Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/450

MEXICO. 412 MEXICO. Vnitoil States. TIuto tiro twellty-niiic articles on llio 'rijthts of man.' These rij;lits inelmle main- Iv personal freeiloni. fnviioni of speeeli ami of llie press, riylit of nsseinlil.v and petition, rijjlit of bearinjj arms, certain rights of accused persons on trial for the commission of crime, and im- munitv from the ojieralion of retrouclive laws, laws which impose excessive lines or inllict un- usnal ]iunishments and which take private prop- erly williout compensation. In case, lunvcver, of irreal pulilic danj;cr fmni insurrection or inva- sion tile I'ri'sident of the licpuhlic. in concurrence with the Council of Ministers and with the ap- juoval of Conjiress, may suspend these jiuarantics for a limited |H-riod. The tlovcrnment of Mexico may be described as a Presidential fcileral republic, composed of 27 States. 2 Territories, and a I'Vderal District. The Constitution provides for a distribution of llie ]>ovcrs of ^^nvci iniu'iit among h'uislative. exec- utive, and judicial branches. The legislative power is vested in a Congress consisting of a House of Keprcsentatives and a Senate. The House of loi)resentatives is eom]ioscd of mem- bers elected by indirect secret ballot for a term of two years on the basis of one le|>resentativo for every 40.000 of the population and by an electorate wliicb consists practically of all male adults. The qualilications for mendicrship in the House of Kejircscntatives are citizenship and the full enjoyment of all the rights incident thereto, the attainment of the twenty-fifth year, and residence in the State from which the Uepre- sentntive is chosen. Kedesiastics are disquali- fied. The Senate is coniposcil of two Senators from each State and two from the Kederal Dis- trict, chosen in the same manner as the Rcpi-e- sentatives and pos.sessing the same qualifica- tions, except that the Senators must have at- tained the thirtielh year of age. The terms of one half the Senators expire every .second year. Both Senators and Keprcsentatives receive annual salaries of .*:tOOO (which cannot be renounced) anil are privileged from arrest for opinions ex- pressed in the discharge of their duties. Kach House is the judge of the election and qualifica- tions of its own members. Two onlinarv sessions of Congress are held annually, beginning respec- tively in .pril ami Scptcndn'r. The two Houses enjoy substantial cipialily of powers in legisla- tion, except that timincial ami revenue mcastircs and bills for the reiruiling of troops must be first discussed in the House of le|iresentativcs. Legislative measures may be initiated by the President of the Hiqniblic. the State legislatures, and by individual Senators and Representatives. Hills vetocil by the President, but subsequently jiassed by an absolute majority of each House, Tiecome law in spite of the executive veto. The powers of Congn'ss are enumerated with great s|H'eification in the Constitution. They in- clude the ailmission of new Stales to the Union, the erei'tion of new States within the limits of old States, the levying of taxes, the issuing ot commercial codes, the maintenanco of the army and navy, the declaration of war. the eoinagi- of money, the ng<ilation of weights and measures, Ibe granting of pardons, and the enactment of all laws necessary and proper to the execution of the einimerated powers. The exclusive powers of the House of Heprescniatives include the elec- tion in ci-rtain rare conting<-ncies of the Presiilent of the Republic, the judges of the Supreme Court, and the Senators fnini the Kederal District, supervision of the chief auditorship, tile approval of the annual cstimalcs of expenses, and tlic im- peachment of the President, .Senators, Representa- tives, supreme judgi's, and tiovernors of States for the conunission of crimes during their terms of ollicc. The exclusive powers of the Senate include the approval of treaties with foreign powers, the ratification of nominations made by the Prcsiilcnl to important olliccs. the di'cision as to whether I lie status of a State government is sich as to require the appointment of a pro- visional tiovcrnor. the decision of political con- llicts within a Slate, and the trial of impeach- ments preferred by the House of Representatives. During the recess of Congress some of its ini- liortant fuiclions are discharged by a Pcrnninent Deputation, composed of 15 Representatives and 14 Senators. The exccitive power is vested in a President chost'U indirectly by electors who are themselves popularly ilcclcd. His term is I'mir years, and by a coiistilulional amendment of I8S7 be is eli- gible for reelection for any number of consecutive terms. His qualifications are citizenship liy birth, the full enjoyment of Ihe civil right, ami the at- tainment of the tliirty-fifth year. Ecclesiastics arc dis(|ualificd. No jirovision is nnule for a Vice- President except tlial, in case of the disability or absence of the President. Congress has power to choose an acling President to discharge the executive duties temporarily. The ollicc of Presi- dent cannot be resigned except for grave cause, and then only with the approval of Congress. His chief powers are: to prom>ilg;ite and execute the laws; to appoint and remove mosi of the military and civil ollicers of the Reiniblic. the approval of Congress being necessary in some cases; to declare war with the consent of Con- gress; to dispose of the army and naval forces; to grant letters of marque ami reprisal: to ne- gotiate treaties with foreign countries: to re- ceive ambassadors and ministers ; to call S|x>eial sessions of Congress with the consent of the Permanent Deputation; to grant pardons; and to grant exclusive (irivileges to discoverers and inventors. In carrying out the work of adminis- tration the President acts through a Cabinet composed of seven secretaries, who serve as heads of the Departments of Foreign .MTairs. Interior. .Tuslice and Public Instruction. Colonization and Industry. Comnuniication and Pulilic Works, Finance and Public Credit, and War and Marine. Every order, decree, or regidation of the Presi- dent uuist be signed by one of the Cabinet secre- taries in order to be valid. The memln-rs of the Cabinet do not occupy scats in l^ongrcss and their responsibility to that body extends only to crim- inal acts. The juilicial power of the Republic is vested in a Supreme Court and in District and Circuit courts. .t present the Supreme Court consists of l.T judges chosen by electors for a term of six years. They must be native born citizens thirty-five years" of age. and learned in juris- prudence. They are rcqviircd to take oaths simi- lar to that prescril)cd for the President of the Republic, and may resign only with the approval of Congress. The organization of Ibe district ami circuit courts is delcrmined by statute. The jurisdiction of the Federal covirls exti'mls to eases involving the application of Federal law; to maritime cases; to cases in which the Republic