ART. 52. At this session the following oath or promise shall be taken by the King, on the constitution. I swear (promise) to the people of the Netherlands that I will always observe and maintain the constitution. I swear (promise) that I will defend and preserve the independence and the territory of the kingdom with all my power, that I will protect public and individual liberty and the rights of all my subjects, and that I will employ all means which the laws place at my disposal for the preservation and promotion of the general and `individual welfare, just as a good king ought to do. So truly help me God Almighty! (This I promise!) ART. 53. After taking this oath or promise, the King shall be installed at the same session by the States-General; the president of the States-General shall pronounce the following solemn declaration, which shall thereupon be sworn to and confirmed by him and by each of the members separately: In the name of the people of the Netherlands and by virtue of the constitution, we receive and swear allegiance to you as King; we swear (promise) that we will maintain your inviolability and the rights of your crown; we swear (promise) to do everything that a good and loyal States-General ought to do. So truly help us God Almighty! (This we promise!) SECTION 6. THE POWERS OF THE KING ART. 54. The King is inviolable; the ministers are responsible. ART. 55. The executive power shall be vested in the King. ART. 56. General administrative regulations shall be issued by the King. Provisions to be enforced by penalties shall not be included among such regulations except by virtue of a law. The penalties to be imposed shall be regulated by law. ART. 57. The King shall have supreme control of foreign relations. ART. 58. The King declares war. He shall give immediate notice thereof to the two houses of the States-General, together with such additional information as he deems consistent with the interests of the state. ART. 59. The King shall conclude and ratify all treaties with foreign powers. He shall also communicate the purport of these treaties to the two houses of the States-General, as soon as he considers that the interests of the state permit. Treaties which contain modifications of the territory of the `state, which impose pecuniary obligations upon the kingdom, or which contain any other provision concerning legal rights, shall not be ratified by the King until after approval by the States-General. This approval is not required if the power has been reserved to the King by law to conclude such treaty. ART. 60. The King shall have the supreme control over the land and naval forces. The military officers shall be appointed by him. They shall be promoted, discharged, or retired by him in accordance with the rules prescribed by law. Pensions shall be regulated by law. ART. 61. The King shall have supreme control of the colonies and possessions of the kingdom in other parts of the world. The regulations for the conduct of the government in the colonies and possessions shall be established by law. The monetary system shall be regulated by law. Other matters relating to these colonies and possessions shall be regulated by law as soon as the necessity therefor appears to exist. ART. 62. The King shall cause a detailed report to be made annually to the States-General regarding the government and condition of the colonies and possessions. The law shall regulate the manner in which the finances of the colonies are to be administered and accounted for. ART. 63. The King shall have supreme control of the public finances. He shall regulate the salaries of all bodies and officials who are paid out of the national treasury. The salaries of the Council of State, of the Court of Accounts, and of the judicial officers shall be regulated by law. The King shall include the salaries in the estimates of expenses of the kingdom. The pensions of officials shall be regulated by law. ART. 64. The King shall have the right to coin money. He may have his likeness placed on the coins. ART. 65. The King confers titles of nobility. Foreign titles of nobility shall not be accepted by any citizen of the Netherlands. ART. 66. Orders of knighthood may be established by law, upon the recommendation of the King. ART. 67. The King, and with his consent the princes of his house, may accept foreign orders to which no obligations are attached. In no case shall other citizens of the Netherlands, or foreigners in the governmental service of the Netherlands, accept foreign decorations, titles, ranks, or dignities, without the special permission of the King. ART. 68. The King shall have the right to grant pardon in case of penalties imposed by judicial sentence. He shall exercise this right after receiving the opinion of the judge designated for this purpose by a general administrative regulation. Amnesty or exemptions from the legal consequences of crime shall be granted only by law. ART. 69. Dispensation from legal provisions shall be granted by the King only under the authority of law. The law conferring this authority shall specify the provisions to which the authorization to grant dispensation applies. Dispensation from the provisions of general administrative regulations is permitted, provided this right has been expressly reserved to the King in the regulation in question. ART. 70. The King shall settle differences arising between provinces, between provinces and communes, between communes, and between provinces or communes and waterchappen, veenschappen, and veenpolders, which are not comprised among those mentioned in Art. 153 or among those the settlement of which is intrusted, by virtue of Art. 154, to the regular courts, or to a body vested with administrative jurisdiction. ART. 71. The King shall recommend projects of law to the States-General and make such other recommendations to them as he considers proper. He shall have the right to approve or to reject the laws adopted by the States-General. ART. 72. The manner of promulgating laws and general administrative regulations, and the time when they shall go into force, shall be regulated by law. .. The form for the promulgation of laws shall be as follows: "We, etc., king of the Netherlands, etc., . . . . "To all who shall see or hear these presents, greeting! make known: "Whereas We have taken into consideration that, etc. (statement of the purpose of the law); "Therefore We, having consulted the Council of State and in agreement with the States-General, have thought proper and enacted, and do hereby think proper and enact," etc. (text of the law). "Given," etc. In case a queen rules or the royal authority is exercised by a regent or by the Council of State, the changes rendered necessary thereby shall be made in the foregoing formula. ART. 73. The King shall have the right to dissolve the houses of the States-General, either separately or simultaneously. The decree of dissolution shall at the same time contain an order for the election of new houses within fourteen days, and for the assembling of the newly elected houses within two months. When the Council of State exercises the royal authority it shall not have the right of dissolution. SECTION 7. THE COUNCIL OF STATE AND THE MINISTERIAL DEPARTMENTS ART. 74. There shall be a Council of State whose composition and powers shall be regulated by law. The King shall be president of the Council and shall appoint its members. The Prince of Orange, upon reaching the age of eighteen years, shall be entitled, as of right, to a seat in the Council. ART. 75. The King shall submit for discussion in the Council of State all matters to be presented by him to the States-General or which may be presented to him by the StatesGeneral, and all general administrative measures of the kingdom and of its colonies and possessions in other parts of the world. At the head of decrees to be issued, it shall be stated that the Council of State has been consulted upon the matter. The King shall also consult the Council of State upon all matters regarding which he thinks it proper to do so. The King alone shall decide and shall always make known his decision to the Council of State. ART. 76. The law may intrust the settlement of conflicts of jurisdiction to the Council of State or to a section thereof. ART. 77. The King establishes ministerial departments and appoints and dismisses the heads thereof at his will. The heads of the ministerial departments are charged with |