PREAMBLE
The Governor of the state of Coahuila and Texas, to all the inhabitants thereof: Be it known, that the organizing congress of said state has decreed and sanctioned the following political constitution of the State of Coahuila and Texas.
In the name of the Creator and Supreme Lawgiver of the Universe, the Congress of the State of Coahuila and Texas, desiring to comply with the will of the people, their constituents, and for the purpose of duly fulfilling the grand and magnificent object of promoting the glory and prosperity of said state, decrees for its administration and government the following
CONSTITUTION. PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS. Article 1. The State of Coahuila and Texas is the union of all Coahuiltexanos. Article 2. It is free and independent of the other Mexican United States, and of every other power and dominion whatsoever. Article 3. The sovereignty of the state resides originally and essentially in the general mass of individuals who compose it, but they shall not, of themselves, exercise any other acts of sovereignty than those pointed out in this constitution, and in the form which it provides. Article 4. In all subjects relating to the Mexican confederacy the state delegates its powers and rights to the general congress of the same, but in all that belongs to the internal government and administration of said state, it retains its liberty, independence and sovereignty. Article 5. Wherefore, the right of establishing its fundamental laws through the medium of its representatives, in conformity to the basis established in the constitutive act and general constitution, belongs exclusively to the said state. Article 6. The territory of the state is the same as that embraced in the provinces formerly know by the names of Coahuila and Texas. A constitutional law shall mark out its limits, in respect to the adjoining states, of the Mexican Confederacy. Article 7. For the better administration thereof, the territory of the state shall for the present be divided into three departments as follows, --viz:
Article 8. Hereafter congress may alter, vary, and modify this division of the territory of the state as it shall judge most conducive to the felicity of the people. Article 9. The Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion shall be the religion of the state. The state protects it by wise and just laws, and prohibits the exercise of any other. Article 10. The state shall regulate and pay all expense that should be necessary for the preservation of religious worship, agreeably to the concordates the nation should ratify with the Apostolic See, and to the laws that shall be prescribed on the exercise of the patronato throughout the republic. Article 11. Every man who resides within the limits of the state, although but transiently, shall enjoy the imprescritible rights of liberty, security, property and equality; and it is the duty of said state to preserve and protect by wise and equitable laws, these universal rights of men. Article 12. The state is also obligated to protect all its inhabitants in the exercise of the right which they possess of writing, printing and freely publishing their sentiments and political opinions, without the necessity of any examination, or critical review previous to their publication, under the responsibility and restrictions that are now, or shall be hereafter established by the general laws on the subject. Article 13. From and after the promulgation of the constitution in the capital of each district, no one shall be born a slave in the state, and after six months the introduction of slaves under any pretext shall not be permitted. Article 14. In return, all men who inhabit the state shall obey its laws, respect its constituted authorities, and contribute to its support in the manner it requires. Article 15. All kinds of vacant property within its limits, and all intestate property without a legal successor, shall belong to the state. Article 16. The state shall be composed solely of two classes of persons,--viz. Coahuiltexanos, and citizens of Coahuila and Texas. Article 17. The following persons shall be Coahuiltexians:
Article 18. The following shall be freemen of Coahuila and Texas.
Article 19. Those born within the territory of the republic, and foreigners domiciliated therein (except minors) when the political liberties of the country were proclaimed, who did not remain true to the cause of its independence, but emigrated to a foreign country, or dependency of Spain, shall neither be Coahuiltexiana, nor citizens of Coahuila and Texas. Article 20. The rights of citizenship shall be forfeited: