Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1907, (In two parts), Part I

File 5025/6–7.

Chargé Heimké to the Secretary of State .

American Legation,
Bogota , April 22, 1907 .

No. 183.]

I have the honor to transmit herewith, in duplicate, a clipping from the Diario Oficial of this city, of the 17th instant, and, also in duplicate, a translation of a decree passed by the national constituent and legislative assembly in its session of the 3d instant, and approved by the President of the Republic of Colombia on the 15th of the present month, making provision for the assembling of the next constitutional congress, which is to meet, once in every two years, at this capital; that its ordinary sessions shall be ninety days in duration; that the initial date for the meeting of the first Congress is fixed for the 1st of February, 1910, “although the executive power may anticipate, or the assembly, by the enactment of a law, postpone the same if the public interests should so demand;” and that until the time of the assembling of the first Congress before mentioned the national constitutent and legislative assembly will continue to exercise the legislative functions which, by the constitution, appertain to the Congress in extraordinary sessions.

Although the general public, at the time of the convocation of the national assembly, now sitting in extraordinary session, had hoped that Congress would be convened at some time during the present year, the above named decree, fixing the date of its first meeting for the 1st of February, 1910—three years hence—has been calmly received by the masses throughout the country, so far as has been ascertained, and without the faintest sign of dissatisfaction or disappointment; or, in other words, the decree has been accepted in a practical sense as a matter of fact, and unlike the enactment of similar measures in previous years, which is considered as an index of the present sensible and peacefully inclined spirit of the people, who have come to regard the rule of President Reyes as wise and for the best interests of the country, and whose sincerity in this respect is neither doubted nor questioned by those who know the character of the present progressive Chief Executive of Colombia.

I have, etc.,

Wm. Heimké.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

[From the Diario Oficial, of Bogota, Colombia, of April 17, 1907.]

National Assembly—Legislative Act No. 1 of 1907 (April 15)—Substituting Legislative Act No. 2 of 1905.

The national constitutent and legislative assembly decrees:

Article 1. Hereafter legislative chambers will meet in their own right every two years, on the 1st day of February, in the capital of the Republic.

Art. 2. The ordinary sessions will last ninety days, after which the Government may declare the chambers in recess.

Art. 3. The initial date for the meeting of the first constitutional Congress will be the 1st of February, 1910, although the executive power may anticipate, or the assembly, by the enactment of a law, postpone the same if the public interests should so demand.

The decree convening elections for members of Congress will be issued by the Government with due anticipation, in order that the chambers may meet on the date named in article 1.

Art. 4. (Transitory.) Until the time of the assembling of the first Congress referred to in the preceding article, the national constitutent and legislative assembly will continue to exercise the legislative functions which, by the constitution, appertain to Congress in extraordinary sessions, and separately to the Senate and to the Chamber of Representatives, and those of the constituent assembly named in article 8 of reformatory act No. 9 of 1905.

The executive power may convene the assembly in extraordinary session whenever he considers it expedient.

Art. 5. The provisions of the present decree take the place of legislative act No. 2 of 1905 and article 68 of the constitution.

Given at Bogota, on the 3d of April, 1907.

• Dionisio Jimenez,
  The President.
• Girado Arrubla,
  The Secretary.
• Aurelio Rueda A.,
  The Secretary.

Executive Power, Bogota, April 15, 1901.

Let it be published and executed.

R. Reyes

, [seal.]

The Minister of Government,

D. Euclides de Angulo.