formable to the present Constitution and the laws, and said secretaries shall be held responsible for them, even if they acted in obedience to written orders of the President, who by this fact shall also be held responsible.

ART. 61. Business belonging exclusively to the secretaries of state shall be decided in Council, and the responsibility for the action taken shall belong to the secretary or secretaries who signed the resolution.

ART. 62. The secretaries of state are bound to give Congress, orally or in writing, all the information which may be requested of them.

ART. 63. Within the first eight days of the session of Congress they shall submit a general estitimate of the public expenses, and an account of the expenditures of the preceding year.

ART. 64. The secretaries of state shall have the right to take the floor in Congress and are bound to appear before it when summoned to give information.

TITLE VIII.

THE JUDICIAL POWER.

ART. 65. The judicial power is vested in the supreme court of justice, and in the inferior tribunals and courts.

SECTION I.

The supreme court.

ART. 66. The supreme judicial power of the State is vested in the supreme court of justice, which shall consist of a chief justice and four associate justices elected by Congress, and an attorney-general appointed by the Executive power, each of whom shall have the following qualifications:

1. To be a Dominican in the exercise of his rights.

2. Haber cumplido treinta años de edad, y ser abogado de los tribunales de la República.

Párrafo. Los extranjeros naturalizados no podrán ser Magistrados de la Suprema Corte, sino seis años después de su naturalización. ART. 67. Los Magistrados, cuando estén en el ejercicio de sus funciones, no podrán admitir empleo alguno de nombramiento del Poder Ejecutivo.

ART. 68. Los Magistrados de la Suprema Corte de Justicia, durarán en su destino cuatro años, pudiendo ser indefinidamente reelectos. La ley determinará las diversas funciones de aquéllos y del Procurador General.

Párrafo. En caso de reemplazo de un Ministro de la Suprema Corte por muerte, renuncia ó inhabilitación, el que entrare á sucederle ejercerá sus funciones hasta la cesación del período para que fué nombrado su antecesor. Esta disposición es común á los Jueces de los Tribunales inferiores.

SECCIÓN II.

2. To be over thirty years of age, and a lawyer admitted to practice before the tribunals of the Republic. for

Paragraph. Naturalized eigners shall not be justices of the supreme court until six years after their naturalization.

ART. 67. The justices while in the exercise of their functions shall not accept any position from the Executive power.

ART. 68. The justices of the supreme court shall serve for four years, and may be indefinitely reelected. The law shall determine their functions and those of the attorney-general.

Paragraph. In case of death, resignation or inability of a justice of the supreme court, the one who may succeed him ad interim shall serve until the end of the period. This provision is applicable to the judges of the inferior courts.

SECTION II.

de Justicia.

ART. 69. Es de la competencia de la Suprema Corte de Justicia:

1o. Conocer de las causas civiles y criminales que se formen á los empleados diplomáticos en los casos permitidos por el Derecho de gentes.

2o. Conocer de las causas de responsabilidad del Presidente y Vicepresidente de la República 7 de los J Secretarios de Estado, cuando sean acusados, según los casos previstos en esta Constitución. En el caso de ser necesaria la suspensión del destino del Ministro ó Ministros, la pedirá al Presidente de la República que la concederá.

justice.

ART. 69. The supreme court of justice shall have jurisdiction:

1. To take cognizance of all civil and criminal cases against diplomatic functionaries, when permitted by the law of nations.

2. To take cognizance of the impeachments of the President and vice-president of the Republic, and the secretaries of state, in the cases mentioned in this Constitution. If the suspension of the impeached secretary or secretaries becomes necessary, the tribunals shall ask the President to order it and the latter shall comply with the petition.

3o. Conocer de las causas de responsabilidad que, por mal desempeño de sus funciones, se formen á los agentes diplomáticos, acreditados ante otra Nación.

4o. Conocer de las causas criminales ó de responsabilidad que se formen á los delegados ó comisionados, Gobernadores y Jueces de los Tribunales y Juzgados de Primera Instancia de las Provincias y Distritos.

5°. Dirimir las controversias que se susciten entre los Gobernadores y Jueces de Primera Instancia en materia de jurisdicción y competencia.

6o. Declara cuál sea la ley vigente cuando alguna vez se hallen en colisión.

7°. Conocer de las apelaciones de los Tribunales y Juzgados de de Primera Instancia.

8°. Conocer de las causas de presas marítimas.

9o. Conocer como Suprema Corte Marcial en las apelaciones de los juicios militares.

10°. Conocer de las causas contencioso-administrativas, durante el receso del Congreso.

11o. Ejercer las demás atribuciones que determina la ley.

TÍTULO IX.

DE LOS TRIBUNALES INFERIORES.

ART. 70. Para la buena administración de justicia, el territorio de la República se dividirá en distritos judiciales, que se subdividirán en Comunes cuyo número y jurisdicción determinará la ley. En aquéllos se establecerán Tribunales ó Juzgados de Primera Ins tancia, y éstas serán regidas por alcaldes.

Párrafo 1. La ley determinará las atribuciones de estos tribunales ó juzgados, y las que como jueces deberán ejercer los alcal

3. To take cognizance of the impeachments of diplomatic agents accredited abroad for malfeasance in office.

4. To take cognizance of all cases, whether of impeachment or for common offenses, against delegates or commissioners, governors, and judges of the courts of first instance of the Provinces and Districts.

