book remain in full authority for two years without interruption,
L . even ihould one or more extraordinary diets interfere; and
at the ordinary diet until a new council ihall be eledted in
its place, according to the prefcribed form: then the antient
council ihall lay before the diet the lituation of affairs, and
give an account of its whole adminiftration.
The permanent council can only adt according to the laws
in being, or carry the faid laws into execution.
In all cafes, not exprefsly mentioned by the laws, the permanent
council cannot decide ; but in all fuch circumftances
it may prepare any propofals for new laws, and publiih them
in the circular letters for the convocation of the diet.
D e p a r t m e n t I.
Of foreign affairs in the Permanent Council.
The department of foreign affairs ihall be compofed of
four members, amongft whom ihall be one from the duchy
of Lithuania, one of the chancellors, and two counfellors of
the equeftrian order.
To thefe ihall be added one of the national fecretaries,
who ihall have no vote: he ihall infpedt and expedite all
foreign affairs, and ihall take the ufual bath, &c.
This department ihall affemble as~ occaiion may require.
When the king is not prefent, a chancellor ihall. preiide ;
and, in the latter’s abfence, the firft fenator. The national
fecretary ihall make a report of all the letters diredted to him,
and, if required, ihall lay them before the members of the
faid department: he ihall not fend any anfwers without
their approbation.
He ihall read at the meetings the letters and memorials
to the department, which ihall deliberate upon the anfwers :
he ili all write down the refolutions, and ihall expedite the
difpatch.es accordingly.
4 In
In all cafes of public moment, fuch as letters from the CI^Ap-
king to foreign courts, ftate affairs which require any expla- <— .— >
nation, memorials and declarations, the department ihall draw
them up, and lay them before the council in pleno, for its determination.
Whenever any information is to be given to the Polifh
minifters at foregn courts in the ordinary courfe of affairs,
the prefident of this department, having firft heard the ob-
fervations of each member, ihall form the refult.
All inftrudtions for foreign minifters ihall be firft drawn
up in this department, and then prefented to the permanent
council for its decifion. I f any member of this department
dies, the permanent council ihall, without delay, eledt one
of its counfellors in his place. The fecretary of this department
ihall be nominated by the king from the national fecretaries,
or notaries. He ihall maintain the correfpondence
with the foreign minifters of the republic, and to him
ihall be addrefled all letters and memorials. In the fame
manner as the fecretary, the fubalterns in this department
ihall be chofen by the king.
D e p a r t m e n t II.
Committee of the marihals of Poland and Lithuania.
i . The great marihals ihall adt according to the conftitu-
tion of 1768, reftraining however the affociation of the af-
feflors ® in the following cafes.
In criminal affairs.
* Before 1768, the great marihals were “ di&ion o f the great marihal: they ihall
foie judges in all criminal caufes cog- “ be ele&ed in each ordinary diet j they
nizable by their tribunals : but in the “ ihall judge all caufes in conjun&ion with
diet o f 1768 the following claufe ena£ts, that 11 the great marihal; and ihall decide by
44 fix alleHors ihall be added to the jurif- “ the majority,”
V ol. J: M ' . In