OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
April f27, 1999
Honorable F. Lee O9fmlel
oorernor .or Tezar
Awtfn, Texas
Dear &amorr
W4 ax-4 in r4c
trammltting lattsr tro
man of the Joint Lagis
Legislature, in whfoh t
akaq any action or
epact to the an-
that tha wmteva of penal law
6 stat4 may b4 oomplate within
t a0 ryrtaul or flralgn law6
nmrl*t*a, mar be lppaaleb to, it ir
hat ao pareon 8hal.l be punirhad for
cml~doa, anlaas th4 ma4 18 Bade
a penal o?fan44 aad a paaalty~,Ir affired thsre-
$0 ,b,rtha mittian .Z6w o? tha St+ia.w
Art1014 1; Saotion ?!of t&r l'ey~ Conrtitution
reads I
?3
Hon. Vi. Lee O'Daniel, April 27, lQ39, Page 2
"All political power is inhsrent in the
people, and all r-4 governmante ar4 r0and4d
on ,&heir authority, and inetitutad for their
baxq4rit. The laith 0r tha people Of Texas
8ta$is plaUge& to the preservation o? a repub-
lioaq?orm o? government, and, subject to this
limitation only, they have at all tines the
inal$enable right to altar, reiorm or abolish
thelr'government In such manner as they may
think expedient."
Article 1, Section 8 a? the Texas Constitu-
tion reads:
YWery pereon shall be at liberty to
speak, write or.publish hia opinions on any
subject, being responsible for the abuse o?
that privilege; and no law shall 4v4r be passed
curtailing the liberty o? spaeoh or o? the
press. In prosecutions ?or tha publications or
papers, Investigating the conduct of officere,
or'men in public oapaclty, or when the matter
published is proper for public information, the
truth thereof may be given in evidence. And in
all indictments for libels, the jury shall have
the right to determine the law and the facts,
under the direction of the court, as in other
ca84a.W
.-
Article 1, Section 19 o? the Texas Constitu-
tion reads: .
90 citizen of this State shall be deprived
or life, liberty, property, privileges or ti-
munitiee,'or in any mannar disrranohlwb, mf-
04s. by the do4 ooursa ai ths law o? th4 land.*
.Artlol4 1, Metion e&pi the Texa6 Conmtltution
raabe :
"Treason against the Btat4:ahal.l oonatit
o&y% lavying mar agaln8t it, 4ir adhering
to its enamiea, giving them aid mb oom?ort~;anU
no person nhal* be convicted o? treason except
on the testtiny o? two wltnesaes' to t&e same
overt act, , r on con?asaion in opan court.-
Artiale 1, Saction 27 o? the Texae Constitution
reads:
Hon. YJ. Lee O'Daniel, April 27, 1939, Page 3
"The citizens shall hava the right, in
a p4acabla manner, to ass4mblr together for
thair oommon good; and apply to those Investad
wi%h fhe powers of government ?or ~~UIWSS of
grlavanaas or other pxmpo848.-:hy patltion, ad-
tlrass+r r4monstan04.~
*tic14 1, Section a9 of the Tsxas Constitution
raads :
"To guard against transgressions of the
high pours herein delegated, ws Qeclare that
sverything~in this *Bill a? Wghts' is sxcepted
out of the general powers of government, and
shall forever remaln lnvlolata, and all laws
contrary thereto, or to the following provisions,
shall be void."
There is no statute in Texas undertaking to
define crimes against the Constitution, snd w4, tharafdre, J
answer that tha Constitution and statute laws of the State
of Texas have no provisions with respect to Wcrimes against -
the Constitution.w
Yours very truly
ATTQRNEYGENEXALOFTEXAS
e_
By (Signed) A, S. Rollins
A. S. Rollins
Assistant
~Signed~~~iieraldc. Mann
ATTORNEY%J!!NXRAL OF TXAS