rHE AUSTIN PAPERS. 603 Art. 15 The liberty of the Press and of Speech' is so essential ·to the freedom and improvement of the nation, that it shall be invio- lably preserved; ·and-can· only- be restricted by Congress so as to prevent scandalous attacks on private character. • Art. 16 Ex post facto·,, or retrospective laws· are oppressive and unjust, and·no such law shall be passed • •• Art. 17 In all cases and at.nll,timcs the :Military ought and sha11 be under strict subordination to the civil power, except in the cases to be provided for.by law irt time of war, or •invasion Art. 18 No soldier in time of peace shall be quartered in any house or hacienda without the consent of;the owner, and in time of war such quarters ought to be made in the manner to be prescribed by law;• Art. 19 No person shall.be subject to Martial Jaw except those em- ployed in the army or navy, or in the .:Militia in actual Service. Art. 20 The basis of the national representation is the population including all native free born citizens•of whatner descent, wheither American, European or african, and foreigners who are considered as Citizens. Art. 21 .Monopolies, and exclusive.and special previliges, wheither in.fornur of an individual, or an association, of eclC'siastics or ln?- men, are prejudicial to the true interests· of the nation contrary to natural justice, and are absolutely. prohibited; except when granted according to the formalities of the law,•for a limited period, as a compensation for new inventions and improvements in the arts or sciences. Art. 22 No hereditary office, honors, titles of nobility, or any other titles except·those of office shall be granted. • .. Art. 23 No public money shn.11 be drawn from the treasury or in any manner appropriatC'd except by virtue of a law of Congress; nnd the President of Mexico,.:Minister or·any other person· who violates this article shall be guilty-of n high crime and punished according to law. Art. 24 The power of suspending the laws or the execution of them shall alone be exercised by Congress- .Art. 25 The entail of estates by primogeniture to the exclusion of younger children (.Mayorasgos) is calculated, arbitrarily to prevent the distribution of property, thereby, in violation of justice en- riching the fow, and ·empoverishing the many, to create and per- petuate aristocrncy, nncl to engender indolence, arrogance, vice, and corr~1ption, and is therefore distructive of individual happiness, sub- versive of national prosperity, at variance with the principles of a free Government: and dangerous to the liberties of the people; nlJ such entails shall therefore be distroyed, and an equitable system of
Powered by FlippingBook