b o o k 2 . The marihal of the diet being elected, all the cerenlo-
— .— - nies in the chamber of the nuntios being properly performed,
and after the junction of the two houfes according to the
conftitution of 1.768,the lifts of the candidates fhall be read;
that of the fenators and minifters by one of the principal fe-
cretaries ; and that of the candidates of the equeftrian
order by the feoretary of the diet. N o perfon fhall be
excluded from being a candidate, who can prove that he
p ifi'efTes the neceifary conditions and qualifications, fuch
as are hereafter defcribed. And i f any perfon fo qualified
is omitted, the great fecretaries fhall be anfwerable to the
fame diet for the omiffion of fenators and minifters, and the
marfhal of the diet for that of the members of the equeftrian
order; and if they are convifted of having-defignedly been
guilty of the omiflion, they ihall be deprived of their charges.
3. A printed lift of the candidates fhall, the fame day, be
given to each member of the diet, to be taken into confide-
ration.
4. The enfuing day each member of the diet ihall fecretly
mark the names of as many perfons in the printed lift as are
neceifary to fill the permanent council.
This ceremony fhall be performed in a corner of the fe-
nate-houfe. The fenators invited by the great marfhals, or,
in their abfence, by thofe who perform the office of marfhals,
and the nuntios fummoned by the marfhal of the diet, fhall
receive from the fecretaries the printed lift of the candidates,
ftamped with the arms of the republic, fimilar to that which
was diftributed the preceding day. With thefe lifts they
ihall repair in order, one after the other, to a fmajl table fur-
rounded with curtains, upon which table they fhall fecretly
draw a line under the names of the perfons whom they favour
; and every one ihall put his lift into a vafe ftanding
upon
upon a table in the corner of the hall, which vafo fhall CI^AP>
be previoufly opened in the fenate-houfe by the marfhal,
who is fir ft in rank, in order to ihew that it is empty.
The vafe ihall be provided with three different locks, the
keys whereof fhall be given, one to his majefty, a fecond
to the great marihal, or to him who ftands in his place,
and a third to the m arili al of the diet. At the fame time
nine deputies fhall be chofen, three from the fenate by
the king, and fix by the marihal o f the diet from the equ'ef-
trian order. As foon as all the lifts have been delivered,
thefe deputies, being fworn, finali bring thè vafe info the
middle of the fenate-houfe, and having, in the face of the
whole affèmbly, opened it with the three keys, fhall compare
the number of lifts with the members of the diet who are’
prefent, count the fuffrages, and the firft in rank'among the
deputies finali openly proclaim the names of thofe who have
the majority.
5. Each ele&or muft underline in the printed liftfo many,
and fuch perfons as are required ; that is, among the perfons
elected fhall be the third of the members in the late permanent
council, to the number of twelve, namely, fix from
the fenate and miniftry, and as many from the equeftrian
order, equally chofen from each province.
All the lifts, in which this rule is not obferved, and in
which there are more or lefs perfons nominated than the ne-
ceffary number, finali be confidered as null, and be rejected
by the deputies.
6. Thofe who have the plurality of fuffrages ihall be admitted
into the council ; and it is only in cafe of an equal
number of votes for any candidate or candidates, that the
king fliall have the calling voice.
1 The