Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/250

 212 MEXICO. The Legislative Power is vested in a Congress, divided into two Chambers, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, (Article 7)- The House of Representatives is composed of members elected for a term of two years by the citizens of the States. The basis of this election is the population, one member being returned for each eighty thousand inhabitants, as well as for each fraction that exceeds forty thousand,* (Articles 8, 10, 11). A Deputy must be twenty-five years of age, and have re- sided two years in the State by which he is elected, (Article 19). If not a Mexican by birth, he must have been eight years a resident in the Republic, and possess landed property to the amount of eight thousand dollars, or some trade or profession that produces one thousand annually, (Article 20). An exception is made in favour of the natives of the former Colonies of Spain, from whom a residence of three years only is required, and of military men, whom eight years of service during the War of Independence, entitle to all the privileges of a Mexican born, (Article 21). The President, and Vice-President, of the Federation, the Members of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Secretaries of State, and those employed in their departments, the Gover- nors of States and Territories, Military Commandants, Arch- bishops, Bishops, Vicars-general, Judges of Districts, and Commissaries-general of Finance, or War, are not eligible, as Deputies, for the States, or Territories, in which they ex- ercise their functions ; and to become so, must have given up their several employments six months before the election takes place, (Articles 23, 24). The Senate is composed of two Senators for each State, elected by a plurality of votes in the State Legislature, or would return the same number of deputies as one with two hundred and forty thousand.
 * Thus a State with a population of two hundred and five thousand,