Leonardo Marquez, General of Division and Chief of the Second Army Corps., February 5, 1867

Leonardo Marquez, General of Division and Chief of the Second Army Corps.

Be it known, although there is no motive actually for alarm in the capital, these headquarters having the obligation to foresee every eventuality, however remote, in the use of the faculties which the ordinance concedes, has thought proper to decree:

Article 1. The great bell of the cathedral, which shall be sounded for the space of ten minutes, will give the signal of alarm for the city.

Article 2. On the sounding of said alarm all inhabitants of the city will retire to their dwellings and remain therein, with closed doors, and not go out again, or appear at the balconies, windows, or upon the azoteas (flat roofs) until the alarm shall cease, which will be announced by the ringing, for an equal length of time, of the large bell of the cathedral.

Article 3. Every individual, be his rank what it may, who, in any manner, shall infringe the foregoing article, will be punished by the government directly, according to the circumstances of his fault.

Article 4. Consequently, the armed force, which shall be conveniently posted for the security of the population, will receive orders to imprison the culpable, and to employ force should it be necessary.

Article 5. Equally, those shall be punished or consigned to the tribunal to which it corresponds, who arm themselves without the knowledge of these headquarters; who discharge or fire arms, or cause alarm by means of any detonation; who make any demonstration of hostility; who use subversive expressions; who utter aloud alarming or seditious cries, or who, in any manner, excite the slightest disorder.

Article 6. Immediately as any fire-arm is discharged, or any detonation heard, the armed force will present itself at the house where the shot may have proceeded, or the detonation been produced; the door will be opened in the ordinary way, or by force; the culpable party will be apprehended, and if he be not found all the inmates of the dwelling will be punished in conformity with article 3 of this edict.

Article 7. From the moment that it is annouuced to the city that the alarm has ceased, all the inhabitants are at liberty to open their doors, go out into the streets, and engage in their occupations, with the single circumstance of not committing any disturbance, because, in case of so doing, it will be repressed as herein provided.