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\et VII In the absence of the President of the Confederation, the Federal Council is presided over by the Vice-President, and, in the case of the latter's absence, by the member who falls next in the order of nomination. The members filling extraordinary vacancies take rank from the date ot their election, and remain in office for the remaining terms of their predecessors. Act VIII The Chancellor of the Confederation is present at the meetings of the Federal Council-with a secretary. The Chancellor records the Acts and decisions which have been passed, and the secretary keeps the minutes. Abt IX The Federal Council grants to the several departments the necessary number of secretaries and of copying clerks within the limits of the law respecting the appointments of officials and of the annual Budget. Abt. XL All the employes and the people attached to the service, (with the exception of the officials of which the nomination belongs to the Federal Assembly, by virtue of Art, 85 No. 4 of the Federal' Constitution) are nominated by the Federal Council after the notification of the vacancy. Each member of the Federal Council has the right of presentation. General Prerogatives and Duties of the Federal Council. Art XII The prerogatives and duties of the Federal Council within the limits of the present COn*Tt^^^^<^^ t"he laws and decrees of the Confederation. I It gives a watchful care over the due keeping of the Constitution, as well as over the terms of thtFederal compacts ; it undertakes by its head, on receipt of a complaint, the necessary measures for the due canving-out of these terms, when the remedy is not of the nature of those which ought to be laid before" the Federal tribunal in the tenor of Art. 113. 3 It guards the rights and privileges of the Cantonal Constitutions. t It presents drafts of laws and decrees to the Federal Assembly and gives its advice upon the propositions which have been addressed to it by the Councils or by the Cantons, proposition, w execution of the laws and the decrees of the Confederation and of the judgments of the Federal Tribunal" as well as of the results of arbitrations in settlement of disputes betW 6 611t makeTlrappointments which are not the prerogative of the Federal Assembly or of the between themselves or with foreign powers, and 8 TtT™Tbie ffihfiSSStS"! Confederation outside, notably in the observation of international reports, and it is in general charged with foreign affairs. ~/•;, , 9 lUs responsible for the external safety of the Swiss, for the maintenance of its independence and Jj^fJ^^^g for the internal well-being of the Confederation, in maintaining tranquillity and order . g [n sesBio n t he Federal Council is authorised to raise the necessary troops and to dispose of them, under the obligation of paling together immediately the Council if the number of the troops raised exceed 2,000 men, or if they "''"il^ttsihtrgeTwS'the Federal military revenue, as well as all the other branches of the administration which belong to the Confederation. . administration « ordinances of the Cantons, which must be submitted for its approval; it exercises supervision over the branches of the Cantonal administration, which are PlaCf4 Unldniin°st rr°s Lthe finances of the Confederation, submits the Budget, and renders an ""IS! It f^eS'^XTSthe officials and employes of the Federal Administration. 16 It renders an account of its actions to the Federal Assembly at each ordinary session, presenting to it a report on the situation of the Confederation both home and foreign, and recommendf o its attention the measures which it believes useful to the well-being o the commonwealth. I makes also special reports when the Federal Assembly or one of its Chambers demands them Art XIII. The President opens all the documents addressed to the Federal Council sending them to the'respective departments which deals with them, or submits them to the Federal Counci and sees that the business is expedited. The President submits every session to the Federal Council a Ust prepared by the Chancellor of all the Acts promulgated. He decides when the voices are eaual-i c he has a casting-vote. In elections he votes like the other members Art. XIV. The Federal Council can only deliberate when there are at least four members PreS6 ART XV All decisions are taken by the absolute majority of the members present. In order to carry a question there must be a majority of four members at least to caf/ a| VI No member can absent himself from a sitting of the Counci without leave. The President can grant leave for a week; for a longer leave the permission of the Council must be obtained. mattor mlder COD . s ideration, with the exception of the elections' In this case the elections are made by ballot. The minutes of the meetings show the members present or absent. Each member has the right to place on record that he has not voted or a decree passed by the Federal Council, but for another relative proposition on the same subject. Abt XVIII When a member of the Council or one of his relations in the prohibited degree has a personal interest in a deliberation this member is obliged to withdraw.