Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-04-27

s. The fundamental laws can he.
given only by the nation itself and its
representatives.
4. The law is the general will de.
clarcd by its representatives.
S. Only the representatives united
in the assembly can make the constitn.
ton by the unanimity of votes.
6. The Legislative power resides in
the Cortes, depending on the sanction
of the king, who shall never have an
absolute vote.
7. The king shall not be present OK.
cept at the opening of The Cortcs.
8. The initiative Of the laws belong,
to the. representatives alone.
g. In the constitution should he tina
division OF the three powers; the Leeis.
lative resides in the Cortps, and in tho
King to sanction laws as has been de.
clared; the Executive in the Ministers;
and the Judicial in the Judges: these
powers being cIassed in such manner
that neither can arrogate to itself the
attributes of the other.
10. The person of the king is invio.
liable, the Ministers are responsible. &
particularly in every thing that relates
to individual property and liberty.
IL. There shall be a Council of
state, as the Constitution determines.
This council shall present to his Maies-
ty lists for public ernployments, and
shall have all the attributes which the
Constitution shall determine.
12 The Deputies are inviolable, and
no one can be responsible for his Cpl.
Mons.
| ls. The Assembly of the Cortes shall
meet once every year, and the elections
shall be made in the manner specified
by the Constitution, and they shall
meet on the day appointed in the capt.
tal OF the Kingdom and the Session
shall continue three months every year.
This term shall not be prolonged un-
less the assembly judge it necessary.
The King can neither prolong them or
dissolve them.
IA. The C0rtes may change and va.
ry the Constitution, but in that which
is now to be fixed, nothing can be
changed except after a lapse of four
years from the date of its promuIga.
ton.
IS. A permanent Junta of four mem.
bers of the Cortes shall reside in the
capital; that in extraordinary cases
which may occur, extraordinary Cor
ties may be convoked.
l6. TO the Cortes it appertains to
nominate the Regency of the kingdom,
to approve treaties of alliance and
commerce, to allow the admission Of
foreign troops aud all the other atlri.
butes which The constitution shall de-
termine.
II. The imposition Of taxes (tribu-
fos) shall be determined by law of the
Cortes, and they shall be proportional
TO the ability of the contributors.
Is. There shall be a Naval and a |
Military Force according to the popu.
lation Of the kingdom.
10. The soldier is citizrn. and as
such ought to participate in all civil
rights.
90. The Constitution recognizes the
public debt, and such means as shall
b. judged proper shall be adopted for
its discharge.
Some observations arose on no men,
/ ton beng made Of religion and the
fright Of succession. Ard the members
OF The committee explained that this a.
rose from the hurry Of copying. whence
some ARTICLES have been omitted among
which are these, that the religion Of
the State was the Catholic Apostolic
! Roman. and the Dynasty that II The
most Serene House of Braganza which
would be exactly seen when the basis
were printed. 1t was resell, ed to thank
the Committee for their zeal ard
promptitude, and that the basis should
be printed.
M. Francisco Soares Franco has
/ presented to the Cortes a memorial
the project of decree. In his memo.
rial, he asserts. at length. the right oil
the Portuguese 70 revise and change
their fundamental laws. a right which
is inherent in all nations. which the
Portuguese themselves exercised in the
18th century, on the assembly OF the
Cortes in the city of Lamego, and has
Al Ia nf