Mr. Finch to Mr. Hay.

No. 786.]

Sir: I inclose translation of the message of President Batlle to the Assembly General, dated October 15, 1904, submitting the terms on which peace was negotiated with the revolutionary leaders, together with a brief accompanying explanation.

I also inclose translation of the law which was submitted by the President with his message legalizing the terms and stipulations entered into by the Executive.

The law of interdictions, as it is called, is not repealed, but merely suspended, and there is quite general dissatisfaction expressed in consequence, not among Blancos alone, but conservative Colorados also.

The negotiations and the law appertaining thereto were approved by the Assembly General.

Respectfully,

William R. Finch.
[Page 852]
[Inclosure.]

message of the executive power.

[From the Montevideo Daily Dia, October 16, 1904.]

Honorable Assembly General:

The Executive power has the satisfaction of informing you that the public peace, which was disturbed from the first days of January last, has been restored by means of the bases agreed upon with the leaders of the forces raised in arms and which are enumerated below:

  • First. General amnesty.
  • Second. Electoral legality, accords depending on the deliberations of the directive committees of the parties.
  • Third. Derogation of the interdictions.
  • Fourth. Submission to the legal authority by the forces raised in arms aginst it.
  • Fifth. Real and effective delivery by those forces of all their arms and parks to Colonel Galarza.
  • Sixth. Incorporation into the army of all the chiefs and officers included in the amnesty law.
  • Seventh. A mixed committee appointed by agreement by the Government and insurgents will distribute the sum of $100,000 between the chiefs, officers, and soldiers of the rebel forces.
  • Eighth. The Government will include among the matters of the extraordinary sessions the reformation of the constitution, the legislative power being completely free to decree it or not, and to sanction in the first case the reformations it may judge convenient.
  • Ninth. The persons who have collected taxes on account of the insurrection shall not be prosecuted as the authors of common offenses.

The Executive power, knowing in advance the patriotic and high sentiments of the honorable Assembly, did not hesitate for a moment in concluding the conditions requiring legal sanction of the pact stipulated, in the assurance that you would uphold them and make them your own, sanctioning the bill it has the honor to inclose, declaring it included among the matters which are the motive of the actual convocation to extraordinary sessions by which amnesty is conceded for the acts of the insurrection, providing they do not come under, the penalties of the common codes and the interdictions decreed in compliance with the law of February 25 last are raised.

In regard to what is stated in basis 7, relating to the distribution of a subsidy to the chiefs, officers, and soldiers of the rebel forces, the Executive power will attend to it, charging it to the account for the “mobilization of forces” temporarily opened on the occasion of the abnormal state of the country, and which is already known to the honorable Assembly.

In reference to basis 3, the Executive power makes it its duty to announce to you that very shortly it will include the matter relating to the reformation of the constitution among those which determined the actual convocation of the honorable legislative body to extra sessions.

The Executive power entertains the firmest conviction that the peace which constitutes the supreme national aspiration, negotiated in the form already narrated, without injuring in the least the advanced principles which govern our institutional organization, maintaining in all their force the faculties which the constitution and the laws confer on the Executive power and restoring to all citizens their full civil and political rights, will be of auspicious results for the country and a fruitful and lasting work of progress and civic concord.

On begging the honorable Assembly to give special attention to the project inclosed, the Executive power terminates by expressing the most fervent hopes that the blessings of peace may be permanent in the Republic and that controversies between citizens may be decided within our democratic principles and under the shelter of liberty, legality, and right.

The Executive power takes this opportunity to, etc.,

  • José Batlle y Ordonez,
  • Claudio Williman.
[Page 853]

Ministry of government—Project of law.

The Senate and Chamber of Representatives of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, united in Assembly General, etc., decree:

Article 1. All civilians who directly or indirectly have participated in the recent political events are hereby amnested, persons who have collected taxes on account of the insurrection being included in the amnesty.

Common offenders are excepted from the prerogatives referred to in the preceding division.

Article 2. The interdictions which, in virtue of the authorization conferred by the law of February 25 of the current year, may have been decreed by the Executive power, remain without effect, the rents collected and other retentions verified for any other conception to be returned to the owners.

Article 3. Communicate, etc.

Claudio Williman.