Municipality (Junta Economico-Administrativa.)—There exists a Junta or Municipality in each department. The members of the municipality are elected by the people, and they are entrusted with the care of the municipal interests. The Montevideo municipality has a very great importance, being entrusted with the care of all the municipal services except that of the police.
Citizenship.—The citizens of the state are either natural or legal. Natural are all those born in the territory; legal, all the foreigners who ask for citizenship, after having proved their residence in the country for a determined time.
All the citizens, whether natural or legal, enjoy the right of voting and may be elected in certain conditions.
The constitution of the Republic sworn on the 18th of July, 1830, among other articles, contains the following ones:
Art. the 130th. The inhabitants of the state have a right to be protected in their life, honor, liberty, security and property. Nobody can be deprived of these rights, but according to the laws.
Art. the 131st. In the territory of the state nobody can be a slave by birth; the slave trade and introduction of slaves are forever forbidden in the Republic.
Art. the 132d. All men are equal before the law, be it preceptive, penal or defensive; the only distinction acknowledged is that of talent and virtue.
Art. the 134th. The private actions of men, that do not by any way attack the public order nor harm any third person, belong only to God, and, therefore, remain beyond the authority of the magistrates. No inhabitant of the state will be obliged to do what the law does not bid, neither prevented from doing what the law does not forbid.
Art. the 141st. Thoroughly free is the communication of thought, by words, private writings, or publications in the public papers, whatever be the subjects, without requiring any previous censure; the only responsible person is the author, or, in his stead, the printer, whenever the writing be abusive, according to the law.
Art. the 146th. All the inhabitants of the state may undertake any work, industry or commerce they like, provided they do not harm the public order or the other citizens' rights.