book Explanation of the duties and prerogatives of the perfons
— j—i who compofe the Permanent Council.
His majefty the king our moil gracious mailer, as chief of
the nation, and the firil eilate, reprefenting the majefty of
.the republic, ihall, according to ufual praftice, convoke by
circular letters, and at the time prefcribed by the laws, the
ordinary diets; he muft always confult the permanent
council upon the matters to be laid before thofe affemblies,
in the fame manner as he before took the advice of the fenate,
which from henceforth ihall no more be convened. His
majefty ihall in like manner fummon the extraordinary
diets, either of his own accord, or at the inftance of the permanent
council, which the king cannot refufe i f the majority
demand it.
All the laws and conftitutions of the diet, decrees, privileges,
and public a ¿Is (ball be iffued in the name of the king,
as it has been hitherto praftifed.
He ihall iign all the difpatches pafled by order of the
council, not having it in his power to put a negative upon
them, i f they are carried by a majority.
He fhall give public audience to embaffadors and foreign
minifters, to-envoys or refidents, ihall treat with them, but
cannot conclude without communicating the whole to the
council, and following the. advice of the majority.
The king, on his part, cedes the following royal prerogatives
i --
x. For the, eledtion of biihops, palatines,, eaftellans, and
nainifters, the council ihall nominate by ballot three candidates,
one of whom the king ihall appoint to the vacant
office *.
* T h e Icing bad 'b.e.forjs the foie difgofal o f thefe offices. See p. ig*.
2 „ T h e
a. The power of appointing to all other ecdefiaftical and chap.
•civil offices ihall continue, without any diminution, veiled •— „—
in the king, excepting the commiffioners of war, of the
treafnry, thofe in the department of the marfhal, and in the
aflefforium regni: all thefe commiffioners were before ac-
cuftomed to be named by him in the intervals between the
■diets; but his majefty now confents, that from henceforth
-the council ihall cleft three candidates, to be prefented in
the fame manner as in the laft mentioned article relative to
the nomination of the fenators and minifters.
3. With refpeft to military ranks, his majefty ihall appoint
the captains in the Poliih companies, and the officers
©f the four companies, which are upon the Poliih footing,
and bear his name.
Excepting thefe, all other military promotions fhall be
conferred according to feniority.
Neverthelefs, his majefty may propofe candidates for
military promotion, chofen among the young officers in the
•national fervice, to be fecretly balloted for with that perfon
"who has the right of feniority ; provided, at the fame time,
the great general delivers to his majefty his recommendation
-in writing, with his reafons for the faid recommendation,
4. His majefty renounces the right to difpofe of the royal
demefnes and ftarofties, with this clanfe, that the proprietors
of both fexes be continued during their lives in pof-
feffion of the faid eilates, which, from this prefent time,
ihall never be granted to any perfon whatfoever, under the
appearance of recompence or any other pretext; but they
fix all be employed for the public good, to the great advantage
of the country, and with the confent of the king.
V ol. I, K 5, Four