1 824^] 



Pedro, as he sfjfles himself, has kept 

 better faith tliiiii could have been ex- 

 pected of him. Wlien he dissolved tlie 

 Assemiily, and seized on the members, 

 lie pledged himself to proiiiuigate a free 

 Constitution in a few days; and he has 

 kept his word. Its cliief parts have 

 reached Europe, and we give a copy 

 below. Our readers will perceive that 

 there exists no ground to complain of 

 its princii)Ies ; and, if respected, it seems 

 likely to secure the prosperity of Brazil. 

 Title I.— O/ the Empire of Brazil, its 

 Territory, Guvernnunt, Dynastij, and Re- 

 ligion, 



Art. 1. Tlie empire of Brazil is the po- 

 litical association of all Brazilian citizens. 

 They form a free and independent nation, 

 which admits of no other bond of anion or 

 federation which may be opposed to its 

 independence. 



Art. 2. Its territory is divided into pro- 

 vinces, in the form at present existing, 

 ■which may be subdivided, as the good uf 

 the State reniiires. 



Art. 3. Its government is a monarchy, 

 liereditary, constitutional, and represen- 

 tative. 



Art. 4. The reigiiini; dynasty is tliat of 

 Senhor Don Pedro, the existing Emperor 

 and Perpetual Defender of Brazil, 



Art. o. The Catholic Aposiolic Roman 

 religion shall continue to be the religion of 

 the empire. All other religions will be 

 permitted, with their domestic or particu- 

 lar worship, without any external form 

 of temple. 



Title 11. — Of Bazilian Citizens. 

 Art. 6, Tlio>c sliall be Brazilian citizens 

 —1. who are born in Brazil, whether fiee- 

 born or freed men. Tliis v\ill be the case 

 (lioiigli the father be a foreigner, provided 

 he does not leside in Brazil in the service 

 of his nation. 2. The sons of a Brazilian 

 father, or the illegitimate children of a 

 Brazilian mother born in a foreign conn- 

 fiy, who may come to establish their do- 

 micile in the empire. 3. The children of a 

 Brazilian father, who may be in a foreign 

 country, in the service of the empire, even 

 thongli thev should not come to establisli 

 themselves in Brazil. 4. All tliusc born in 

 Portugal or its possessions, who being re- 

 «ident ni Brazil at the time of proclaiming 

 the iudp|H-ndencuof the provinces in which 

 they reside, shall adhere to that indejien- 

 deuce expressly or tacitly by continuing 

 their residence. 5. Natnralized foreign- 

 ers, whatever be their reh'^iou. '1 he law 

 shall determine the qualities necessary 

 to obtain natiiialization. 



Art. 7. He shall lose his rights of Bra- 

 cilian citiz<Mi— 1. XV'fio nattnalizes himself 

 in a foreign country. 2. Who, without 

 liMve iVom the Bmperor, khall accept ein- 

 ployincnt, pension, or decoration from 

 MuNniLv Mac. No.:)y:i. 



PoKtical Affair sin February, 173 



any foreign Government. 3. He who is 

 banished by judicial sentence. 



Art. 8. The exercise of political rights 

 is suspended. — 1. By incapacity, physical 

 or moral. 2. By judicial degradation. 

 Title III. — Of Powers and the National _ 

 Jiciireseniation. 



Art. 9. The division and harmony of 

 political powers is ihe conservative prmci- 

 ple of the rights of the citizens, and the 

 most secure means of establishing the ef- 

 fective guarantees which the constitution 

 oliers. , 



Art. 10. The political powers recognized' 

 by the constitution of Brazil are four— '• 

 the legislative power, the moderating pow-' 

 er, the executive power, and the judicial 

 power. 



Art. 11. The representatives of the Bra- 

 zilian nation are the Emperor and the Ge-' * 

 neral Assembly. 



Art. 12. All powers in the empire of* 

 Brazil are delegations from the nation. 



Title IV. — Of the Legislative Power. 

 Chapter I. — 0/ the branches of the Legisln-] 

 five Power, ^ 



Art. 13. The legislative power is dele- 

 gated to the General Assembly with tha 

 sanction of the Emperor. 



Alt. li. The General Assembly is com- 

 posed of two chambers— the chamber of 

 deputies, and the chamber of senators or 

 senate. 



Art. 15. It belongs to the General As^ 

 seinbly. — 1. To take the oath of the Em- 

 peror, the Imperial Prince, the Regent oi; 

 Regenay. 2. To elect the Regent or Rer 

 gency, andio mark the limits of its autho- 

 rity. 3. To recognize the Imperial Prince 

 as successor to the throne, in the tirst meet; 

 big after his birth. 4. To nominate a 

 tutor to the Emperor when a minor, in casq 

 his father shall not have nominated one in 

 his testament. To resolve the doubts that 

 may arise relative to the succession to the 

 throne. 6. On the death of the Emperor, 

 or a vacancy of the throne, to institute an 

 inquiry into the administration which ha.s 

 coticliided, and to reform abuses introduced 

 into it. 7. To select a new dynasty in case 

 of the extinction of the present one. 8. 

 To make laws, to interpret them, and to 

 suspend them. 9. To watch over the con- 

 stitution, and to promote the general good, 



10. T>j tix annually the public charge*, 

 and to assess the direct contribution. 



11. 'i'o fix annually on the report of the 

 Government, the ordinary and extraordi- 

 nary forces by sea and land. 12. To giant 

 or to refuse an entrance to foreign troops, 

 by >^ea or land, within the em))ire or its 

 ports. 1.'3. 'I'o authorize the Government 

 to contract loans. 11. To e-.tal)li.sii con- 

 venient means for the payment of the 

 public debt. 15. To regulate the admi- 

 nistration of Ihe national doiiiaiiis, and to 

 dccrte their alienation. 16. 'I'o create or 



i \ suppress 



