President of the Republic, magistrates of the supreme court of justice, and senators for the federal district. II. To judge and decide upon the resignations and leaves of absence of the President and Vice-President of the Republic, and upon the resignations of the magistrates of the supreme court of justice. ARTICLE 74. The attributes of the permanent deputation, without prejudice against others which the constitution may confer upon it, are: * ARTICLE 78. The President and Vice-President of the Republic shall enter upon the performance of their duties on the 1st of December, and shall continue in office six years. ARTICLE 79. The electors who may designate the President of the Republic, shall also elect, on the same day and in the same manner, to fill the office of Vice-President, a citizen having the qualifications required to be President by article 77. The Vice-President of the Republic shall be ex-officio the president of the senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. The Vice-President may, however, enter upon the performance of another charge to which he may be appointed by the Executive, and in the latter case, as well as when he may be absent for other reasons, he shall be substituted as president of the senate according to the manner provided by the proper law. ARTICLE 80. In case the President of the Republic fails to appear on the day provided by law to enter upon the discharge of his duties, when the office has already been declared vacant, or when he has been granted a leave of absence, the executive power shall devolve on the Vice-President, by virtue of the law itself, the formality of taking a new oath being unnecessary. If the President's default be permanent, the Vice-president shall act as his substitute until the end of the term for which he was elected, or until such time as the President resumes the exercise of his duties. ARTICLE 81. If, at the beginning of a constitutional term, both the President and Vice-President elect fail to appear, or when the election may not have taken place and been declared on the 1st of December, the President whose term may have expired shall, however, cease to act as such and the executive power shall at once devolve on the secretary of state, who shall act as President ad interim, and in case of default or inability of the latter, on one of the other members of the cabinet according to the order in which they are ranked by law. The same course shall be observed when during the permanent or temporary default or disability of the President, the Vice-President should fail to appear, on account of the latter having been granted a leave of absence, while discharging his duties, and when during the course of a term the offices of both functionaries might become vacant. In case of vacancy of the offices of President and Vice-President, the National Congress, or during its period of recess, the permanent commission, shall issue the summons to proceed to extraordinary elections. When the vacancy of both offices occurs during the last year of the constitutional term, the above-mentioned summons shall not be issued, but the member of the cabinet who may have charge of the executive power shall continue in office until the next President, or the person who is to act in his stead, according to the preceding provisions, takes the oath of office. The citizens who may be elected through the extraordinary elections shall enter upon the performance of their duties so soon as the proper declaration is made, and shall continue in office during the time preceding the expiration of the constitutional term. When the executive power devolves on any of the members of the cabinet, the latter shall perform the duties of his office without any oath until he takes the same. ARTICLE 82. The offices of President and Vice-President may not be resigned, except for grave cause, approved by the Chamber of Deputies, to which the resignation shall be presented. ARTICLE 83. The President, on taking possession of his office, shall take an oath before Congress, and in its recess before the permanent commission, according to the following formula: "I swear without any reserve to obey and cause others to obey the constitution of the United Mexican States, with its additions and amendments, the laws of reform, and all others emanating from the same, and to perform loyally and patriotically the duties of the office of President of the Republic conferred upon me by its people, and to seek in everything for the welfare and prosperity of the Union." The Vice-President of the Republic shall take his oath on the same session, swearing in similar terms to perform the duties of Vice-President and in its turn those of President of the Republic; but in case he may not be able to take his oath on the same session, he may do so on another. ARTICLE 84. The President and Vice-President of the Republic may not remove from