BOOK III.
SECTION I.
PRESENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT. — HOW COMPOSED.
The form of government adopted by the Representatives of Mexico, when left by the resignation of Iturbide at liberty to make a free and unbiassed choice, was that of a Federal Republic, each member of which manages its own internal concerns, while the whole are cemented into one body politic, by certain general obligations, and laws, contained in the Federal Constitution of the 4th October, 1824.
This instrument, after declaring the absolute Independence of the country, (Article 1) adopting the Roman Catholic religion, (Article 3) and recognizing, as component parts of the Federation, (given alphabetically,) the nineteen States of Chĭāpăs, Chĭhūāhuă, Cŏhăhūīlă, and Tēxăs, Dŭrāngŏ, Guănăjūātŏ, Mexico, Mīchŏăcān (Valadolid), New Lēoñ, Ǒăjācă, Pūēblă de los Ǎngĕlĕs, Qŭarētărŏ, Săn Lŭīs Pǒtǒsī, Sǒnōrǎ and Sinălōǎ, Tăbāscǒ, las Tǎmǎulīpǎs, Vĕrăcrūz, Xălīscŏ (Guădălăjāră), Yŭcǎtān, Zăcătēcăs as well as the Territories of Old and New California, Cōlīmă, New Mexico, Tlǎscālǎ (Article 5,) proceeds to divide the Powers of the Supreme Government into three branches, Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary, (Article 6).
