Page:The Constitutions and Other Select Documents Illustrative of the History of France, 1789-1907, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged.pdf/95

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Constitution of 1791
65

of the king in the manner which shall be determined hereinafter.

4. The government is monarchical : the executive power is delegated to the king, in order to be exercised under his authority by ministers and other responsible agents, in the manner which shall be determined hereinafter.

5. The judicial power is delegated to judges elected at stated times by the people.

Chapter I. Of the National Legislative Assembly.

1. The National Assembly, forming the legislative body, is permanent and is composed of only one chamber.

2. It shall be formed every two years by new elections. Each period of two years shall constitute a legislature.

3. The provisions of the preceding article shall not operate with respect to the next legislative body, whose powers shall cease the last day of April, 1793.

4. The renewal of the legislative body takes place ipso facto.

5. The legislative body shall not be dissolved by the king.

Section I. Number of the representatives.—Basis of representation.

1. The number of representatives in the legislative body is seven hundred and forty-five, by reason of the eighty-three departments of which the kingdom is composed, and apart from those which may be granted to the colonies.

2. The representatives shall be distributed among the eighty-three departments, according to the three proportions of territory, population, and direct tax.

3. Of the seven hundred and forty-five representatives, two hundred and forty-seven are accredited for territory.

Each department shall select three of these, with the exception of the department of Paris which shall select but one.

4. Two hundred and forty-nine are accredited for population.

The total mass of the population of the kingdom is divided into two hundred and forty-nine parts, and each department selects as many deputies as it has parts of population.

5. Two hundred and forty-nine representatives are accredited for the direct tax.

The sum total of the direct tax of the kingdom is likewise