1831. April 5. Assistance in ease of wreck, &o. form, their rights before the competent tribunal: it being well understood that the clam shall be made within one year, counting from the capture of said vessels or merchandise by the parties themselves, or their attorneys, or by the agents of the respective Governments. ART. 12. When any vessel belonging to the citizens of either of the contracting parties, shall be wrecked, foundered, or shall suffer any damage on the coasts or within the dominions of the other, there shall be given to it all the assistance and protection in the same manner which is usual and customary with the vessels of the nation where the damage happens ; permitting them to unload the said vessel, if necessary, of its merchandise effects, with the precautions which may be deemed expedient on the part of the respective Governments. in order to avoid fraud, without exacting for it any duty, impost, or contribution whatever, until they be exported. Right of dispo ART, 13. In whatever relates to the succession of [persal of property, sonal] estates. either by will or ab intestato [and the right of] by will or sale, same as native' disposal of such property, of whatever sort or denomination it may be, by sale. donation. exchange, or testament, or citizens. Special protec tion to persons and property; tribunais of justice open,&c. in ART. 14. Both the contracting parties promise and engage to give their special protection to the persons and property of the citizens of each other, of all occupations, who may be in their territories, subject to the jurisdiction of the one or of the other, transient or dwelling therein; leaving open and free to them the tribunals of justice for their judicial recourse, on the same terms which are usual and customary with the natives or citizens of the country in which they may be; for which they may employ, in defence of their rights, such advocates, solicitors, notaries, agents, and factors, as they may judge proper, in all their trials at law; and the citizens of either party, or their agents, shall enjoy, in every respect, the same rights and privileges, either in prosecuting or defending their rights of person or of property, as the citizens of the country where the cause may be tried. ART 15. The citizens of the United States of America, residing in the United Mexican States, shall enjoy in their derechos ante el tribunal competente; bien entendido que el reclamo deberá hacerse dentro del termino de un año contado desde la captura de dichos buques ó mercancias, por los mismos interesados, sus apoderados ó por los agentes de sus Gobiernos re-pectivos. ART. 12 Cuando algun buque perteneciente à ciudadanos de alguna de las partes contratantes, naufrague, vaya á pique, 6 sufra cualquiera averia, en las costas ó dentro de los dominios de la otra, se le dispensará toda la asistencia y proteccion, del mismo modo que es de uso y costumbre con los buques de la nacion en que acontece el daño; permitiendoles descar gar las mercancias y efectos del mismo buque si fuere necesario con las precauciones que se estimen convenientes por parte de los Gobiernos respectivos, para evitar el fraude. sin ecsigir por ello ningun impuesto ó contribucion cualquiera que sean, hasta que sean esportadas. ART. 13. Por lo que toca á la sucesion de las propiedades personales por testamento ó ab-intestato, y al derecho de dis poner de la propiedad personal de cualquiera clase ó denominacion, por venta, donacion, permuta ó testamento, ó de otro modo cualquiera los ciudadanos de las dos partes contratantes gozarán en sus respectivos Estados y Territorios los mismos privilegios, ecsenciones, libertades y derechos que si fueran ciudadanos nativos; y no se les cargara en ninguno de estos puntos ó casos, mayores impuestos ó derechos que los que pagan ó en adelante pagaren los ciudadanos nativos de la potencia en cuyo territorio residan. ART. 14. Ambas partes contratantes prometen y formalmente se obligan á conceder su especial proteccion á las personas y propiedades de los ciudadanos de cada una de ellas, en todas clases que puedan ecsistir en sus territorios sugetos á la jurisdiccion de la una ó de la otra, transeuntes ó radicados en ellos; dejandoles abiertos y libres los tribunales de justicia para sus recursos judiciales, de la misma manera que es uso y costumbre con los nacionales ó ciudadanos del pais en que residan; á cuyo efecto podrán emplear en defensa de sus derechos, los abogados, procuradores, escrivanos, agentes y factores que juzgen á proposito en todos sus juicios: y dichos ciudadanos ó sus agentes gozarán en todo, los mismos derechos y privilegios en la prosecucion ó defensa de sus personas ó propiedades que disfrutan los ciudadanos del pais en donde la causa sea seguida. ART. 15. Los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos de America residentes en los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, gozarán 1831. April 5. 1831. April 5. Liberty of conscience, and privilege of sepulchre. Free trade with with either party. houses, persons,and properties,the protection of the government, with the most perfect security and liberty of conscience: they shall not be disturbed or molested, in any manner, on account of their religion, so long as they respect the constitution, the laws, and established usages of the country where they resides and they shall also enjoy the privilege of burying the dead in places which now are, or may hereafter be assigned for that purpose; nor shall the funerals or sepulchres of the dead be disturbed in any manner, nor under any pretext. The citizens of the United Mexican States shall enjoy, throughout all the States and Territories of the United States of America, the same protection; and shall be allowed the free exercise of their religion, in public or in private, either within their own houses, or in the chapels or places of worship set apart for that purpose. ART. 16. It shall be lawful for the citizens of the United those at enmity States of America, and of the United Mexican States respec▾tively, to sail with their vessels with all manner of security and liberty, no distinction being made who are the owners