Instrucciones del año XIII

    Patrick, who lives near Colonia, was interested in reading the Instrucciones. Here is my translation. But first a little history.

    On May 25th 1810 the people of the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata had declared in Buenos Aires their intention of becoming independent from the Spanish Crown. In 1813 a General Constituent Assembly was summoned and members of all the Provincias Unidas were invited to attend. The object was to decide the form of the future government, and to create a provisional Constitution. The people of each province were asked to elect representatives for the Assembly, who would carry "instructions" declaring the will of their voters.

    Artigas summoned the people of the Banda Oriental for a Provincial Assembly in which they would chose their representatives to the General Assembly in Buenos Aires. This was called the Congreso de Tres Cruces. In this Assembly the representatives of the Pueblo Oriental were chosen, and "instructions" given to them. This instructions became know as the "Instrucciones del Año XIII".

    The following is the text of these instructions:

YEAR XIII INSTRUCTIONS TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ORIENTAL BAND

    Art. 1 - First of all we will request the total independence of these Colonies, and that they be absolved of all obligation of loyalty to the Spanish Crown and the Bourbon family, and that all political connection between these Colonies and the Spanish State should and must be totally dissolved.

    Art. 2 - We will accept no other system but that of the Confederation for the reciprocal pact with the Provinces that conform our State.

    Art. 3 - We will promote civic and religious freedom throughout all its imaginable extension.

    Art. 4 - As the objective and end of the Government must be to preserve the equality, freedom and safety of the Citizens and the Peoples, each Province will form their own government based on this principle and under that of the Supreme Government of the Nation.

    Art. 5 - This, as well as that, will be divided in legislative, executive and judicial powers.

    Art. 6 - These three resorts will never be united amongst them and will be independent in their faculties.

   Art. 7 - The Supreme Government will attend only to the general business of the State. The rest is particular to the Government of each Province.

    Art. 8 - The territory occupied by these Peoples, from the oriental coast of the Uruguay to the Fortress of Santa Teresa, constitute only one Province called the Provincia Oriental.

    Art. 9 - That the seven Peoples of Misiones, Batovía, Santa Tecla, San Rafael and Tacuarembó, today unjustly occupied by the Portuguese and that in due time will have to be claimed, will at all times be part of this Province.

    Art. 10 - That by this document this Province will enter separately into a firm league of friendship with each one of the others for the mutual and general happiness, with the commitment to assist each one of the others against all violence, or attacks done on one or any one of them for reasons of religion. sovereignty, traffic or any other pretext whatsoever.

    Art. 11 - That this Province retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, all power, jurisdiction and rights that are not expressly delegated by the Confederation to the United Provinces jointly in Congress.

    Art. 12 - That the port of Maldonado be free to all vessels that concur for the introduction of goods or export of fruits, setting the corresponding Customs in that town, requesting to this effect that the Commander of the Forces of His British Majesty be informed of the opening of this port in order to protect the navigation and commerce of their Nation.

    Art. 13 - That the port of Colonia be also authorized in the terms of the previous article.

    Art. 14 - That no taxes or duties be imposed on articles exported from one province to another, and that no preference be given by any regulation of Commerce or rent to the ports of one Province over that of others, and that no vessels destined from this Province to another be forced to enter and anchor or pay duties in another.

    Art. 15 - Not to allow for Law to be made for this Province over goods of foreigners who die intestate and over fines and confiscations that used to be applied for the King, and over territories belonging to it while it does not create its regulations and determines to what funds they must be applied, as it is the only one who has the Rights to do it for economic reasons within its jurisdiction.

    Art. 16 - That this Province will have its own territorial Constitution, and that it has the Right to sanction the general one for the United Provinces that form the Constituent Assembly.

    Art. 17 - That this Province has the right to raise the Regiments that it might need, to name the Company officers, to regulate its militia for the safety of its freedom and that the rights of its Peoples to keep and carry arms will not be violated.

    Art. 18 - The military Despotism will be annihilated with constitutional barriers that ensure the Sovereignty of the Peoples.

    Art. 19 - That it be needful and indispensable outside of Buenos Aires where the Government of the Provincias Unidas resides.

    Art. 20 - The Constitution guarantees to the Provincias Unidas a republican form of government, and guards each one of them from the domestic violence, usurpation of Rights, freedom and security of its sovereignty that might be attempted by armed forces by one of them to suffocate the declared principles. And it will, as well, render all its attention, honour, faithfulness and religiousness to everything it believes and judges necessary to preserve for this Province the advantages of Freedom and to maintain a free Government, of pity, justice, moderation and industry. For all of which, etc.

    Before Montevideo, April 13th 1813, Gervasio Artigas.