Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1878

No. 344.
Mr. Foster to Mr. Evarts.

Legation of the United States,
Mexico, May 7, 1878. (Received June 6.)

No. 703.]

Sir: In my dispatch No. 645, of the 17th of December last, I referred to the passage by Congress and the submission to the States of amendments to the federal constitution prohibiting the re-election of President of the republic and of governors of States for the next succeeding term. These amendments have been ratified by the States in the manner required by the constitution, and on the 5th instant they were solemnly proclaimed in this city as a part of the fundamental code of the republic. I inclose herewith a copy of the President’s proclamation, embracing the text of the amendments.

I am, sir,

JOHN W. FOSTER.

[Inclosure in No. 703.—Translation.]

Amendments to federal constitution prohibiting the re-election of President and governors.

Porfirio Diaz, Constitutional President of the United Mexican States, to the inhabitants thereof:

Know ye that the Congress of the Union has decreed the following:

The Congress of the United Mexican States, in exercise of the faculty conceded to it by article 127 of the federal constitution, and prior to the approbation of the majority of the legislatures of the States, decrees articles 78 and 109 of the constitution to be amended in the following terms:

Article 78. The President will enter upon the exercise of his duties on the 1st of December and will remain in office four years, he not being eligible to re-election for the next succeeding term, nor permitted to occupy the Presidency for any reason until after four years have passed since he ceased the exercise of his functions.

Article 109. The States will adopt for their interior regimen the form of popular representative republican government, and will determine in their respective constitutions the conditions under which the re-election of their governors shall be prohibited.

The character of governor of a State, whatever may be the titles under which he may exercise the power, is incompatible in every case with his re-election for the following term. The local constitutions will make this provision necessary in such terms as the legislatures esteem proper.

Provisional. This declaration will be promulgated by national proclamation (bando) on the 5th of next May.

MANUEL ORTEGA,
Deputy for the State of Zacatecas, President.

PRISCILIANO M. DIAZ GONZALEZ,
Senator for the State of Morelos, President.

(Here follow the names of the deputies and senators representing the different States.)

I accordingly order it to be printed, published, and circulated, in order that it may receive its due fulfillment.

Given in the National Palace of Mexico on the 5th of May, 1878.

PORFIRIO DIAZ.