Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/259

 M EX ICO. 221 more States of the Federation, or between individuals of different States, respecting grants of land ; Government con- tracts ; controversies between the inferior tribunals of the Federation, or between these and the tribunals of the States ; all impeachments against the President or Vice President, the Secretaries of State, or Governors of States, or the Diplomatic Agents and Consuls of the Republic. They likewise decide all Admiralty cases : c[uestions of prize- money, or contraband crimes committed upon the high seas ; treason against the nation ; and infractions of the Constitution, or general laws. (Articles 137 138.) They may themselves be called to account by a tribunal constituted for the purpose, by the Chamber of Deputies. (Article 139-) The tribunals of Departments and Districts are composed the first of a Judge and a Fiscal, the second of a Judge alone, from whom an appeal lies to the Supreme Tribunal, in all cases which exceed the value of five hundred dollars. The Judges, in both cases, are named by the President from a list of three candidates submitted to him by the Su- preme Tribunal. (Articles 140 — 144.) The penalty of infamy can only attach to the person of the culprit. (Article 146.) Confiscation of property, judgments by special commission, retroactive laws, and the torture in any shape, or under any pretence, are abolished for ever. (Articles 147, 1'^^, 149.) No one can be imprisoned without strong grounds of sus- picion, nor detained above sixty hours, without proofs of guilt. (Articles 150, 151.) No house can be entered, or papers examined, belonging to any inhabitant of the Republic, unless in cases expressly provided for by law, and then only in the manner prescribed by it. (Article 152.) No inhabitant of the Republic shall be forced to give evi- dence on oath, calculated to criminate himself. (Article 153.) No one shall be deprived of the right to terminate a suit