Page:The Constitutions and Other Select Documents Illustrative of the History of France, 1789-1907, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged.pdf/692

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
662
Separation of Church and State

vide for a work of charity, they can be reclaimed on condition of providing for the accomplishment of the aim assigned for the gift.

Every action in recaption or reclamation, on penalty of foreclosure, must be brought against the liquidator within the space of six months, dating from the publication of the judgment.

After both parties have been heard, judgments rendered for the liquidator and which have acquired the authority of res adjudica are opposable to all interests.

After the space of six months, the liquidator shall proceed to the sale by judicial process of all immovables which may not have been reclaimed or which may not be appropriated to a work of charity.

The product of the sale, as well as all the movable values, shall be deposited with the deposit and consignment fund.

The maintenance of the poor in hospitals, until the completion of the liquidation, shall be considered as privileged expenses of liquidation.

If there is no contest or when all the actions brought within the prescribed period shall have been adjudicated, the net assets are divided among the interested parties.

The rule of public administration laid down by article 20 of the present law shall determine, out of the assets remaining free after the previous deduction above provided for, the allowance, in capital or under form of life annuity, which shall be assigned to the members of the dissolved congregation who may not have assured means of existence or who may prove that they have contributed to the acquisition of the values put in distribution by their personal labor.


· · · · ·

20. A rule of public administration shall determine the proper measures to assure the execution of the present law.


· · · · ·


138. Documents upon the Separation of Church and State.

The recently effected separation of church and state is undoubtedly one of the mot important events in the history of the Third Republic. Documents A and D show the plan of the government for bringing about the separation and the principal sup-