Page:The Constitutions and Other Select Documents Illustrative of the History of France, 1789-1907, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged.pdf/114

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Constitution of 1791

The image of the king is stamped upon all the monies of the kingdom.

3. The king causes to be delivered the letters-patent, warrants, and commissions, to public functionaries or others, who ought to receive them.

4. The king causes to be drawn up the list of the pensions and gratuities, in order to be presented to the legislative body at each of its sessions and to be decreed, if there is need thereof.

Section I. Of the promulgation of the laws.

1. The executive power is charged to cause the laws to be sealed with the seal of the state and to cause them to be promulgated.

It is likewise charged to cause to be promulgated and to be executed the acts of the legislative body which do not need the sanction of the king.

2. There shall be made two original copies of each law, both signed by the king, countersigned by the minister of justice, and sealed with the seal of the state.

One shall remain on deposit in the archives of the seal, and the other shall be placed in the archives of the legislative body.

3. The promulgation shall be thus expressed:

“N. (the name of the king), by the grace of God, and by the constitutional law of the state, King of the French, to all present and to come, greeting. The National Assembly has decreed, and we wish and order as follows:”

(A literal copy of the decree shall be inserted without any change.)

“We command and order to all the administrative bodies and the tribunals that they cause these presents to be recorded in their registers, read, published, and posted in their respective departments and jurisdictions, and executed as law of the kingdom. In testimony whereof we have signed these presents, to which we have caused to be affixed the seal of the state.”

4. If the king is a minor, the laws, proclamations, and other documents emanating from the royal authority during the regency shall be expressed as follows:

“N. (the name of the regent), regent of the kingdom, in