30. In the election of Senators, the 22d Article shall

also govern.

31. When the same individual is elected for a Senator and Representative, the first election shall have the pre

ference.

32. The periodical election of Senators shall be made in all the States on the same day, which shall be the first day of September previous to the renewal of half the Senators.

33. The election of Senators concluded, the Legislature shall remit a legal return through their President to the President of the Council of Government; and notify the elected of their appointment, by means of an official letter, which shall serve them as credentials. The President of the Council of Government shall give the direction to these returns, indicated in the 18th Article.

SECTION 4th. Of the Individual Functions of both Houses, and Prerogatives of their Members.

34. Each House in its preparatory meeting, and in every thing appertaining to its government, shall follow the rule formed by the present Congress; provided that amendments may be made to them in future, should both Houses consider it necessary.

35. Each House shall judge of the elections of its respective members, and resolve all doubts which may occur in them.

36. The Houses cannot open their sessions without the presence of more than the half of the total number of their members; but those present of one and the other must unite on the day appointed for the regulation of the internal government of each, and respectively compel the attendance of the absentees, under the penalties prescribed by the law.

37. The Houses will communicate with one another, and with the Supreme Executive Power, by means of their respective Secretaries, or by means of deputations.

38. Either of the two Houses may sit as Grand Jurors, on accusations. First, against the President of the Federation, for the crime of Treason against the National Independence or the established form of Government, or for subornation or bribery during the time of his service. Second, also, against the President, for acts manifestly intended to impede the election of President, Senators, or Representatives, or to prevent them from entering on the

exercise of their duties in the manner prescribed in this Constitution, or to deprive the Chambers of the use of any of the powers constitutionally vested in them. Third, against the members of the Supreme Court and the Secretaries of the departments, for any crime committed during the time of their service. Fourth, against the Governors of the States, for infractions on the Federal Constitution, laws of the Union, or orders of the President of the Federation, which may not be manifestly contrary to the Constitution and general laws of the Union, and likewise by the publication of laws and decrees of the Legislatures of their respective States, contrary to the same constitution and laws.

39. The House of Representatives will exclusively form a Grand Jury, when the President or his ministers may be accused of acts in which the Senate or the Council of Government have concurred by reason of its attributions. The House will, in the same manner, serve as a Grand Jury, in cases of accusation against the Vice-President for any offence committed during the term of his service.

40. The House, before which has been made the accusations of the individual spoken of in the two preceding articles, will form itself in a Grand Jury; and if it is declared, by the vote of two-thirds of the members present, that there is cause of accusation, the functions of the accused shall be suspended, and he shall be placed at the disposition of the competent tribunal.

41. Any Representative or Senator can make any propositions in writing, or present projects of a law or decree in his respective chamber.

42. The Representatives and Senators shall be inviolable for the opinions manifested in the discharge of their duties, and never can be called to account for them.

43. In all criminal prosecutions instituted against Senators or Representatives, from the time of their election until two months after the expiration of their term of service, the former shall be accused before the Chamber of the latter, and the latter before that of the former; each Chamber composing a Grand Jury respectively for this object.

44. If the Chamber sitting as a Grand Jury, in the cases referred to in the last Article, declare by a vote of two-thirds of the members present, that there is cause for accusation, the accused shall be suspended, and placed at the disposition of the competent tribunal.

45. The emoluments of the Representatives and Senators shall be determined by law, and paid from the general treasury of the Federation.

46. Each House, and also the meetings spoken of in the 36th Article, shall have power to deliver such orders as they may deem necessary to carry their resolutions into effect, issued by virtue of the functions granted to each by the 35th, 36th, 39th, 40th, 44th, and 45th Articles of the Constitution, and the President of the United States shall cause them to be executed without making any observations upon them.

SECTION 5. Of the Faculties of the General Congress. 47. Every resolution of the general Congress shall have the character of a law or decree.

48. The resolutions of the general Congress, to be entitled to the force of law or decree, must be signed by the President, except in cases otherwise provided in this Constitution.

49. The laws and decrees which emanate from the general Congress shall have for object-First, to sustain the National Independence, and provide for the national security and preservation of its exterior relations. Second, to preserve the Federal Union of the States, and the peace and public order of the interior of the Federation. Third, to maintain the independence of the States amongst themselves, in all that relates to their interior government, in conformity to the Constitutional Act, and this Constitution. Fourth, to sustain the proportional equality of obligations and rights, which the States are entitled to before the law.

