839.00/2621: Telegram
The Commissioner in the Dominican Republic (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:09 p.m.]
32. Department’s October 4th, 5 p.m., paragraph 4. The following is the form of the proclamation which I believe should be issued by the Military Government in order to announce the installation of the Provisional Government. Admiral Robison has expressed his agreement with the wording thereof and has so cabled the Navy Department:
“Whereas, the plan of evacuation of the territory of the Dominican Republic by the American forces of occupation tentatively agreed to in Washington D. C. June 30th, 1922, has been now formally agreed to by the Government of the United States and by a Commission composed of Monseigneur Doctor Adolfo A. Nouel; General Don Horacio Vasquez; Senor Don Federico Velasquez H.; Licenciado Don [Page 73] Elias Brache, Hijo; and Licenciado Don Francisco J. Peynado on behalf of the Dominican people, and has been officially published by the Commissioner of the President of the United States in the Dominican Republic, and wherefore [whereas], the Government of the United States is convinced that a great majority of the Dominican people favors the execution of this plan of evacuation;
Now, therefore, I Samuel S. Robison, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, Military Governor of the Dominican Republic, acting under the authority and by direction of the Government of the United States, declare and announce to all concerned, in accordance with the provisions of article 1 of the said plan of evacuation, that on October (blank), there will be installed a Provisional Government of the Dominican Republic for the purpose of promulgating legislation to regulate the holding of elections, to provide for the reorganization of the provincial and municipal governments, and to enable the Dominican people to make such amendments to the constitution as they may deem appropriate, and hold general elections without the intervention of Military Government; and this Provisional Government will order such further powers and duties as are specified in the plan of evacuation.
The Provisional Government of the Dominican Republic will assume, from the date of its installation, administrative powers to carry out freely the aforesaid purposes; and the said Provisional Government, from that date, will alone be responsible for its acts. The Provisional Government, the members of which have been elected in accordance with the provisions of article 2 of the plan of evacuation, will be constituted as follows: (here follows the list of the members of the Provisional Government with the office held by each).
Upon taking office, the Provisional President and the members of his Cabinet will take the following oath of office, agreed upon by the members of the Commission by whom they were elected, before the Supreme Court of Justice: ‘I do solemnly swear that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter; that I will enforce the plan of evacuation agreed upon June 30th 1922; that I will abide by the regulations and conditions placed upon the exercise of the Provisional Government by the Commission which agreed to the plan of evacuation; that I will do all within my power to further the reestablishment of constitutional normality and the restoration of a constitutional government; and that I will obey and cause to be obeyed the laws of the Republic; so help me God.’”
The wording of the oath to be taken by the members of the Provisional Government was agreed upon by the members of the Commission.
It is impossible as yet to determine precisely the date upon which the Provisional Government can be installed. Determination of the date depends upon the rapidity with which the Dominican officers can replace the American officers still holding commissions in the Policia Nacional Dominicana but it is probable that the installation can take place between the 18th and the 25th of October. If the Department approves of the wording of the proclamation, I request that [Page 74] it so advise me by cable, and authorize me to at the same time determine the date of the installation of the Provisional Government in accord with the Military Governor.