the Constitution, under the following form: "You swear by God and the Holy Evangelists, to obey, maintain, and support the Constitution of the Republick of Colombia, sanctioned by the first General Congress on the 30th day of August, 1821." To which the Persons present shall answer, This we swear; after which a Te Deum shall be performed. 6. The Heads of Departments, and Tribunals of whatever class they may be, Governors, Justices, Municipalities, Very Reverend Archbishops and Bishops, Prelates, Ecclesiastical Chapters, Universities, Religious Communities, and all other Bodies, Publick Functionaries, and Officers, throughout the whole of the Republick, shall, at a proper time, take the Oath aforesaid, under the form above expressed, if they do not exercise jurisdiction or authority; and those who do exercise the same, under the following form: "You swear by God and the Holy Evangelists, to obey, keep, and maintain, and cause to be obeyed, kept, and maintained, the Constitution," &c. as in the preceding Article. In all the Cathedrals, Universities, Colleges, and Religious Communities, a Mass of thanksgiving shall be celebrated, together with a Te Deum, after the respective Bodies and Communities shall have taken the Oath before the Chiefs. 7. Wherever Military Divisions exist, the respective Chiefs shall appoint the days they may think proper, after the Constitution shall have been received, in order that, the Troops being drawn out in line, the same may be published in their presence: the whole shall then be read in a loud voice; and immediately afterwards the Commander, Officers, and Troops, shall take the Oath in front of the Banners of the Republick, in the form expressed in Article 5. 8. Of all the Publick Acts ordained by the present Law, a certified report shall be immediately transmitted to the Executive Power, which shall be authorized to demand those which may not have been forwarded to them in due time, and corresponding notice thereof shall also be given in the Gazettes. 9. The 2 days above specified shall be solemnized in all the Towns and Divisions of the Army, by festivals and publick rejoicings, in honour of the Fundamental Law and the Constitution, as is especially enjoined in the XIIth Article of the former. The above shall be communicated to the Executive Power for publication, and in order to a due compliance therewith. Done in the Palace of the General Congress of Colombia, in the Town of Rosario de Cúcuta, this 20th day of September, 1821.-11th Year of Independence. VICENTE AZUERO, President of the Congress. ANTONIO JOSE CARO, Deputy Secretary. Palace of the Government of Colombia, in Rosario de Cúcuta, this 6th day of October, 1821. Let the same be executed, published, and circulated, together with the Constitution of the State, in order that the Authorities may carry into effect the publication thereof, conformably to the provisions of the present Decree. By the Liberator-President. SIMON BOLIVAR. DIEGO B. URBANEJA, Minister of the Interior. DECREE of the Prince Regent, for the Installation of the THE Salvation of the State urgently requiring the immediate Installation of the Council of Representatives General of the Provinces of Brazil, which I ordered to be created by my Royal Decree of the 16th February of the present Year, I am pleased to order those already elected, and here resident, to be convoked for To-morrow, notwithstanding that those of one of the Provinces are wanting for the literal execution of the said Decree. Jozé Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, of my Council of State, and Councillor of His Most Faithful Majesty, Don John the VIth, and my Minister and Secretary of State for the Affairs of the Kingdom of Brazil and for Foreign Affairs, will so understand it and cause it to be executed. Palace, 1st of June, 1822. [With the Initials of the Prince Regent.] JOZE BONIFACIO DE ANDRADA E SILVA. SPEECH of the Prince Regent to the Representatives General of Brazil, assembled in Council.-2nd June, 1822. (Translation.) ILLUSTRIOUS And worthy Representatives, THE representations from San Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Geraes, in which I was requested to remain in Brazil, also solicited the creation of a Council of State. I resolved to establish one, in the Form directed in my Royal Decree of the 16th February last, which Form was required by the 3 Provinces legally represented. I cannot describe the pleasure my soul felt, when those representations reached my Royal Presence, for then I knew that the wish of the People was not only useful, but necessary, to uphold the integrity the Monarchy in general, but more especially of the Great Bra whose Son I am. My pleasure increased still more when I saw t the ideas of the People coincided with my pure, sincere, and cordial intentions; and, being desirous not to delay the benefits which such a measure promised, I ordered in the before mentioned Decree that, immediately that the Representatives of the 3 Provinces should be assembled, the Council should enter upon the exercise of its functions: this cannot however be carried into execution literally, the People having manifested, most unequivocally, their wish for a General Constituent and Legislative Assembly, as has been communicated to me by their Magistracies. Being, therefore, unwilling to delay, even for a single moment, and still less to fail in any thing that the People desire, the more especially as their wishes are so reasonable, and of such deep interest, not only to Brazil, but to the whole Monarchy; I am convinced that it is my duty to instal my Council of State from this moment, notwithstanding that the Representatives of the 3 Provinces are not assembled; in order that I might learn from such illustrious, worthy, and liberal Representatives, their opinion relative to our political situation, it being a matter that belongs to them as entirely popular, and of such great importance to the salvation of our Country, whilst threatened by Factions. It would be indecorous towards myself, as well as injurious to the Illustrious Representatives, to point out to them their duties: but if, without offence, however slight, to any one, I may be permitted to offer one single recommendation, I entreat them to advocate the cause of Brazil in the manner they have lately sworn to, even should it be to my prejudice (which I trust will never happen), since for my Nation I am ready to sacrifice my Life, which is as