50. The exclusive faculties of the general Congress are the following:-First, promote education, assuring for a limited time exclusive rights to authors for their respective works; establishing Colleges for marine, artillery, and engineers; erecting one or more establishments in which are to be taught natural, political, and moral sciences, noble arts, and the languages, without prejudice to the power which the Legislatures have to regulate public education in their respective States. Second, promote the general prosperity, by opening and improving roads and canals, without impeding the States in the improvement of theirs; establishing mails and post-offices, and securing for a limited. time exclusive right to the inventors, improvers, or introducers of any branch of industry, for their respective

inventions, improvements, or new introductions. Third, protect and regulate the political liberty of the press, in order that its exercise may never be suspended, and much less abolished, in any of the States and Territories of the Federation. Fourth, admit new States to the Federal Union or Territories, incorporating them in the Nation. Fifth, regulate definitively the limits of the States, when they cannot agree among themselves about the demarcation of their respective districts. Sixth, form States out of Territories, or unite them to those already existing. Seventh, unite two or more States, by a petition of their Legislatures, to form one only, or form a new one from the limits of those that already exist, with the approbation of three-fourths of the members present of both Houses, and a ratification of an equal number of the Legislatures of the other States of the Union. Eighth, fix the general expenses, establish the necessary contributions to cover them, regulate their collection, determine the inversion, and take annually accounts thereof from the Government. Ninth, contract debts upon the credit of the Federation, and designate guarantees to cover them. Tenth, acknowledge the National debt, and designate means for its consolidation and payment. Eleventh, regulate the commerce with foreign nations, and among the different states and tribes of Indians. Twelfth, give instructions to celebrate covenants with the Apostolic Chair, approve them for their ratification, and regulate the exercise of the patronage in all parts of the Nation. Thirteenth, approve treaties of peace, alliance, friendship, federation, armed neutrality, and whatsoever others which the President of the United States may celebrate with foreign powers. Fourteenth, to establish all kinds of ports, custom. houses, and designate their locations. Fifteenth, determine and regulate the weight, standard, value, type, and denomination of money in all the States of the Federation, and adopt a general system of weights and measures. Sixteenth, declare war after examining the data prescribed by the President of the United States. Seventeenth, form regulations relative to granting letters of marque and reprisal, and to declare good or bad captures by sea and land. Eighteenth, designate the armed force of sea and land, fix the respective quota of men to each State, and give orders and regulations for their organization and service. Nineteenth, form regulations to organize, arm, and discipline the local militia of the State, reserving to each one the ap

pointment of their respective officers, and the faculty of training them conformably to the discipline prescribed by said regulations. Twentieth, to grant or deny the entrance of foreign troops into the Territory of the Federation. Twentyfirst, permit or not the station of squadrons of any other power, for more than one month, in the Mexican ports. Twenty-second, permit or not the departure of National troops without the limits of the Federation. Twenty-third, create or suppress public offices of the Federation, designate, augment or diminish their emoluments and pensions. Twenty-fourth, grant premiums and recompenses to corporations or persons who have rendered important services to the Republic, and decree public honours to the posthumous memory of great men. Twenty-fifth, grant amnesty or pardon for crimes, the cognizance of which appertains to the tribunal of the Federation, in the cases and with the previous requirements prescribed by law. Twenty-sixth, to establish a general law of naturalization. Twentyseventh, to give uniform laws in every State on the subject of bankruptcies. Twenty-eighth, to select a place to serve as a residence for the Supreme Powers of the Federation, and exercise within its limits the attributions of the legislative powers of the State. Twenty-ninth, to change such residence when they may deem it necessary. Thirtieth, give laws and decrees for the regulation of the interior administration of the Territories. Thirty-first, dictate all the laws and decrees that may be conducive to fulfil the object spoken of in the 49th Article, without interfering with the interior administration of the State.

SECTION 6th.-Formation of the Laws.

51. The formation of laws and decrees can proceed indiscriminately from either of the two Houses, with the exception of those which arise from contributions or imposts, which cannot have origin except in the House of Representatives.

52. There shall be considered as incipients of law or decree-First, the propositions which the President of the United Mexican States may deem conducive to the general good of society, and as such, particularly recommend them to the House of Representatives. Second, the propositions or plans of laws or decrees which the Legislatures may direct to either House.

53. All projects of a law or decree, without any excep