Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 61 (1877).djvu/110

64 XXIII. The Imperial Diet has the right to propose laws within the competency of the Empire, and to forward Petitions which have been addressed to it to the Council of the Confederation, or to the Chancellor of the Empire.

XXIV. The legislative period of the Imperial Diet is three years. For a dissolution of the Imperial Diet within this time, a resolution of the Council of the Confederation, with the assent of the Emperor, is requisite.

XXV. In case of a dissolution of the Imperial Diet, the meeting of the electors must be called within a period of 60 days after such dissolution, and within a period of 90 days the Imperial Diet must be summoned.

XXVI. Without the assent of the Imperial Diet the prorogation of the same may not be extended over 30 days, and it can never be repeated during the same session.

XXVII. The Imperial Diet scrutinises the legality of the credentials of its members and decides thereon. It regulates its own method of business and discipline by a business-order, and elects its President, Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries.

XXVIII. The Imperial Diet decides by absolute majority of votes. The presence of a majority of the legal number of the members is necessary for the validity of a resolution.

In voting on a matter which, according to the stipulations of this Constitution, is not common to the whole Empire, only the votes of those members will be counted who have been elected in those Confederate States to which the matter is common.

XXIX. The members of the Imperial Diet are Representatives of the entire people, and are not bound by orders and instructions.

XXX. No member of the Imperial Diet can at any time be proceeded against either judicially or by way of discipline, on account of his votes, or for expressions made use of in the exercise of his functions, nor can he be made responsible in any other way out of the Assembly.

XXXI. Without the assent of the Imperial Diet, no member of the same may be placed under examination or arrested during the period of the session for any deed subject to punishment, except when taken in the fact or in the course of the following day.

The same assent is needful in arrest for debt.

At the requisition of the Imperial Diet every correctional procedure against a member of the same, and all investigations or civil arrests must be relinquished for the duration of the period of the session.

XXXII. The members of the Imperial Diet must not receive any salary or indemnification in that capacity.