hoose in
their department a tenth of their number, who formed a "departmental
list." And, similarly, those whose names appeared on the departmental
list were to choose a tenth of their number, who formed a "national
list." From these three lists in order were to be chosen, largely by
the Senate, the public officials of the districts, the departments,
and the nation. No electoral scheme has ever been devised which, while
grounded upon the principle of manhood suffrage, more effectually
withdraws from the people the actual choice of public officials, local
as well as national.[429]

[Footnote 428: The constitution of the Year III.,
containing 377 articles, is one of the lengthiest
documents of the sort on record.]

[Footnote 429: Under this system the primary
electors numbered about 5,000,000; the district
notables, 500,000; the departmental notables,
50,000; and the national list, 5,000.]

*317. Constitution of the Year VIII: Organs of Government.*--Of national
governmental bodies there were four. One was the Tribunate, consisting
of 100 members, one-fifth of whom were renewable every year. The
function of the Tribunate was to discuss, but not necessarily to vote
upon, legislative measures. A second was the _Corps legislatif_, or
Legislative Body, of 300 members, one-fifth being renewed annually. To
this assembly was committed the power to vote upon, but not to debate,
legislative measures. A third was the Senate, consisting at the outset
of sixty life members, to be increased through a period of ten years
to eighty. The Senate was authorized to pass upon the constitutionality
of laws and to choose the Tribunes, the Legislators, and the Consuls
from the national list. Its own ranks were to be recruited by
co-optation from triple lists of candidates presented by the
Tribunate, the Legislative Body, and the First Consul. Finally, there
was the Council of State, whose organization was left purposely
indefinite. Its members were appointed by the First Consul, and their
business consisted principally in the preparation and advocacy of
legislative and administrative measures.

If under this scheme the legislative organs were weak, the executive
authority was notably strong. Powers of an executive character were
vested in three consuls, appointed by the Senate for ten years and
indefinitely e