Decree, contemporary copy

Scope and content:

Contemporary copy of the decree by Emperor Maximilian that regards immigration and benefits granted to immigrants, and regulations regarding use of laborers.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

Important from Mexico
We, Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico in consideration of the sparseness of the population in the Mexican territory, in proportion to its extent; desiring to give to immigrants all possible security for property and liberty, in order that they may become good Mexicans, sincerely attached to their new country; and having heard the opinion of our Board of Colonization, do decree, as follows:

Article 1. Mexico is opened to immigration from all nations.

Article 2. Immigration agents shall be appointed, who will be paid by the government, and whose duty it will be to protect the arrival of the immigrants, install them on the lands assigned them and assist them in every possible way in establishing themselves. These agents will receive the orders of an Imperial Commissioner if Immigration, specially appointed by us, and to whom, through our Minister of Improvement (Fomento) all communications relating to immigration shall be addressed.

Article 3. Each immigrant shall receive a duly executed title incommutable, of landed estate, and a certificate that it is free of mortgages.

Article 4. Such property shall be free from taxes for the first year, and also from duties on transfers of property, but only on the first sale.

Article 5. The immigrants may be naturalized as soon as they shall have established themselves as settlers.

Article 6. Immigrants who may desire to bring labourers with them, or induce them to come, in considerable numbers, of any race whatever, are authorized to do so; but those laborers will be subject to special protective regulations.

Article 7. The effects of immigrants, their working and broad animals, seeds, agricultural implements, machines and working tools, will enter free of custom house and transit duties.

Article 8. Immigrants are exempted from military service for five years. But they will form a stationary militia, for the purpose of protecting their property and neighbourhoods.

Article 9. Liberty in the exercise of their respective forms of religious worship is secured to immigrants, by the Organic Law of the Empire.

Article 10. Each of our Ministers is charged with carrying out such parts of this decree as relate to his department.

Given at Chapultepec on the 5th of September 1865.
Maximilian

To the Minister of Improvement.
By the Emperor,
Manuel Orozco y Berra,
Sub-secretary, in the absence of the Minister of Improvement

Regulations
Under article 6, of the foregoing decree, we ordain as follows:

1. Under the laws of the Empire, all persons of colour are free by the mere act of their touching Mexican territory.

2. They shall make contracts with the employer who has engaged, or may engage them, by which such employer shall bind himself to feed, clothe and lodge them, and give them medical attendance, and also pay them a sum of money, according to whatever agreements they may enter into with him, and more over he shall deposit in the savings bank hereinafter mentioned, for the benefit of the labourer, a sum equivalent to one fourth of his wages, the laborer shall on his part obligate himself to his employer to perform the labour for which he is employed, for a term of not less than five nor more that ten years.

3. The employer shall bind himself to support the children of his labourers. In the event of the father's death, the employer will be regarded as the guardian of the children, and they will remain in his service until they become of age, on the same terms as those agreed on with their father.

4. Each labourer shall receive a book certified by the local authority, in which book his description, the statement of his place of labour, and a certificate of his life and habits, will be entered. In the case of a change of employer, the consent of the former employer shall be entered in this book.

5. In case of the death of the employer, his heirs or whoever may acquire his estate, shall be bound to the labourer in the same manner in which such employer was and labourer in his part shall be bound towards such new proprietor, on the same terms as in his former contract.

6. In case of desertion, the labourer when arrested, shall be placed, without pay, on public works, until his employe presents himself to claim him.

7. In case of any injustice of the employer towards the labourers, he shall be brought before a magistrate.

8. Special police commissioners will watch over the execution of these regulations, and officially prosecute all violators thereof.

9. A savings bank will be established by the government for the following objects.

10. The employers shall deposit in said bank, every month, for the benefit of the labourers, a sum equivalent to one fourth of the wages which each is entitled to, under his contract of employment.

11. The labourers can deposit, in addition, in the savings bank, in money, such sum as they may desire.

12. These deposits shall bear interest at the rate of 5 percent per annum.

13. At the end of his engagement, and on presentation of his book, the labourer shall receive the entire amount of his savings.

14. If at the end of his engagement the labourer wishes to leave his money in the savings bank, he can then receive the interest accrues, or if he wishes to leave this also, it will be added to his capital, and also draw interest.

15. In case a labourer should die intestate or without heirs, his property shall pass to the treasury of the government.

Given at Chapultepec, on the 5th of September 1865.
Maximilian
To the Minister of Improvement
By the Emperor:
Manuel Orozco y Berra
Subsecretary, in the absence of the Minister of Improvement.

Subjects:

Mexico—History
Correspondence

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