Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-24
MADER0 ISSUES A DECREE
Declares Personal Responsibility fol
Life Guarantees.
HOLDS MANDATE IS ILLEGAL
All Who Helped Formulate and All
Who Execute It Will Be
Held for Justice.

Trial and punishment as a homicide
is the peril that hangs over Porfirio
Diaz, President of Mexico, in the event
of the success of the revolution now In
progress. Not only he, but his advisers
in the administratis cabinet, the menl-
hers of the permanent commission OF
congress and all who had or many have
a share in devising, promulgating and
carrying into effect that mandate of
President Diaz "suspending the guaran-
tees that assure the lives of men, are
menaced by the same fate.
This has been decreed by Francesca 1.
Madero, provisional president or the revo-
lutionary party. 1t is the retort OF the
revolutionists to the order of President
DiaZ directing that summary justice De
meted out to men caught red-handed in
the act of destroying public property
such as the firing upon a town and de-
stroying its buldings--or public utilities
such as blowing up bridges. tearing up
railroad tracks, tearing down telegraph
and telephone wires, and in holding up
railroad trains.
Punishment for Homicide.
All who execute that act to the extent
of directing an execution OF any In
dividual or of taking human life. de-
clares Provisional President Madero, are
to be punished as principals or accom-
plices in the crime Of homicide. When
the revolution was on its way to power
all public officers concerned In making
or approving the DiaZ mandate are. to be
held responsible for all acts done under
This last clause refers not only to
President Diaz. who uttered the decree.
but to the members of his cabinet who
planned 1t, and to the members OF the
o0Y,nuoicC{nn nf WhO
formally approved it. Also. 1t applies to
those military officers Of the government
| who pass on the order to their sub
| ordinates in the field to carry into effect
The decree of Provisional President
Madero, as given out by the confidential
agency OF the revolution in Washington,
| Is as follows:
Text Of Madero Decree.
francesca /. Madero. president OF the
provisional government of the United
Mexican States, to it's Inhabitants:
Know ye that In the exercise Of the
| powers vested in me at San Luis Potost
| on October 5, 1910. which, among other
| things, included that OF restoring to its
| full meaning our constitution and the
guarantees that 1t gives to all men In
Mexican territory, be they native OF alien,
and considering that the latest act, sus-
pending the guarantees, dictated by Gen.
cruel as was the decree Of October y,
1863, pronounced by MaXimilian, the So
| called Emperor OF Mexico, but is also
contrary to article . of the constitution,
that prohibits absolutely the suspension
| Of guarantees that assure the lives OF
men, and as these guarantees are ex-
actly what this act SuSpends, therefore
| it is unconstitutional, for no authority
or power in Mexico can suspend the con-
stitutional guarantees that assure the
/ lives nf native alien. whatever be
their nationality.
Must Answer for Lives.
Therefore I decree the following:
article l. I declare as unconstitu-
tional the latest act Of Gen. Diaz, his
cabinet and his permanent commission
Of congress suspending the guarantees
that assure the lives of men.
"Article 2. All political officers and
employees, civil or military. or their SUBJ
ordinates that apply and execute that act
or alien. will be held personally response
BILE, and will be punished as principals
or accompliceS in the crime Of homicide;
and when they shall be apprehended by
the authority or force of the insurgents
will be consigned to Judicial authority
competent to judge and punish them in
conformity with the laws respecting that
crime
ARTICLE 3. When the revolution shall
have triumphed and constitutional law
shall be in effect all public officers who
shall have been concerned in the forma-
ton or approval OF this suspension will
be submitted to justice and will be held
responsible for all acts done under it.
"Given in the field before Casas
Grandes, state of chihuahua, March Is,
1911.
FRANCISCO I. MADERO,
President.
"ABRAHAM GONZALEZ,
Acting Secretary"