the national territory without permission from the Chamber of Deputies. ARTICLE 103. The Senators and Deputies of the National Congress, the magistrates of the supreme court of justice, and the secretaries of the cabinet are responsible for the common crimes which they may commit during their terms of office, and for the crimes, misdemeanors, or negligence into which they may fall in the performance of the duties of said office. The governors of the States are likewise responsible for the infraction of the constitution and federal laws. The President and Vice-President of the Republic during the term of their office may be accused only for the crimes of treason against the country, express violation of the constitution, attack on the freedom of election, and for high crimes of a common order. Mr. Clayton to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, December 8, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to inclose a clipping from the Mexican Herald, containing an account of the inauguration of President Diaz and Vice-President Corral on the 1st instant. Said clipping also contains the congratulatory address delivered by me at the national palace on behalf of the diplomatic corps, and the President's reply. I have, etc., POWELL CLAYTON. [Inclosure.] From the Mexican Herald, December 2, 1904. SEVENTH TERM OF PRESIDENT DIAZ BEGAN YESTERDAY-PRESIDENT AND VICEPRESIDENT RECEIVED CONGRATULATIONS. Amid a general atmosphere of cheerfulness the inauguration of a new presidential term was celebrated yesterday. * THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY. The ceremony of taking the oath of office was very brief and simple. When the President and Vice-President-elect entered the House, all the members and the occupants of all the boxes rose, and cheers and clapping of hands came from all parts of the hall. Alfredo Chavero, the Speaker of the House, occupied a scarlet and gold chair on the raised dais in the rear of the chamber. While all the members of both Chambers present stood up, Mr. Chavero, as representative of Congress, remained seated. First General Diaz mounted the dais and advanced to another gold and scarlet chair placed beside that of the Speaker. That other chair, however, the President did not occupy, but standing in front of Mr. Chavero, and after shaking hands with him, he repeated the customary formula, promising to discharge well and faithfully the duties of the office of President, to which he had been elected, to consider always the welfare of the nation, and to observe and to cause to be observed the constitution and laws of reform. Mr. Chavero then said: If so you do, may the nation reward you; and if so you shall not do, may she call you to account." The President's declaration was received with a renewed outburst of applause. Then Mr. Corral made an analogous declaration, suited to the office of VicePresident, and the formula repeated by Mr. Chavero was the same. Mr. Corral's declaration was also greeted with applause. This brought the ceremony to a close, and the President and Vice-President retired from the hall amidst loud acclamations. General Diaz repaired to the reception room of the Chamber, where he spent some moments in pleasant conversation with Benito Juarez, son of the illustrious reforming President; Gabriel Mancera, Manuel Cervantes, and Enrique Landa. AT THE NATIONAL PALACE. Then the President and Vice-President, with Messrs. Gabriel Mancera and Serapion Fernandez, drove back to the palace, amidst the cheers of the multitude. The diplomatic corps, cabinet ministers, state governors, and delegations of Congress also drove to the palace. Hardly had the party arrived when General Diaz, surrounded by the brilliantly attired diplomats, his cabinet ministers, the governors and Senators and Deputies, appeared on the southern balcony, overlooking the court of honor, and listened to a musical selection rendered by the newly organized band of the gendarmes, which was stationed in the courtyard. The band was led by Velino M. Preza, whose reputation as a band conductor is already well established. The President and party applauded the selection, which was voted to be very creditable. Some moments were then spent in animated conversation in the red room, until the President momentarily withdrew to an inner reception room. The persons remaining in the red room continued in conversation. The group included the two delegations of the Chamber appointed to escort the President and Vice-President during the ceremony. That for the President was composed as follows: Gabriel Mancera, Benito Juarez, Leandro M. Alcolea, Manuel Cervantes, Enrique Landa, and Antonio de la Peña y Reyes. That for the Vice-President was composed of the following: Serapion Fernandez, Guillermo Obregon, Jesus Monjarás, Gregorio Mendizabal, Ignacio de la Barra, and Rafael Pardo. There were also present Senator Camacho, Senator