The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-18

unoJ; which may strengthen and more the public
g.aful,b and which may restore to an
norion OF inhabitants the sacred rights which nature
soomity to the provision of the soth article Of the
siruve exercising the extraordinary powers which
are conceded TO me, do decree
Slavery is abolished in the republic.
Those who until day have been considered slaves,
As When tho condition of the treasury will permit the
owners OF will be indemnihed in the manner which
'As 18th September 1929 A. D. Jose Maria de Bo
canssIs Of Law, and Decree, Nc in the wear, 1929
and 1880, page HI
The following addition, not contained in the above col
eon will be found page lH of the American Annual
Register of 1922 1880;
And in order that tho present decree msy its full
and execution, order it to be printed publ shed,
and circulated all those whose obligation is to have 1t
Given the federal palace of Mexico the 18th of
September, 1873. ,,,or>,rr c,rrpprpo
LORENZO DE ZAvALA.
The publication Of this decree in the general collection
Of the laws and DEGREES of Mexico would afford,
pma faeie, sufficient evidence of its authority But there
are higher evidences In the law OF 9Th April 1887, OF
which given below, recognised in the fol
lowing terms
"Los dueho de eseayos manu%tdo po5 la presea.s ley
nzados COLLECTION de Leyes Dscretos, stc, tomo
8, pag 2oi. or la. ,,,,., J.. -.
present law by decree of the 18th September 1929
shall be nde%aided. Nc collection of Laws and Do
cees, Nc vol 8, page 2oi
The extraordinary powers by virtue of which this decree
was made, do appear have been conferred, as Mr.
BkH supposcs, for the purpose of repeng invasion
The decree does show that they had such purpose at
nn They vested in the Executive by an act of the
Third Constitutional Congress- in the following words;
FACILITATES EXTRAORDINARIAS AL GOBlERNO.
Art l. LIE antorza al executive de la ederacion para
de la INDEPENDENTLY del sisema actual de goberno, de
q Por 81 artcuo anterior queda el gobiemo autoza
do para dsponer de la vida de canos, nj para espeler
los del tenorio de la republica.
Esta autozacion cesara tan luego como oil Consreso
general SO reuna on sesiones ordnarias 80
collection dc las Leys: DesIeos oxPe9id0s por ell Con-
Translation
EXTRAORDINARY POWERS TO THE GOVERNMENT.
Art L. The executive of the confederation is authorized
adopt whatever may be necessary for the
ervaton of independence OF the present sysem OF govern
An. q, BY preceding article the government is moi,
TO dispose OF the lives OF Mexcan or 10 exPei
them, from the territory OF the republic
Art 8 This authority shall the general
Congress shall meet in ordinary sessions.
collection OF Laws and DEGREES made by the general
Congress, &c, OF 1923 and 1880, page 90
The powers conferred by the fist article only limited
by the provisions 9th, second and third xcspng ia
as they may be considered restrained by the purposes
whch.they conferred Thess purposes very ex-
ensive, much to comprehend nearly all the great
ends government The decree Of President Guerrero as
will be perceived has reference the very purposes
which the extraordinary powers delegaedto sup
port independence" and strengthen the "public
quliy" The extraordinary powers referred to were
coded the 25h August, 1S29 and the government
required report the Congress TO assemble in January
$780, the necessity that existed in the cases in which it had
exercised the powers conferred by the first article The
Congress met in January and to have continued
session. ordinary and extraordinary, with brief
missions, I'LL the 10Th December 1880. During this period
the decree Of Guerrero untouched But the 18th
February, 1881, a resolution passed by Congress- de-
crng that the laws, decee rules ORDERS and provisions
which belonged to the legislative authority and which the
government had made by virtue of the extraordinary pow
referred subject to The qualification of Congress-
and to be without effect until revised by the Cham
ber There were, however, exceptions to the rule How
far the decree of Guerrero affected by this declsra
tion-whether it was power executed, and not to be
revoked whether 1t was suspended in its operation until
1897 necessary inquire The subsequent recog
milton of the decree by legislative and constitutional
enactmens disposes OF the question of authority. 1t is
hardly admissible in to dispute the validity of
of the Mexican government thus recognised in Mexico
assert the face of that recognon that the power
Of abolishng slavery belonged to the municipal authorities
of the several States.
The of Congress of 1887, referred to by Mr. Dix, is in
the following words
"Queda aboda sin escepcion nj unn la esclavtud
oa republican Abril de 1881 COLLECTION de Leyesy
DsGseos, etc. tome 8. pas. 2oll .,;.b., ,.,
exception, in the whole repnhlc April 8 1881 COLLECTION
OF Laws and Decrees OF the CTeneral Congress OF the
United Mexican States, volume 3, page 2Ol
The constitution of 1874 (of Tacubaya) reiteraes the
prohibition of slavery the following words Slavery is
forever prohibited. "-Thompsons Mexico, page $50. 1t
will be perceived that the constitution Of lS4 does not
abolish slavery. 1t prohibits it. From the difference be
the phraseoogy of the decree of 1929 and the OF
Congress of 1887 and that of the constitution of 1884, may
it be fairly inferred that the latter designed prohibit
in the future, what the former acts had abolished in the
past
On the strength of these authorities, Mr.. Dix asserted
that Mexico had long since abolished slavery hrougho
the republic.