_, consisting (at first) of
twenty-four men, of forty years of age, to hold their places for life,
and to receive, each, a salary equal to 1-20th of that of the chief
consul: 2. _The Tribunate_, to be composed of 100 men, of twenty-five
years of age and upwards, of whom 1-5th go out every year, but
re-eligible indefinitely; the salary of each 15,000 francs (L625); and
thirdly, _The Legislative Senate_, composed of 300 members, of thirty
years of age, renewable by fifths every year, and having salaries of
10,000 francs (L416). V. The executive power shall be vested in three
consuls, chosen individually, as chief consul, second and third; the two
former for ten years, the last for five. VI. In order that the
administration of affairs may have time to settle itself, the tribunate
and legislative senate shall remain as first constituted for ten years,
without any re-elections. VII. With the same view, of avoiding
discussions during the unsettled state of opinion, a majority of the
members of the conservative senate are for the present appointed by the
consuls, Sieyes and Ducos, going out of office, and the consuls,
Cambaceres and Lebrun, about to come into office; they shall be held to
be duly elected, if the public _acquiesce_; and proceed to fill up their
own number, and to nominate the members of the tribunate and legislative
senate. VIII. The acts of legislation shall be proposed by the consuls:
the tribunate shall discuss and propound them to the legislative senate,
but _not vote_: the legislative senate shall hear the tribunate, and
vote, but _not debate_ themselves; and the act thus discussed and voted,
shall become law on being promulgated by the chief consul. IX.
Buonaparte is nominated chief consul, Cambaceres (minister of justice)
second, and Lebrun third consul.

It would be rash to say that this could never have turned out in
practice a free constitution. Circumstances might have modified its
arrangements, and given the spirit of freedom to institutions not
_ex-facie_ favourable to it. But for the present it was universally
admitted that, under these new forms, the power of the state must be
virtually lodged in Buonaparte. He, in fact, named himself chief consul.
His creatures chose the conservative senate, and the conservative senate
were to choose the members of the other two assemblies. The machinery,
thus set in motion, could hardly fail to remain under his control; and,
looking at things more largely, the