VARIOUS CHANGES OF THE MEXICAN CONSTITUTION.—PRESENT ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.—CONSTITUTION OF 1847.—LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIARY—NATIONAL AND STATE.—JUDICIARY—ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE—CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PROCESS—MAL-ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.—PRISONS—CRIME—ACCORDADA.—CONDITION OF PRISONS.—STATISTICS OF CRIME IN THE CAPITAL—GARROTTE.—MEXICAN OPINIONS.
SINCE the downfall of Iturbide the body politic of Mexico has passed through many stages of revolutionary and factious disease. Four constitutions have been formed and adopted by the people or their temporary rulers independently of the Bases de Tacubaya, under which Santa Anna ruled despotically until the month of June, 1843. These are the Federal Constitution of 1824; the Bases y Leyes Constitutionales, or, Central Constitution of 1836; the Bases Organicas de la Republica Mejicana of 1843, and the restored Federal Constitution, with amendments by an acta de reformas, in 1847. Five great organic changes, in twenty-six years, have thus continually swayed the people between Federation and Centralism; and we may hope that, after all these vital alterations, besides all the minor military pronunciamientos or gritos, which, in the intervals have vexed the public tranquillity, the country has, at length settled down firmly upon the reliable basis of a great but balanced confederacy.