On Civil Liberty and Self-Government
of the military forces of the republic.
19th Century Theodore Dwight Woolsey English- In criminal cases, no citizen can be put on trial, except a true bill of complaint be found by a jury, or by the legislative body.
The accused shall have advocates, either chosen by themselves, or appointed officially. The proceedings are in public. The state of facts and the intention are passed upon by a jury. The punishment is executed by a criminal authority.
The criminal judges are chosen annually by the electoral assemblies.
There is a court of cassation for the whole republic.
This court takes no cognizance of the state of facts.
It decides on the violation of matters of form, and on transgressions expressed by law.
The members of this court are appointed annually through the electoral assemblies.
The national treasury is the central point of the revenues and expenses of the republic.
It is managed by public accountants, whom the legislative body shall elect.
These agents are supervised by officers of account, whom the legislative body shall elect, but who cannot be taken from their own body: they are responsible for abuses of which they do not give legal notice to the courts.
The accounts of the agents of the national treasury, and those of the administrators of public moneys are taken annually, by responsible commissioners appointed by the executive council.
Those persons appointed to revise the accounts are under the supervision of commissioners, who are elected by the legislative body, not out of their own number; and they are responsible for the frauds and mistakes of accounts, of which they do not give notice.
The legislative body preserves the accounts.
The general military power of the republic consists of the whole people.
The republic supports, also, in times of peace, a paid land and marine force.
All Frenchmen are soldiers; all shall be exercised in the use of arms.
There is no generalissimo.
The distinction of grade, the military marks of distinction and subordination, exist only in service and in time of its duration.
The general military force is used for the preservation of order and peace in the interior; it acts only on a written requisition of the constituted authorities.
The general military force against foreign enemies is under the command of the executive council.
No armed body can deliberate.