VALPARAISO. 291 



month* and is but newly printed ; and in order to print it the 

 public journals were stopped, as there are neither types nor workmen 

 enough, — though I believe the chief deficiency is in the latter, — to 

 print gazettes and a constitution at once. 



The constitution is divided into eight sections ; and these into 

 chapters and articles, as the subject requires. It begins by asserting 

 the freedom and independence of Chile as a nation, and with defin- 

 ing the limits of the territory, fixing Cape Horn as its southern point, 

 and the desert of Atacama as its northern boundary ; while the 

 Andes to the east, and the ocean to the west, form its natural limits. 

 It claims besides, the islands of the archipelago of Chiloe, those of 

 Mocha, of Juan Fernandez, and Saint Mary. The second chapter of 

 the first section concerns those who may be called Chilenos : 1st, 

 those born in the country ; 2d, those born of Chilian parents out of 

 it ; 3d, foreigners married to natives after three years' residence ; 

 4th, foreigners employing a capital of not less than 2000 dollars 

 who shall reside for five years. All Chilenos are equal in the eye of 

 the law ; all employments are open to them ; they must all contribute 

 their proportion to the maintenance of the state. 



The second section declares the religion of the state to be the 

 Catholic Apostolic Roman, to the exclusion of all others ; and 

 that all the inhabitants must respect it, whatever be their private 

 opinions. 



The third section declares the government to be representative, 

 and that the legislative power resides in the Congress, the executive 

 in the Director, and the judicial in the proper tribunals. All are 

 citizens who, being Chilenos, are of twenty-five years of age, or who 

 are married ; and, after the year 1833, they must be able to read and 

 write. Persons shall lose their right of citizenship who, 1st, are na- 

 turalised in other countries ; 2d,' accept employment from any other 

 government ; 3d, are under any legal sentence not reversed ; 4th, 

 remain absent from Chile, without leave, more than five years. These 

 rights are suspended, 1st, in case of interdiction, or of moral or 

 physical incapacity ; 2d, insolvents ; 3d, defaulters to the public 



p p 2 



