b o o k During his abfence, the permanent council ihall eleit, by
i a majority of fuffrages, another perfon, who ihall perform
the duties of his office until he returns.
The archiviti ihall be eleited in tbe permanent council
by the majority of fuffrages,in tbe fame manner as the above-
mentioned fubalterns, and he ihall be informed of all by the
fecretary.
1 he extrails, as well from the archives o f the permanent
council, as from the departments which appertain to the
council, ihall be delivered gratis.
The fecretary ihall take an oath, fimilar to the fore-going
one, with the addition of the following claufe:' “ I fwear
“ that I will not entruft, or give to any perfon, the papers
“ which are configned to me, without the permiifion of the
“ council.”
The inftigators'* of the two nations + (their ancient duties
remaining in force) ihall depend upon the permanent council,
and ih a l not make their appearance in it without being
fummoned.
They ihall take the ufual oath, with the addition of the following
claufe: “ We fwear that we will not abandon any perfon
■“ for prayers, threats, promifes, or perfonal confideration,
■“ nor indiit but at the inftance of the permanent council.”
The nomination of the fecretaries for the departments, the
keeper of the archives, and fcribes (all of whom muff be
natives and nobles) as well as the appointment of their duties,
ihall depend upon the permanent council.
The I n t e r p r e t e r s .
There ihall be two for the Eaftern languages, and one
for the Ruffian tongue: they ihall depend upon the per-
* Officers o f the crown who prpfecute in cafes o f high treafon.
f Poland and Lithuania.
manent
m a n e n t c o u n c i l , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y u p o n t h e d e p a r tm e n t f o r c h a p .
f o r e ig n a f f a ir s . ’— f— *
The members of the permanent council ihall not be exempted
from appearing in the courts of jufiice, fee.
If, in criminal affairs, a counfellor incurs any puniffiment,
he ihall fubmit to it according to the laws and the nature of
the crime, without deriving any benefit from his office, 8cc.
A r t i c l e I I .
Arrangement, divilion, and mode of procedure in the
Permanent Council.
The Permanent Council is divided into five departments-
1. For foreign affairs.
2. Police.
3. War.
4 . J n il ice:
5. Treafuiy.
In the department for foreign affairs there ihall be only
four members, and eight in each of the other departments,,
amounting in all to thirty-fix perfons. The election ofthefe
members ihall be made by the permanent council affembled
in a body, either unanimouily, or by a majority of open fuf-
frageSv The prefénce of three perfons in each department
ihall be deemed fufficient to proceed upon bufinefs. ■ The
minifters *' (who aré of the council; ill alb prefide in the departments
belonging to their refpeitive charges, and i f any
accufation ihall be brought againft them, they ihall retire
from the permanent council, not having a vote in fuch cafes.
The members o f each department ihall receive the memorials
and reports'which concern their refpeitive department^:
having examined and made extraits, they ill all add
* Namely, one o f the great treafurers in the department o f the treafury; one o f the
grcat'generals in that o f war, Sic..
I ,.■J- ■ th e ir .