Art. 34. Direct general taxes, whether on land or personal property, are voted only for one year: indirect taxes may be voted for several years. In case of a dissolution of the chamber of representatives, the taxes voted in the preceding session are continued, till the chamber meets anew.
Art. 35. No tax, direct or indirect, in money or in kind, can be levied; no loan can take place; no entry of credit in the great book of the public debt can be made; no domain can be alienated or exchanged; no raising of men for the army can be ordered; no portion of territory can be exchanged; except by virtue of a law.
Art. 36. No proposal of a tax, of a loan, or of a levy of men, can be made, except in the chamber of representatives.
Art. 37. It is in the chamber of representatives also, that, 1st, the general budget of the state, containing an estimate of the receipts, and the proposal of the funds assigned for the year to each department of the ministry; and, 2dly, an account of the receipts and expenses of the year, or years, preceding; are to be introduced in the first instance.
HEAD IV.
Of ministers and their responsibility.
Art. 38. All the acts of the government must be countersigned by a minister having some department.
Art. 39. The ministers are responsible for the acts of government signed by them, as well as for the execution of the laws.
Art. 40. They may be accused by the chamber of representatives, and are to be tried by that of peers.
Art. 41. Every minister, every commander of an army by land or sea, may be accused by the chamber of representatives, and tried by the chamber of peers, for having compromised the safety or honour of the nation.