THE AUSTIN PAP.ERS. 571 But the J\mta are directed by the organic basis decr·eed by the ·Jl~niperor a.t their fot·irtation to form a project of a Constitution. If they do so, are the future Congress bound to·adopt it whether they a ppi·6ve' of it or not Y • Agree·ably to the golden rt1le herein stated the ·People· alone· h:we the;right·of forming their Constitution: an.cl will any one say, that the People of ·this ·n·ation created the Junta, or authorised them to form a Constitution for them?' • All then that the Junta can legally do •is· to call a General Con- gress-The only thing that can unite the conflicting·interests of the nation, is a general Congress~The only leg-al mode of consolidating and firmly establishing the Government, is by a General ConO'ress- . e The only power that' has, en; can have legal authority to fol'm the Constitution; is.a: General Congress_:_And all that can save the Na- tion from the horrors of a civil war is a General Congress. • The voice of your Country, therefore, a voice which none but Tyrants disregard, and one which every trne patriot considers ·as sacred as that which spoke in thunder from Mount Sinai, calls upon you for a General Congress. ·vvith this sacred appeal sound- ing in your ears, will your consciences permit you to waste away time so precious to the nation, in debating the project of a Constitutipn which you have no right to s'anc_tio1i, 'when by so doing you jeopard- ise the peace cif your·country' ind·perhaps involve it in ·ci,·il war by delaying the'Convocation of Cqngressr • I Let the Junta therefdre adopt the f9llowing propositions in order to shew ·t:l~e nation hcnv fai.: the·'Government is legally const.ftuted, what rights 'app~rtai~ to: 'the peop_le, and. what they h:we yet to perform_ , • • .. • •• 1-That all Government o·f right originates frorri the· People..:..:.is fom~decl in consent-·ancl is institutcU •foi' the general ~ood- 2-That the People by their legal •1:epr~sentatiYes in Congress as- sembled have deelared that the GoYernment of the ?\foxican Nation should be a Constitutional, limited, hereditary :Monarchy, which declaration was made freely without t.he influence of force or fear- 3-That the People by their le~nl representatives in Con,zress as- sembled. did on the U) th o-f .May last elect Don Agustin 1. Emperor of the :Mexican N ntion, and that said election was freely made with- out the influence of force or fear ' . 4-Tha.t'thercfoi·e the fo1·1n of Government of the ~Iexican Nation is lega11y ·adopted and the Emperor legally chosen 5-That the peop~3 h:we not yet formed their Constitution and I . ' ' ' , • they, and they only, have the sole arid absolute power of forming it- , •6-Tha't as the Peo1jlc cannot all assemble nncl debate and v~te on the Constitution-,·the· only' 'le:tnl mode of doing it is b:,' tho'ir rept;e- ·se'Iitati'ns, freely chosen 1rntl usf;'embled in ·a General Corio-ress- . - . 0
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