Article 35. “The secrecy of letters is inviolable.” In President Salnave’s time, the letters were taken to the Prefect of Police, opened and read, and then delivered without any attempt to close them; the letters addressed to foreigners were not respected.
Article 40. “Public debts are guaranteed and placed under the safeguard of the loyalty of the nation.” When General —— went to a famous banker in Paris to contract a debt for Hayti, the capitalist asked him what security he proposed to offer. The Minister replied, “La constitution place les dettes publiques sous la sauvegarde de la loyauté de la nation.” The banker looked fixedly at him for a moment and then coolly said, “I have business to attend to,—good morning.”
Articles 41 to 49 are on the sovereignty and the exercise of the powers therefrom derived. Art. 41. The national sovereignty resides in the universality of the citizens. Art. 42. The exercise of that sovereignty is delegated to three powers. The three powers are the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. They form the government of the republic, which is essentially democratic and representative. Art. 44. The legislative power is exercised by two representative chambers,—a chamber of deputies and a senate. Art. 45. These two can be united in a National Assembly according to the constitution.
Article 46. The executive power is delegated to a citizen, who takes the title of President of the republic.
Article 47. Affairs which exclusively relate to the communes are regulated by the communal councils, under the control of the executive power.
Article 48. The judicial power is exercised by a court of cassation, civil courts, courts of appeal, of commerce and of police.
Article 49. Individual responsibility is distinctly attached to every public function.
Articles 50 to 56. Representatives are elected by the primary assemblies of each commune. Representatives must be twenty-five years of age, and are elected for five years, and are paid £60 a month, during the duration of the session.
Articles 57 to 66 treat of the Senate: it consists of thirty members elected for six years. The senators are elected by the Chamber of Deputies from two lists of candidates, one presented by the electoral assemblies, and the other by the executive power. A senator must be thirty years of age; the Senate is renewed by thirds every two years. The Senate can only meet during the legislative session, save in exceptional cases: on adjournment it leaves a standing committee composed of five members. The salary of each senator is £360 a year.
Articles 67 to 69 refer to the National Assembly, or union of the Senate and House of Representatives in one chamber. The National Assembly meets at the opening of every session. The prerogatives of the National Assembly are:—To elect a president, to declare war, to approve treaties, which will have no effect until so approved, to authorise the contraction of loans, the establishment of a national bank, to change the capital of the republic, to revise the constitution, to give letters of naturalisation.