"Decree No. 9," September 11, 1827

Summary: The Congress in Saltillo passed a law concerning tobacco growers. Authorized the tobacco department to legalize the account books of tobacco merchants and required all such merchants to have their books stamped or face a fine.

The Congress of the State of Coahuila and Texas has thought proper to decree as follows:

ART. 1. The Executive shall give power to the chief agents in the Tobacco department, in default of a seal to legalize the account books of merchants, of proprietors of land estates, and other dealers, with their own signatures, agreeably to the provision of article 16 of the stamp paper regulations. Said agents, under their own responsibility, may delegate this power to their subordinates residing in different municipalities.

ART. 2. The agents and their subordinates, as the case may be, in a book made of common paper, paged and destined to that purpose, shall keep an account of the books they stamp or legalize, number of leaves of which they consist, stating the names of the owners, and place of residence. The lot or parcel shall be signed by the agent or officer, the owner of the book, and the respective Alcalde.

ART. 3. At the end of the year, an advertisement shall be posted in each town, specifying the books legalized, the amount paid for each, and the names of the owners.

ART. 4. The term of one month shall be allowed to merchants and dealers for applying to have their books stamped, both new ones and those already commenced. After the term aforesaid, the transgressors, besides the illegality mentioned in article 10, chap. 30, of the stamp paper law, shall be subject to a fine of twenty-five dollars for every book they fail to present, independent of paying the tax of the paper. The fines shall be applied to the funds for public instruction.

ART. 5. Any individual of the town shall have power to interfere, demanding a compliance with the provision of this law.

For its fulfilment, the Vice Governor of the State shall cause it to be printed, published, and circulated.

Given in Saltillo on the 11th of September, 1827.

RAMON GARCIA ROJAS, President,

JOSE TIJERINA, Sec'y Supletory.

MIGUEL ARCENIAGA, D. S.

Source Copy Consulted: "Decree No. 9," September 11, 1827, reprinted in H.P.H. Gammel, The Laws of Texas, 1822-1897, 12 vols., (Austin: Gammel Book Co., 1898), 1:180. http://texinfo.library.unt.edu/lawsoftexas