Chapter One On the Essence of Supreme Sovereign Power

  1. The Emperor of All the Russias possesses Supreme Sovereign Power. Obedience to His authority, not only out of fear, but in good conscience, is ordained by God Himself.
  2. The person of the Lord Emperor is sacrosanct and inviolable.
  3. The same Supreme Sovereign Power belongs to the Sovereign Empress when succession to the Throne, in the order thereunto established, reaches a female person; but her consort is not regarded as Sovereign; he enjoys the same honors and privileges as the spouses of emperors, except for the title.
  4. The Sovereign Emperor exercises legislative power in conjunction with the State Council and State Duma.
  5. The initiative in all legislative matters belongs to the Sovereign Emperor. Only upon His initiative may the Fundamental Laws be subject to revision by (in) the State Council and the State Duma.
  6. The Sovereign Emperor ratifies laws and without His ratification (approval) no laws can go into effect.
  7. Total administrative power belongs to the Sovereign Emperor throughout the entire Russian State. At the highest level of administration His authority is direct; at subordinate levels of administration He entrusts a certain degree of power, in conformity with the law, to the proper agencies or officials, who act in His name and in accordance with His orders.
  8. As supreme administrator, the Sovereign Emperor, in conformity with the laws, issues decrees for the organization and functioning of various departments of state administration as well as directives essential for the execution of the laws.
  9. The Sovereign Emperor is in charge of all external relations of the Russian Government with foreign powers. He determines the direction of the Russian Government's foreign policy.
  10. The Sovereign Emperor declares war, concludes peace, and negotiates treaties with foreign states.
  11. The Sovereign Emperor is the Supreme Commander of the Russian army and navy. He is Commander-in-Chief of all the land and sea armed forces of the Russian Government. He determines the organization of the army and navy and issues decrees and orders concerning: the displacement of troops, the mobilization of troops, their training, the performance of duties of the various ranks of army and navy personnel and, in general, everything connected to the organization of the armed forces and defense of the Russian Government. As the Supreme Commander the Sovereign Emperor sets forth limitations on the rights to reside and acquire property (real estate) in zones that comprise military installations and maintenance areas for the army and navy.
  12. The Sovereign Emperor declares areas to be under martial law or in a state of emergency.
  13. The Sovereign Emperor has the right to coin money and to determine its physical appearance.
  14. The Sovereign Emperor appoints and dismisses the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Ministers, and Chief Administrators of various departments, as well as other officials, unless the procedure of appointing and dismissing the latter, has been determined by law.
  15. As supreme administrator the Sovereign Emperor determines the scope of activities for all state officials in accordance with the needs of the State.
  16. The Sovereign Emperor grants titles, medals and other state distinctions, as well as property rights. He also determines the conditions and procedures for granting titles, medals and distinctions.
  17. The Sovereign Emperor directly issues decrees and instructions on matters of property that belong to Him personally, as well as on so-called State properties that always belong to the ruling Emperor. The latter cannot be bequeathed or divided and are subject to a different form of alienation. Those, as well as the other properties are not subject to taxation or levy.
  18. As Head of the Imperial House, the Sovereign Emperor, in accordance with the Statute on the Imperial Family, has the right to administer princely properties. He also determines the organization and the administrative procedures of institutions and establishments managed by the Minister of the Imperial Court.
  19. Judicial power is implemented through legally constituted courts in the name of the Sovereign Emperor. Their decisions are carried out in the name of His Imperial Majesty.
  20. The Sovereign Emperor has the right to pardon the accused, to mitigate sentences and to generally forgive transgressors; to terminate court actions and to release from trial and punishment. Exercising royal mercy, He has the right to commute official penalties and to grant clemency in exceptional cases that are not subject to general laws, provided such actions do not infringe upon civil rights or the legally protected interests of others.
  21. Decrees and commands that are issued directly or indirectly by the Sovereign Emperor, as supreme administrator, are sealed by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers or by an appropriate minister or by a department head, and are promulgated by the Governing Senate.

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