of the merchandise laden thereon, from any port to the places of those who are now, or may hereafter be at enmity with the United States of America or with the United Mexican States. It shall likewise be lawful for the aforesaid citizens respectively to sail with their vessels and merchandise, before mentioned, and to trade with the same liberty and security from the places. ports, and havens of those who are enemies of both or either party, without any opposition or disturbance whatsoever, not only directly from the places of the enemy, before mentioned, to neutral places, but also from one place belonging to an enemy to another place belonging to an enemy, whether they be under the jurisdiction of the same government or under several; and it is hereby stipulated that free ships shall also give freedom to goods; and that every thing shall be deemed free and exempt which shall be found on board the vessels belonging to the citizens of either of the contracting parties, although the whole lading or any part thereof, should appertain to the enemies of either, contraband goods being always excepted. It is also agreed that the same liberty be The flag to pro- extended to persons who are on board a free vessel, so that, tect passengers. although they be enemies to either party, they shall not be made prisoners, or taken out of that free vessel, unless they are soldiers, and in the actual service of the enemy. By the Free ships make free goods. en sus casas, personas y propiedades, de la proteccion del Go- Los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos gozarán en todos los Estados y Territorios de los Estados Unidos de America, de la misma proteccion; y poderán ejercer libremente su religion en público ó en privado dentro de sus casas ó en los templos y lugares destinados al culto. ART. 16. Será permitido á todos y cada uno de los ciuda danos de los Estados Unidos de America, y de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos poder navegar libre y seguramente con sus embarcaniones sin que haya la menor escepcion por este respecto aunque los propietarios de las mercaderias cargadas en dichas embarcaciones procedan de cualquiera puerto, y sean destinadas a cualquiera plaza de una potencia enemiga, ó que lo sea despues, asi de los Estados Unidos de America, como de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Se permitirá igualmente á los ciudadanos repectivamente navegar con sus buques y mercaderias y frecuentar con igual libertad y seguridad las plazas y puertos en las potencias enemigas de las partes contratantes, ó de una de ellas, sin oposicion ú obstaculo, y de comerciar no solo desde los puertos de dicho enemigo, á un puerto neutro directamente, sino tambien desde un enemigo á otro tal, bien se encuentre bajo su jurisdiccion, ó bajo las de muchos; y se estipula tambien que los buques libres asegurarán igualmente la libertad de las mercancias; y que se juzgarán libres todos los efectos que se hallasen á bordo de los buques que perteneciesen á ciudadanos de una de las partes contratantes, aun cuando el cargamento por entero, ó parte de el fuese de los enemigos de una de las dos, bien entendido sin embargo que el contrabando se esceptua siempre. Se há convenido asi mismo que la propia libertad gozarán los sugetos que puedan encontrarse á bordo del buque libre, aun cuando fuesen enemigos de una de las dos partes contratantes; y por lo tanto no se podrá hacerlos prisioneros ni separarlos de 1831. April 5, 1831. April 5. Flag to cover Property to apply to those who acknowledge the principle. Neutral pro perty on board ble to confiscation. stipulation that the flag shall cover the property, the two contracting parties agree that this shall be so understood with respect to those powers who recognize this principle; but if either of the two contracting parties shall be at war with a third party, and the other neutral, the flag of the neutral shall cover the property of enemies whose governments acknowledge this principle, and not of others. ART. 17. It is likewise agreed that in the case where the enemuy vessels, neutral flag of one of the contracting parties shail protect the to be considered property of the enemies of the other, by virtue of the above enemies' property, and lia- stipulation, it shall always be understood that the neutral property found on board such enemies' vessels shall be held and considered as enemies' property, and as such shall be liable to detention and confiscation, except such property as was put on board such vessel before the declaration of war, or even afterwards, if it were done without the knowledge of it: but the contracting parties agree that four months having elapsed after the declaration, their citizens shall not plead ignorance thereof; on the contrary, if the flag of the neutral does not protect the enemy's property, in that case the goods and merchandises embarked in such enemy's vessel shall be free. Contraband specified. Things not enumerated free and lawful. ART. 18. This liberty of commerce and navigation shall extend to all kinds of merchandise, excepting those only which are distinguished by the name of contraband; and under this name of contraband or prohibited goods, shall be comprehended, first, cannons, mortars, howitzers, swivels, blunderbusses, muskets, fusees. rifles, carbines, pistols, pikes, swords, sabres, lances, spears, halberts; and granades, bombs, powder, matches, balls, and all other things belonging to the use of these arms: secondly, bucklers, helmets, breast-plates, coats of mail, infantry belts, and clothes made up in a military form, and for a military use; thirdly, cavalry belts and horses with their furniture; fourthly, and generally, all kinds of arms, and instruments of iron, steel, brass and copper, or of any other materials manufactured, prepared and formed expressly to make war by sea or land. ART. 19. All other merchandise and things not comprehended in the articles of contraband expressly enumerated and classified as above, shall be held and considered as free,and subjects of free and lawful commerce, so that they may be carried and transported in the freest manner by both the contrac |