Page:The Constitutions and Other Select Documents Illustrative of the History of France, 1789-1907, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged.pdf/112

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82
Constitution of 1791

9 of section II of the present chapter; and the legislative body shall not insert in them any provision foreign to their purpose.

Section IV. Relations of the Legislative Body with the King.

1. When the legislative body is definitely constituted, it sends to the king a deputation in order to inform him thereof. The king can each year open the session and can bring forward the matters which he believes ought to be taken into consideration in the course of that session, without this formality, nevertheless, being considered as necessary for the activity of the legislative body.

2. When the legislative body wishes to adjourn beyond fifteen days, it is required to notify the king thereof by a deputation, at least eight days in advance.

3. At least eight days before the end of each session, the legislative body sends to the king a deputation, in order to announce to him the day whereon it proposes to terminate its sittings. The king can come to close the session.

4. If the king thinks it important for the welfare of the state that the session be continued, or that the adjournment should not occur, or that it should occur only for a shorter time, he can send a message to that effect, upon which the legislative body is required to deliberate.

5. The king shall convoke the legislative body during the intermission of its sessions, whenever the interests of the state appear to him to require it, as well as in the cases which have been provided for and determined by the legislative body before its adjournment.

6. Whenever the king repairs to the place of the sittings of the legislative body, he shall be received and conducted by a deputation; he cannot be accompanied within the interior of the hall except by the prince royal and the ministers.

7. In no case can the president make up part of a deputation.

8. The legislative body shall cease to be a deliberative body as long as the king shall be present.

9. The documents of the correspondence of the king with the legislative body shall always be countersigned by a minister.

10. The ministers of the king shall have entrance into