged necessary, as far as its publicity may
slot i:.eteriiiate the interi;st'of the State.

Art. 23. The Sittings of the two (Mollifiers_ are public.
They star, nevertheless, firm themsell es into close Com-
anitters. The Chamber of Peers, at the instance of ten of its
Members: that of the- Representatives on the demand of 25.
The fjorernmeat may equally demand close Committees with
'reference to cumnanuications which it shan have to Make.
Art. The Emperot may prorogue, adjdurn, or dissolve
the Chamber of Represt utatives. The Proclamation which
ordains the dissolution shall convoke the Electoral COlleges
for a new election, and call a meeting of the Representatives
within six months Itt the farthest.
Art. 2.2. Daring the iaterval of the Session of the Chamber
bf Representatives, or is case alio; dissolutioa of that Cham-
ber, the Chamber of Peers cannot assemble.
Art. 2.3. The Government ,iroposes laws : the Chambers
prapose amendments •' if those amendments are 'not adopted
by the Goverinnent the Chambers are to rote on the law as it
was proposed. •
Aft. ‘24. Tla e Cham!ters have the rig)it to call 'lvan the Go.;
vernmeut to propose laws on any particular subject, and to
prepare what they think.sbould be inserted in the laW. This
application may be niade by either of the two Chambers.
Art. 9.5. When such a law has been prepared and adopted
in either of the House; it must be carried to the otifer ; if it
is also adopted there, it is then transmitted to the Enineror.
Art. 213. Na written discourse, except the Retorts of Coal-
missuins, and the. Reports of Ministers on the valve ur Ac-
counts which may be presented, can be read in either of the.
Chambers.

ON THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES AND THE MODE OF

ELECTION.
Art. 27. The Electoral Colleges of Departments an 1
Dis-
tricts are maintained, conformably to the Senatu c
s onse ult
of the 16th Them-141ot, year 10, with the following modifica-
tion
Art. 2B. The Assemblies of the Cantons shall fill tip es- .ry
Tear, by near elections, all the vacancies in the Electoral Ceol-
leges.
Art. 29. From the year 1916, a Member of the Chamber
of Peers, designated by the Emperor, shall be President for
life, and irremovable of every Electoral College of Depart-
ment.

Art. 30. Enna the same perß!, the Electoral College'• of

'a act teparttAent sha aprk;int, arnontst the Alenabi,re of
each Collegi of Districts, the President, and t*o Vice-Presi-
dents. For that put-pose the Assembly of the Colleges of
Departments will precede by fifteen days that orthe Colleges
of District".

Art. 31. T 1 Colleges of Departments and Dlttricts shall
elect the number of Representatives.fixed for each of them by
the annexed Act and Ta,hle No. I. "

Art. 32. The Repvesentativo: in# he selected indaerently
tlirougheut the whole extent of France. -
Every College eft' Department, or of District, who shall
elect aßepresentative not belonging to the Department, or
the District, shall appoint a Substitute, who shall necessarily
be selected in the Department or District.
Art. 33. lticlustv, and manufacturing and commercial pro.
pertv, shall have a special representation.
The election of the nianufActuring and commercial 'Repre-
sentatives shall be made by the Electoral College of each De-
partment, from a list of eligible persons drawn ny the united
Chambers of Commerce and Con3ult aliens, according to the
aitntf.ed Act and Table, No. 2.
' THIRD TITLE.
•
- LAWS. RESPECTING TAXES.

Art. 34. The General Direct Impost, either on landed or
other property, can be 'toted for only one year. Indirect lin-
posts may he -voted for setieral years. In the case in Nv•hich
the Chamber, -of Representatives should he
taxes voted In' the precetling,Selsion shi-.11 be cootipued until
the re-asstiohlnqr, of the Chamber.

