Abstract of the Constitution of Cadiz (March 1812)

Extract

In the preamble, Ferdinand, King by God's grace and by the constitution of the Spanish monarchy, and in his absence the Regency nominated by the General and Extraordinary Cortes, made known that these Cortes decreed the following Constitution. In Title I, sovereignty is said to reside in the Spanish nation, which cannot be the patrimony of any family or individual and consists of all Spaniards (as defined) of both hemispheres. In Title II, the territory is defined, subject to a more convenient division of provinces to be made later; the religion “is and always shall be the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion, the only true one”, protected by wise and just laws and excluding the exercise of any other; the government, whose object is the happiness and welfare of individuals, is a hereditary limited monarchy, the executive power belonging to the King, the legislative to the Cortes with the King and the judicial to tribunals established by law; the citizens are defined, excluding “Spaniards of African descent” but leaving open “the path of virtue and merit for them to aspire to be citizens” by grant from the Cortes; after 1830, illiteracy would be a ground for suspension of citizenship.