The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-10-08
southern Imfrlra
LEGISLATURE OF CAKRACCAs
REGULATIONS OF rHT LIBERTY OF rny

ne legislature OF Caracas convinced tina,
tue press is the medium hes. adapted 20
the communication of universal, hight. ana
taSt the AGILITY with which peop!c can
give publicity to their thoughts is tie oniy
eheck upon the ambition of their rulers,
nave determined the press, under the fol
loving restrictions. to DC tree.
All bodies corporate and individual
persons, 0, whatever state or condition. nre
at Eher'y. withou, licehce, revision or an
pr0oat'an' 90 write, print and publish their
iceas, as we'll on political US OH other sub-
jects
Az licenses therefore previous 20 DO
,inca' publications are abolished, AND the
Jaws Gone away which required a license.
particularly me frs, Law of the twenty fourth
DOCK OF the first summary of the laws of he
indies which ordained that no paper what.
ever 'rcating o! these dominons should he
puohsned without special license obtained
rom the COUNCIL the Indies.
D. are excepted from this regulation all
.,ea''ses on religious subjects, relating 10
,neh Iosmas. OK fundamental p, isiples. as
,o'" ing moment OF their publication they
are supJec!ed to the censure of the eccle,ias-
Trent. -'u'N'i Va
&. No books. Consequently. On religion
can be published without pre-, ious license
q 'he priest, who shall not however pa IS
nus Cehsure without a previous audience ot
we author, conforming himself to the snirif
~ tue constitution provided BY his holiness
ia.her Benedict the 14th, and to the dicta,sS
of Justice. ~ '''S N'C'a'SS
? II the ecciesiastic in ordinary shall in
sls' on MS refusal, the author NAV have re-
source with copy of the work. to the on.
fennI sh.; VINO shall examine it, and If
,oanu "oT'hy OF puo'ications shall notify its
~ aooa'io'i 10 the ordinary, who again re.
Vising 1t. shall put a stop to all fnrsner 70
sort. ''' 'HSi nc
o. When the authors of such shall, not
De present or at too great distance to AT.
Gnu tue summons, person of public cha
ser ana OF known science shall be appoin-
90 as me defendant, according to the law
So ct he 9TH boek. ''e Ia"
~, Au hors and printers shall be iDdiyidu-
any responsible for the abuse of The nress
an writings are prohibi ed subver
sNe OF me government establ shed a, yene
1ueIa' constituting its liberty and indenen
fence on am power or dominion bev ond ire
e'Iitory, and the authors and printers sh ali
oe Punished according to the laws and thes,.
regulations. anu ''ese
g. Defamatory libels, calumn;,t;,o aa,
licentious Writings. or these ;nfr;na;e anu
TIC decency and good morals. shall be AM
aoie TO the established laws, and those which
are poin ed out. '''o'e WHICH
~: Never shall the character Of mora,
quailIles OF individuals be attacked noliti'
cism. u"Jee' u Criti-
IT,, authors (uhder this appellltion is in
ciuoed the editor, or the person ofFnr;no ~ =
u. ma uuscriPt) shall not be obliged 10 ar
ener names TO the publications. although
Eo' eNemP ted on that account from the,r
responsibility fer this effect the prin,e,
f'rs! suos'antlate thenauIe of the authtr nc
In failure he will be himself liable n rho -
nishment OF the unknown ~
H.. Anonymous publications. =, ,r
sumed signatures shall be permirte,I. 20 10
the printer must identity the ,n,hor
whose name he shall not be compe;Iad :,
ois0iose' until the work be condemned hS
'egai authority he is Otherwise resno,s;,
Is Printers are obliged to sign ,b.;r
mes ana expectations, with the place and
year, OF the impression, in every nriyt @" IS
Whatever size or shape, excepting onIv M
invitation invitation cards, Keeping in mind. that ,hs
ia,sehess OF omission ofthese requisites. shall
SUBJECT them to the Punishment suirab,e %
me Intention or maiiee intended
A.. an hodles, colleges and comnit
eseS are lnterdicted the use of presses with
out the express permission of ebve,n m men
under pam OF confscation, &c.
10 Frlnters who are ignorant &c .ba -,
enors or editors of works thev sha1l Tr;n,
shali not proceed with the innreesiop, ~
their names are identified with the &c.
% TWO Witnesses, who shall obliged n sion
.he manuscript in company otherwise %
be responsible as ifthe authors "''e' ~
10. Authors, or editors ah,,.;, st. :;
vi tHe Press, who shall contravene the
fsgula,loss of this ordinance, shall not oni,
suaer we pam announced by the .Iaw bnt
snail also have their names and tb- n,',ieh
ment tney have received published in the
government gazette. ." '"e
~ authors on subjects of religion with.
out previous license. shall be pn5ishsd 90
Coru'hg to the laws already published ana
o'GI ana above incur a fine q, 1Oad,Ila'.. c..
me hrSt offence, 900 dollars win ,hn g.
TEXTURE OF their presse, for the snoonh loi
''r one thrd, banishmen, from the proviuce
10 Authors Of political works. Who =:
Ous'nS Inc liberty OF tn press. shall dissa-
inmate maxims contrary to the governn,s,',
Sna'i De punished as the statutes d;rec, 49, :,
sucn oH-nce, and be farther u,ulcted - ~
nhe oi 5OO dollars for the Ist oAsnr. 100
uoIia'S LOT the second, and or the third .c
author "ahSe of the
~ Authors, editors, or printers IS ....
tt,,nSa against the government es,abi,sb.J -
ed with death. O' punish
20 Aufbo,, o. r =,