5. To settle all conflicts of jurisdiction between the governors and the judges of first instance.

6. To decide which law should be observed when found in conflict with others.

7. To take cognizance of appeals from the decisions of the tribunals and courts of first instance. 8. To take cognizance of prize

cases.

9. To take cognizance, as supreme military court, of the appeals taken to it from the decisions. of the military courts.

10. To take cognizance, during the recess of Congress, of cases or claims of private parties against the Government.

11. To exercise all the other functions determined by law.

TITLE IX.

THE INFERIOR COURTS.

ART. 70. For the proper administration of justice the territory of the Republic shall be divided into judicial districts which shall be subdivided into communes, the number and jurisdiction of which shall be determined by law. Each judicial district shall have a court of first instance, and each commune shall have a Mayor.

Paragraph 1. The law shall determine the powers of these courts and those of the mayors, and also the organization to be given to the

DE LOS AYUNTAMIENTOS.

ART. 72. Para el gobierno económico de las Comunes y Cantones habrá Ayuntamientos en todos aquellos que lo determine la ley, y la duración de su ejercicio será de dos años. Su elección se hará por las respectivas Asambleas Primarias, y sus atribuciones serán objeto de una ley.

ART. 73. Los Ayuntamientos votarán anualmente el presupuesto de sus ingresos y egresos, y según la ley, tienen el derecho de reglamentar cuanto convenga al progreso en todo sentido, en sus respectivas localidades, siempre que no contraríen las leyes decretadas por el Poder Legislativo, ó las disposiciones que emanen del Poder Ejecutivo, cuando para ello esté debidamente autorizado.

councils of war, and establish their jurisdiction and powers.

Paragraph 2. The courts of first instance shall take cognizance of the cases of commercial character which may occur within their respective jurisdiction, but they shall decide them according to the provisions of the Code of Commerce. ART. 71. To be a judge in the inferior courts, the following shall be required:

1. To be a Dominican in the exercise of the rights of citizenship. 2. To be at least twenty-five years of age.

Paragraph 1. Foreigners shall not be members of the tribunals or courts of first instance until four years after their naturalization.

Paragraph 2. The judges of first instance shall serve for four years and may be reelected.

TITLE X.

MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.

ART. 72. For the economical government of the communes and cantons there shall be municipal councils in all the places determined by law, and the duration of their service shall be two years. The election of these councils shall be made by the respective primary assemblies, and their power shall be regulated by law.

ART. 73. The municipal councils shall vote every year the budget of their receipts and expenditures; and enact all the Rules and Regulations necessary to secure the progress and welfare in all respects, of their respective localities, provided that nothing therein contained is in violation of the laws or of the decrees of the Executive, when duly authorized to do so.

ART. 74. Los Ayuntamientos, en lo relativo al ejercicio de sus atribuciones administrativas ordinarias, son independientes, y sólo están sujetos á rendir las cuentas de recaudación é inversión de los fondos, con arreglo á la ley. Los Ayuntamientos pueden votar toda clase de arbitrios comunales, cuyo pago se refiera á usos ó consumos verificados en el radio de sus Comunes. Para que sean obligatorios deben tener la aprobación del Ejecutivo. Para la imposición de los arbitrios municipales que tengan carácter de impuestos no establecidos en la ley, pedirán la aprobación del Congreso, por órgano del Ministro de lo Interior.

Párrafo. La independencia de los Ayuntamientos no se refiere á los casos extraordinarios, en los cuales deben siempre regirse por las leyes.

TÍTULO XI.

DEL RÉGIMEN DE LAS PROVINCIAS Y DISTRITOS.

ART. 75. El gobierno de cada Provincia ó Distrito se ejercerá por un ciudadano con la denominación de Gobernador Civil y Militar, dependiente del Poder Ejecutivo, de quien es agente inmediato, y con quien se entenderá por se entenderá por órgano de los Secretarios de Estado en los Despachos de lo Interior y Policía y de Guerra y Marina.

ART. 76. Los Comunes y Cantones serán gobernados por jefes comunales y cantonales. Éstas autoridades dependen directamente del Gobernador de la Provincia ó Distrito respectivo.

Párrafo. Para ser Gobernador se requiere: Tener por lo menos treinta años de edad, y las demás cualidades que para Diputado. La ley señalará las atribuciones de estos funcionarios.

ART. 74. The municipal councils shall be independent in everything relating to the exercise of their ordinary administrative functions; but they shall give an account of the collection and disbursement of the municipal funds, according to law. The municipal councils shall vote all classes of municipal taxes on property used or consumed within the limits of the municipality. But the payment of these taxes shall not be compulsory except when approved by the Executive. When levying municipal taxes in the shape of burdens not established in the law, the councils shall ask the approval of Congress through the secretary of the interior.

Paragraph. The independence of the municipal councils is not to be understood to cover cases of extraordinary character, in which they shall always be governed by law.

TITLE XI.

THE GOVERNMENT OF PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS.

ART. 75. The government of each Province or District shall be entrusted to a citizen, under the name of civil and military governor, who shall depend on the Executive power, the immediate agent of which he shall be and with which he shall communicate through the secretaries of the interior and police, or of war and the navy, as the case may be.

ART. 76. Communes and cantons shall be governed by commune and canton chiefs, who shall depend directly upon the governor of the respective Provinces or Districts.

Paragraph. No one shall be a governor who is not at least thirty years of age and has not all the qualifications required to be a deputy. The law shall fix the powers of these functionaries.