[clxvii. 111]

1821 March 30

Rid Yourselves

Anti Constitutional evil

4 Consumption of Cortes time

Now in all the instances of this or that Code presented by an Ultramarian District (Pueblo) suppose the Provincial Deputation dissatisfied with it, and accordingly instead of forwarding it keeping it back. Whatsoever were the considerations by which the framing of it /that produced/ /caused it to be framed and submitted/ and submitting it to the Provincial deputation was produced, by these same considerations it will not infrequently happen that on the part of the Ayuntamiento a determination shall be produced to appeal to the Cortes against this negative against the one thus /so/ made by the superior local authority of the [...?] entrusted with /to/ them. The Ayuntamiento have their advocates at Madrid in and out of the Cortes: the Provincial Deputation theirs. Here then comes another demand upon the Sovereign Assembly for a share of the scanty portion of time and existence that it has been thought fit to be allowed to /entrusted with/ it.

The Ayuntamiento in such a case will it keep [...?]

By Article 373 already quoted, Every Spaniard has a right of making representation to the Cortes, as to the King to claim the observance of the Constitution. This Article, in a case such as that in question, will the discontented Ayuntamiento fail to avoid itself? Why should it? In addition to the instrument of complaint all the trouble imposed upon it /them/ by this Article will be that of inserting a phrase saying that in the instance in question the Constitution has not /was not/ been observed that on the occasion of the negative so put upon the Code presented by it.