The Following is a Translation of part of the Law Constituting the Swiss Executive, Called The Federal Council.

Art I. The Federal Council is the directive and highest executive authority of the Confederation. It is composed of seven members, appointed for three years by the Federal Assembly, and chosen from amongst all the Swiss citizens who are eligible for the National Council. There must not be more than one member from the same Canton. The Federal Council is appointed after each election of the National Council. The vacancies which take place during the three years are filled at the first session of the Federal Assembly for the remainder of the term.

Art. III. The parents and relations both in a direct and collateral line, the parents and relations to the degree of cousins-german inclusive, and also the husbands of sisters, cannot sit at the same time in the Federal Council. The same degree of relationship must not exist between a member of the Federal Council and the Chancellor, his substitute, the Keeper of the Records, the Registrar; nor between a member of the Federal Council and the secretary of his department and their high subordinate Federal functionaries. As a rule the Federal Council cannot nominate as secretaries of departments or as high Federal functionaries any persons who are in the above-indicated relationship to one of its members. A member of the Federal Council or a high official who enters into a marriage contract which is within the prohibited degree of relationship must resign his post. A special Act will designate the functionaries to whom the above regulations are applicable, and until that Act has become law the Federal Council shall decide.

Art. IV. A member of the Federal Council cannot, either by himself or proxy during the continuance of his duties, take any other employment, neither in the service of the Confederation nor in a Canton, nor follow any other calling or profession.

Art. VI. The Federal Council is presided over by the President of the Confederation. There is also a Vice-President. The Presi- page 27 dent of the Confederation and the Vice-President of the Federal Council are nominated for one year by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Council. The President on leaving office cannot be elected President or Vice-President for the following year. The same member cannot take office again as Vice-President for the two following years.

Art. VII. In the absence of the President of the Confederation, the Federal Council is presided over by the Vice-President, and, in the case of the latter's absence, by the member who falls next in the order of nomination. The members filling extraordinary vacancies take rank from the date of their election, and remain in office for the remaining terms of their predecessors.

Art. VIII. The Chancellor of the Confederation is present at the meetings of the Federal Council with a secretary. The Chancellor records the Acts and decisions which have been passed, and ihe secretary keeps the minutes.

Art. IX. The Federal Council grants to the several departments the necessary number of secretaries and of copying clerks within the limits of the law respecting the appointments of officials and of the annual Budget.

Art. XI. All the employés and the people attached to the service (with the exception of the officials, of which the nomination belongs to the Federal Assembly, by virtue of Art. 85, No. 4 of the Federal Constitution) are nominated by the Federal Council after the notification of the vacancy. Each member of the Federal Council has the right of presentation.