The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 3, July 1899 - April, 1900 Page: 168
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168 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
Enough has now, perhaps, been given to show that the real basis
of the Mexican constitution of 1824 was the Spanish constitution of
1812, and that the departures from the latter were due largely to the
adoption of the form of a federal republic, which compelled, to some
extent, the imitation of the American model. But, even in so imitat-
ing, the framers of the Mexican constitution endeavored to mould
the unfamiliar institutions of the North to the more familiar insti-
tutions of Spain.
This inquiry into the origin of the Mexican constitution is not
merely an historical one, but has also a present interest; for the con-
stitution of 1824 forms the basis of the present Mexican constitution,
and the two constitutions, that of Spain in 1812 and that of Mexico
in 1824 can be shown to be the patterns after which the numerous
constitutions of South and Central America have largely been mod-
eled. As might also be expected these same two constitutions pow-
erfully influenced the ideas of the local constitutions of the Mexican
states. To illustrate this statement attention might briefly be called
to that one that has a special interest for the United States, the first
constitution of Coahuila and Texas, adopted 1827. IThe basis of this
is the Spanish constitution, with such changes -as were necessitated
by the requirements of the federal constitution and by local circum-
stances. For instance the Spanish titles 7, 8, 9, omitted from the
Mexican constitution, reappear in the Coahuilan-'Texan constitution
as titles 4, 5, 6. Whole clauses sare transferred word for word, and
one might almost say that this local constitution more closely re-
sembled the Spanish than did the Mexican constitution.
In this earliest of 'Texan constitutions many have referred to the
generous provisions with regard to education, sand to the clause that
permitted a trial of the English jury system. Both of these liberal
provisions were almost verbally reproduced from the Spanish consti-
tution. The state election law also (dated July, 1826), like that of
Mexico proper, was taken almost bodily from the same source.
In view of the foregoing it would be natural to inquire into the
origin of these liberal ideas contained in the Spanish constitution.
Part, no doubt, can readily be traced to institutions at that time
existing in Spain. Again the Spanish, during the formation of the
constitution, were in close alliance with England; and, in conjunc-
tion with Wellington, were patriotically resisting the usurpations of
Napoleon. This alliance would tend to call the current English con-
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 3, July 1899 - April, 1900, periodical, 1900; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101015/m1/178/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.