nothing compared with the salvation of our Country. For the reasons laid before you, you will perceive the necessity which exists for this immediate Installation, upon which depends the honour, the glory, the salvation, of our Country, which is in the greatest danger. Illustrious Representatives, these are the sentiments which rule my soul, and also those that will govern yours; count upon me, not only as an intrepid Warrior, who for his Country will encounter all and every danger, but also as your Friend, the Friend of the liberties of the People, and of the great, the fertile, and the most rich Brazil, by which I have been so much honoured, and am beloved. Do not believe, Illustrious Representatives, that what I have said is the result of deep thought, concealed in studied and deceitful words: No; it proceeds from my love for the Country, expressed in the language of the heart. Believe me. On the 2d of June, 1822. THE PRINCE REGENT. DECREE of the Prince Regent, convoking a General Constituent and Legislative Assembly for Brazil.-3d June, 1822. (Translation.) THE General Representatives of some of the Provinces of Brazil, already assembled in this City, and different Magistracies and People of other Cities, having represented to me how necessary and urgent it has become, for the maintenance of the integrity of the Portuguese Monarchy, and the proper dignity of Brazil, to convoke a Luso-Brazilian Assembly, which, being invested with that portion of the Sovereignty essentially inherent in the People of this great and rich Continent, shall settle the bases whereon is to be established the Independence which Nature has designed for it, and which it has already possessed, and its union with all the other integral Parts of the great Portuguese Family, which is so cordially desired; and, acknowledging on my part, the truth and the force of the reasons that have been expounded to me, and seeing no other mode of assuring the felicity of this Kingdom, of maintaining a just equality of rights between it and Portugal, without disturbing the peace which is so necessary to both, and so fitting to two Nations that are Brothers; I am pleased, with the advice of my Council of State, to order the convocation of a General Constituent and Legislative Assembly, to be composed of Deputies of the Provinces of Brazil, elected according to the Instructions to be settled in the Council, and which shall be published without delay. Jozé Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, of my Council of State, and Councillor of His Most Faithful Majesty, Lord Don John the VIth, and my Minister and Secretary of State for the Kingdom of Brazil and Foreign Affairs, will so understand it, and cause it to be carried into effect with the necessary Orders. Palace, 3d June, 1822. [With the initials of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent.] JOZE BONIFACIO DE ANDRAda e Silva. MANIFESTO of the Constitutional Prince Regent, and Per- (Translation.) THE time for deceiving Mankind is at an end. The Governments that still wish to found their power upon the pretended ignorance of the People or upon ancient errors and abuses, will see the colossus of their greatness fall from the fragile base on which it was built in other times. From not thinking in this manner, it has happened that the Cortes of Lisbon have driven the Provinces of the South of Brazil to shake off the yoke that was preparing for them. From not thinking in this manner, it is, that I now see all Brazil united around me, requiring of me the defence of its Rights, and the maintenance of its Liberty and Independence. It behoves me therefore to speak the truth to you, Brazilians !—Listen to me, then. The Congress of Lisbon having arrogated to itself the tyrannical right to impose an article of new belief, founded upon a partial and promissory oath, upon Brazil, which could in no way involve the approbation of its own ruin, compelled it to examine that assumed authority, and to recognize the injustice of such unbecoming pretensions. This examination, which their insulted reason recommended and required, proved to the Brazilians that Portugal, destroying all established forms, changing all the ancient and respectable Institutions of the Monarchy, passing the sponge of moral oblivion over all its relations, and reconstituting itself anew, could not compel them to accept a dishonourable and degrading system, without attacking those very principles whereon was founded their Revolution, and the right to change their Political Institutions; without destroying that basis on which were established their new Rights, the inalienable Rights of Mankind, without embarrassing the march of reason and of justice, whose Laws are derived from the very nature of things, but never from the private caprices of Individuals. The Southern Provinces of Brazil, uniting therefore together, and assuming the majestick attitude of a People, which distinguishes amongst its rights those of liberty and its own happiness, cast their eyes upon me, the Son of their King, and their friend; and, looking at this rich and great portion of our Globe in its true point of view; and knowing the talents of its Inhabitants, and the immense resources of its soil; I saw with pain the erroneous and tyrannical proceedings of those who so falsely and prematurely had taken the name of Fathers of the Country, attempting to be not only Representatives of the People of Portugal, but Sovereigns of all the vast Portuguese Monarchy; and I judged it unworthy of me, and of the great King whose Son and Delegate I am, to disregard the wishes of those faithful Subjects, who, repressing perhaps Republican desires and propensities, have turned from the fascinating example of some neighbouring People, and have deposited in me all their hopes; thereby to preserve Royalty in this great American Continent, and the acknowledged rights of the August House of Braganza. I acceded to their generous and sincere wishes, and have remained in Brazil, making our good King acquainted with this my firm resolution; in the persuasion that this step would be for the Cortes of Lisbon the thermometer of the disposition of Brazil, of her well-understood dignity, and of the new elevation of her sentiments; that it would make them stop in the career they had begun, and return to the path of justice, from which they had departed. Thus reason commanded; but the wild views of egotism continued to stifle its voice and |