OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

April f27, 1999 

Honorable F. Lee O9fmlel 

oorernor .or Tezar 

Awtfn, Texas 

Dear &amorr 

W4 ax-4 in r4c 

trammltting lattsr tro 

man of the Joint Lagis 

Legislature, in whfoh t 

akaq any action or 

epact to the anthat tha wmteva of penal law 

6 stat4 may b4 oomplate within 

t a0 ryrtaul or flralgn law6 

nmrl*t*a, mar be l ppaaleb to, it ir 

hat ao pareon 8hal.l be punirhad for 

cml~doa, anlaas th4 ma4 18 Bade 

a penal o?fan44 aad a paaalty~,Ir affired thsre- 

$0 ,b,r tha mittian .Z6w o? tha St+ia.w 

reads I 

Art1014 1; Saotion ?! of t&r l'ey~ Conrtitution 

?3 
Hon. Vi. Lee O'Daniel, April 27, lQ39, Page 2 

"All political power is inhsrent in the 

people, and all r-4 governmante ar4 r0and4d 

on ,&heir authority, and inetitutad for their 

baxq4rit. The laith 0r tha people Of Texas 

8ta$is plaUge& to the preservation o? a republioaq?orm o? government, and, subject to this 

limitation only, they have at all tines the 

inal$enable right to altar, reiorm or abolish 

thelr'government In such manner as they may 

think expedient." 

Article 1, Section 8 a? the Texas Constitution reads: 

YWery pereon shall be at liberty to 

speak, write or.publish hia opinions on any 

subject, being responsible for the abuse o? 

that privilege; and no law shall 4v4r be passed 

curtailing the liberty o? spaeoh or o? the 

press. In prosecutions ?or tha publications or 

papers, Investigating the conduct of officere, 

or'men in public oapaclty, or when the matter 

published is proper for public information, the 

truth thereof may be given in evidence. And in 

all indictments for libels, the jury shall have 

the right to determine the law and the facts, 

under the direction of the court, as in other 

ca84a.W 

.- 

Article 1, Section 19 o? the Texas Constitution reads: . 

90 citizen of this State shall be deprived 

or life, liberty, property, privileges or timunitiee,'or in any mannar disrranohlwb, mf04s. by the do4 ooursa ai ths law o? th4 land.* 

.Artlol4 1, Metion e&pi the Texa6 Conmtltution 

raabe : 

"Treason against the Btat4:ahal.l oonatit 

o&y% lavying mar agaln8t it, 4ir adhering 

to its enamiea, giving them aid mb oom?ort~;anU 

no person nhal* be convicted o? treason except 

on the testtiny o? two wltnesaes' to t&e same 

overt act, , r on con?asaion in opan court.- 

Artiale 1, Saction 27 o? the Texae Constitution 

reads: 
Hon. YJ. Lee O'Daniel, April 27, 1939, Page 3 

"The citizens shall hava the right, in 

a p4acabla manner, to ass4mblr together for 

thair oommon good; and apply to those Investad 

wi%h fhe powers of government ?or ~~UIWSS of 

grlavanaas or other pxmpo848.-:hy patltion, adtlrass+r r4monstan04.~ 

*tic14 1, Section a9 of the Tsxas Constitution 

raads : 

"To guard against transgressions of the 

high pours herein delegated, ws Qeclare that 

sverything~in this *Bill a? Wghts' is sxcepted 

out of the general powers of government, and 

shall forever remaln lnvlolata, and all laws 

contrary thereto, or to the following provisions, 

shall be void." 

There is no statute in Texas undertaking to 

define crimes against the Constitution, snd w4, tharafdre, J 

answer that tha Constitution and statute laws of the State 

of Texas have no provisions with respect to Wcrimes against - 

the Constitution.w 

Yours very truly 

ATTQRNEYGENEXALOFTEXAS 

e_ 

By (Signed) A, S. Rollins 

A. S. Rollins 

Assistant 

~Signed~~~iierald c. Mann 

ATTORNEY%J!!NXRAL OF TXAS