province or of the community. No change shall be made in the existing system of polders' and wateringen, which remain subject to ordinary legislation. ART. 114. No pension or gratuity shall be paid out of the public treasury without the authority of law. ART. 115. Each year the Chambers shall fix the law of accounts and vote the budget. All the receipts and expenditures of the state must be contained in the budget and in the accounts. ART. 116. The members of the Court of Accounts shall be appointed by the Chamber of Representatives, and for a term fixed by law. This court is intrusted with the examination and settlement of the accounts of the general administration, and of all persons accountable to the public treasury. It shall guard that no item of the expenditures of the budget shall be overdrawn and that no transfer shall take place. It shall audit the accounts of the different administrations of the state, and it shall be its duty to gather for this purpose all information and all necessary vouchers. The general accounts of the state shall be submitted to the Chambers with the comments of the Court of Accounts. This court shall be organized by law. ART. 117. The salaries and pensions of the ministers of religion shall be paid by the state; the sums necessary to meet this expenditure shall be entered annually in the budget. 1 Polders are lands reclaimed from the sea by dikes. The owners of these lands are grouped into associations for the maintenance of the dikes and are governed by particular local customs. Wateringen are canals for drainage and irrigation. TITLE V. THE ARMY. ART. 118. The method of recruiting the army shall be determined by law. The laws shall also regulate the promotion, the rights and the duties of soldiers. ART. 119. The army contingent shall be voted annually. The law which fixes this shall remain in force for one year only, unless re-enacted. ART. 120. The organization and the duties of the constabulary shall be regulated by law. ART. 121. No foreign troops shall be admitted to the service of the state, to occupy or to cross its territory except by provision of law. ART. 122. There shall be a citizen militia, the organization of which shall be regulated by law. The officers of all grades, at least as high as that of captain, shall be chosen by the militia, with such exceptions as may be judged necessary for accountants. ART. 123. The militia cannot be brought into active service, except when authorized by law. ART. 124. Soldiers shall not be deprived of their grades, honors and pensions except in the manner prescribed by law. TITLE VI. GENERAL PROVISIONS. ART. 125. The Belgian nation adopts for its colors red, yellow and black, and for the coat of arms of the kingdom, the Belgian lion, with the motto, "UNION GIVES STRENGTH." Art. 126. The city of Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the seat of government. ART. 127. No oath shall be imposed except by law. The form of the oath also shall be determined by law. ART. 128. Every foreigner within the territory of Belgium shall enjoy protection of his person and property, except as otherwise established by law. ART. 129. No law, ordinance, or regulation of the general, provincial, or communal government shall be obligatory until after having been published in the manner prescribed by law. ART. 130. The constitution cannot be suspended, either in whole or in part. TITLE VII. THE REVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION. ART. 131. The Legislative power has the right to declare that a revision of such constitutional provisions as it shall designate, is in order. After this declaration, the two Chambers are ipso facto dissolved. Two new Chambers shall then be summoned, in conformity with Article 71. These Chambers, with the approval of the King, shall then act upon the points submitted for revision. In this case the Chambers cannot deliberate unless at least two-thirds of the members of each are present, and no amendment can be adopted unless it is sustained by at least two-thirds of the votes.1 TEMPORARY AND TRANSITIONAL. [Articles 132 to 139 provide for the transition from the old régime to the new and no longer have any effect on the organization of the state.] 1The relative significance of Belgium in the European family of constitutions is developed in Borgeaud's "Adoption and Amendment of Constitutions in Europe and America." 1895. Pp. 190-113. BIBLIOGRAPHY. I. Public Law of the old Belgian provinces: PAULLET. "Les Constitutions nationales belges de l'ancien régime." Brussels, 1875. II. Public Law of the Netherlands (1814-1830): HYMANS. 'Histoire politique de la Belgique." (The foun- III. Public Law of Belgium. (a) Sources: HUYSSENS. "Discussions du Congres national" (1830-1851). 5 vols. Brussels, 1866. THIEBAULD ET HENRY. "Commentaire legislatif des articles revisès de la constitution belge." Brussels, 1894. VAN DEN HEUVEL. "De la revision de la constitution." Brussels, 1892. (b) Theory: THONISSEN. tion. "La constitution belge." Third edi Brussels, 1879. GIRON. "Dictionnaire de droit administratif et de droit public." 3 vols. Brussels, 1895. BELTJENS. "La constitution belge revisée.” Liege, 1895. SOCIAL SCIENCE. The American Academy of Political and Social Science was formed in Philadelphia, December 14, 1889, for the purpose of promoting the Political and Social Sciences. While it does not exclude any portion of the field indicated in its title, yet its chief object is the development of those aspects of the Political and Social Sciences which are either entirely omitted from the programmes of other societies, or which do not at present receive the attention they deserve. Among such subjects may be mentioned: Sociology, Comparative Constitutional and Administrative Law, Philosophy of the State, and such portions of the field of Politics, including Finance and Banking, as are not adequately cultivated by existing organizations. A special effort will be made to collect and publish material which will be of use to students, and which does not now reach the public in any systematic way, as, for example, the texts in English of the Constitutions of leading foreign countries; regular accounts of current instruction in Political and Social topics at home and abroad; descriptive bibliographies, discussions of Municipal Government, etc. It will be seen that the Academy thus supplements the efforts of existing societies of similar aims, and substantially strengthens their work by contributing its share to beget a deeper and more widespread interest in the general subject of Political and Social Science. The plan of the Academy includes regular scientific meetings for the presentation of papers and communications, establishment of a library, and the dissemination of knowledge on Political and Social topics through its publications and by such other means as may seem suitable. During the winter, regular scientific meetings have been held since the Academy was formed at which the papers submitted have been read and discussed. |