The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-13
TIE CUBAN CONSTITUTIONS
As Submitted bv the Central COM
mittee to the Conventionl
OUR OWN TAKEN AS THE N bDEL

Guarantees Freedom of Speech an Press
and Civil and Religious Libe -Naf
tive Congress Can Declare ' and.
President Arrange Treaties-TefritorS
Of Republic-No Mention Of America
Havana, Cuba.-The Cuban C9hstitut
ton, as submitted by the Cent? Fl Come
mittee to the Constitutional Sonven.
ton, contains the following proTisionst
1.-The people Of Cuba shall be CON.
stituted into sovereign and irdepens;;
dent State under a republican ,Sorm OF
government. ~ 81
2.-The territory Of the republic com.3
prises the Island Of Cuba and the isi'
ands and keys adjacent thereto which
were under the jurisdiction and cor.s
troll Of the General Government Of the
Island Of Cuba while it was Spanish
possession.
3.-The territory Of the republic shalf
be divided into six provinces, the Dount
daries and names Of which shall be
those of the present provinces as long
as not modified by the laws.
The requirements for citizenship are
in general the same as those prescrloed Z
by the United States Constitution. 4
The rights guaranteed to citizens ID
the matters of private correspondence
and documents, free speech, religious
freedom, separation CT Church anu
State. right Of petition and assembly,
copyright, free entry and exit and con,
fiscation of property are Identical with
those vouchsafed by the Constitution
of the United States.
The ntional sovereignty shall be
vested in the people Of Cuba, from
which shall emanate the public pow
crs. ... :,
The legislative power shall be exer
cised by two elective bodies to, bs
named the House of Representatives"
and the Senate" and conjointy
known as the Congress"
The Senate shall be composed OF Sic
Senators from each one Of the six de-
partments of the republic, elected for q
period of six years by electors whom
the ayuntamientos shall name in the
manner prescribed by law. 81
One.third of the Senators shall be
elected every two years.
The Senate shall have the power to
try all impeachments against the Pres.
ident of the Republic and the Goyernt I.
ors of the departments in the same
manner as provided for in the Constt.
ution Of the United States, Its other
powers are similar to those Of the
United States Senate.
The House of Representatives shall
be composed of one Representative for
every $4,000 inhabitants or fraction. OF
more than $4,000, elected for period
of four years by direct vote, and in the
manner prescribed by law.
The House Of Representatives shall
have power to bring all impeachments
IN the >same manner as the United
States House Of Representatives. In
general the regulations common to
both legislative bodies, as well as the
privileges and immunities guaranteed
to membe.s, are identical with those
prescribed in the Constitution of the
United States.
The Executive power shall be exer.
cised by the President Of the Republic;
The President shall be elected to serve
a term of four years. No one can be
elected President for three consecutive
terms. =,
The President shall be elected by di.
rect votes, and an absolute majority
thereof cast on one single day in ac-
cordGnce with the provisions of the
law.
The other provisions are similar to
those of the United States Constitu.
ton. ="
There shall be one Vice-President OF
the Republic, who shall be elected IN
the same manner as the President, con.
Jointly with the latter and for q like
term.
The Constitution cannot be changed,
in whole or in part, except by two
thirds vote of both legislative bodies.
Six months after deciding on the re-
form, q Constitutional Assembly shall
be elected, which shall confine itself
to the approval or disapproval of the
reform voted by the legislative bodies.
These will continue in their fupctions
Independently Of the Constitutional AS.
sembly. The members Of this Assem-
bly, shall be equal in number to the
members in the two legislative bodies
together.