• Art. No.tax, direct or indirect, in money or in Lind, can
be leyied; no loan cln take- place; no credit account in the
great book of the public debt can be entered ; no domain um
be alienated nor exehangerl; no le.ry of men for the army
can be ordered ; no portion of the territory can he exchanged
but in consequence of a 13W.
• Art. 36. Every proposition for a tax, a loan, or alevy of
men, most be made to the-Chamber of Representatives alone.
Art.:i7. It is also to the, Chamber of Representatives •th it
must first-be carried, Ist. the genera.' Budget, of the State,
containing a statement of the receipts, and the propositiou of
the funds assigned for the year to every Ministerial -Depart-,
ment. ; eaully, the account of the receipts and expenditure of
the current, or preceding years.

.• roma' Tam
MINISTERS AND THEIR RESPONSIRILTTY.
Art. 3S. All the acts of the Government must be counter-,
signed by a Minister at the bead of a department.
Art. :In. The Ministers are responsible for the acts of the
Government which they Inive signed, as well as for the exe-
cution of the laws.

Art-. 40, They moy be. accused by the Chamber ofßepro-
sentativcs, and are judged by that of Peers.
Art: 41. Every Minister, every Commander by sea and
land, may lie accused by the Chamber of Representatives,
and judged by the Chamber of Peers, for haviry; compromised
the safety or the honour of the nation.

Arts 42. "the Chamber of Peers exercises in that case, ei-
ther to characterise the crime or to inflict its sentence, a dis-
cretionary power.

Art. 43. :Before presenting an act of acenssti.on against a
Minister, the Chao:her of itepresentatires must declare that
there are sufficient grounds to enter into the proportion of
accusation.

Art. 44. That declaration can only he made after the Re-
port of a Commission of sixty Members, drawn for promis-
cuously. This Commission cannot produce the. Report at the
soonest in less than ten days after its nomination.
Art. 45. When the Chamber, has declared that there are
sufficient grounds for entering into an examination; it may
call the Minister within its bosom to demand explanations.
This call for the Minister can 6illy take place ten days after
the Report of the Commission has heen received.

Art.:4ff. In no other case can Ministers at the head of ' Dc-
parte:lents he called or sent for by the Chambers.
'Art. 47. When the Chamber of Representatives has declar-
'al that there are grounds for examination against a Minister,
a new Commission of sixty Members is drawn for promiscu-
ously, like the first, and produces a new report on' the subject
of accusation. This Commission only presents its report ten
days atter its nomination.

Art. 4R. The act of' azcusation can only be executed ten
days after the rertiling and distribution of the report.
Art. 49. The accusation being pronounced, the Chamber of
Representatives Appoints nye Commissaries, selected from its
own Members, to follow up the charge in the Chamber of
Peers.

Art. 50, The 75th Article of the VIIIth Title of the Con-
stitutional Act (kf the 22 Frituare year 3, enacting that the
agents of the Government Call only he pursued nut in virtue
of a decision of the Council of State, shall be modified by
a law.

FIFTH TITLE.

JUDICIAL AUTHORITY:

Art. 51. The Emperor appoints all the kezlges. „They art
immovable-and for life, from the monieot of. ilicir nomination,
with the exception of Justices of the Pcace and Jukes of
Commerce, who Avin he appointed as in the past.
The present Judges, nominated by the Emperor:vccoriling
to the dispositions of the Senatus Cownitum of the 12th Oc-
tober 1507, and whom he 'will think proper to retain, will fE-
ceive provisions for life hefore:the Ist of next January.
Art. 52. The institution of Julio. is maintained.

Art. 53. Debates in crilnin.l matters arc public.
Art. ZA. Military offencca alone fall within tile jurisdiction
of Military Tribunals._

Art. 55., All other offences, even iliose committed by the
military, are within the cognizance of cirit ttibunals.
Art.:s6. All the crimes and delinquencies which were cog-
nizable by the High Imperial Court, and of which the iudg-
ment is not rested by the present Act in the Chamber of
Peers, ,hall be tried by the ordinary ferilmnals.
Art. 57. The Emperor shall have tl'.c right of
granfing par-
dons, even in criminal matters; aml also to grant amnesties.
Art. 55. The interpretations of liv.vs, demanded by the Court
of Appeal, shall be given in the fe;rm of a law.