Carlos Rivas, Senator Eduardo Rincon Gallardo, Senator Roman S. de Lascurain, Senator Ramon Alcazar, Senator Gumersindo Enriquez, Luis G. Lavie, Guillermo de Landa y Escandon, governor of the federal district, besides all the visiting governors, Col. Felix Diaz, chief of police: Jose F. Godoy, minister of Mexico in Central America; Gen. Rosalino Martinez, subsecretary of war and marine; Gen. Eugenio Rascon, military commandant; Joaquin Larralde, intendent of the presidential residences. THE DIPLOMATS RECEIVED. After a brief interval it was announced that the President would receive the diplomatic corps in the green room. The diplomats accordingly filed in and ranged themselves in semicircle around the room in the following order: Gen. Powell Clayton, American ambassador, with Messrs. McCreery and Hoefele, secretaries of the embassy; Camille Blondel, minister of France, with the secretary of the French legation, le Vicomte de la Tour, the Marquis de Prat de Nantouillet, minister of H. C. M.; Viscount Beughem, minister of Belgium; Col. Francisco Orla, minister of Guatemala; Gen. Carlos Garcia Velez, minister of Cuba; K. Soughimoura, minister of Japan; Baron Hans von Wangenheim, minister of Germany; Cav. Aldo Nobili, minister of Italy; Gregoire de Wollant, chargé d'affaires of Russia; Liang Hsun, chargé d'affaires of China with Fong Ying Kai, attaché of the Chinese legation, and Clarence Key, foreign secretary; Señor Vega, chargé d'affaires of Chile; Geza von Gaspardy, chargé d'affaires of Austria; Count Kielmansegg, secretary of the Austrian legation, and Lieutenant Sommerhoff, military attaché of the German legation. General Clayton delivered the following address: MR. PRESIDENT: Four years ago, upon an occasion similar to this, I had the honor to offer you the congratulations of the diplomatic corps at this capital. The many congratulatory conditions which then existed exist to-day, although greatly augmented. I need not enumerate the happy conditions, so dear to your heart, upon which we now tender you our hearty congratulations, one of which, however, I can not refrain from referring to. It is the wonderful success which has attended the efforts of your administration to establish the national credit of Mexico upon a firm basis. It proves conclusively that in the money marts of the world full faith exists in Mexico's ability and the perfect integrity of her purpose to meet all of her financial obligations. To my mind, the effectuation of your proposed governmental monetary plans follows the establishment of your national credit as the day follows the dawn. As these are questions upon which the Mexican people appear to be united, I hope that I have committed no impropriety in aliuding to them as subjects of special congratulation. "Mr. President, we beg that you will accept our felicitations upon the good health with which you are so eminently blessed. May it continue, not only during your term of office, but for many years thereafter, so that you may experience the happy consummation of all that you have so wisely devised and for which you have so arduously labored. "Mr. President, for yourself and family; for the distinguished citizen who now occupies the vice-presidential office; for the wise and loyal members of your cabinet, especially for him with whom we have our principal official relations, and who, by reason of his uniform kindness and courtesy, we hold in such high esteem; for Mexico and her people, and for the complete success of your administration, we beg to offer our heartiest best wishes." The President made the following reply: MR. AMBASSADOR AND MESSRS. MINISTERS: Your presence in these halls for the purpose of congratulating me on the renewal of the popular mandate in my favor is an event as honorable and agreeable to me as it is flattering to the Mexican Republic, because it affords another demonstration of the friendly relations, diplomatic and commercial, which Mexico happily cultivates with the great powers which you so discreetly and patriotically represent near this Government. "In conveying to you my profound gratitude for the honor which your valued visit confers upon me, I reciprocate your wishes by expressing my heartfelt desires for the felicity of your august sovereigns and worthy rulers, and for the peace and ever-increasing prosperity of the nations which they so wisely govern." MOROCCO. ABDUCTION OF ION PERDICARIS BY BANDITS. NOTE. See also under France, p. 307, and Great Britain, p. 338.) - Mr. Gummeré to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN CONSULATE-GENERAL, (Mr. Gummeré reports that on the night of the 18th of May, about 8.30 o'clock, a band of natives headed by a bandit named Raisuli, who kidnaped Mr. Walter Harris the year previous, broke into the country house of Mr. Perdicaris, a prominent American citizen, and carried away Mr. Perdicaris and his stepson, Mr. Varley, a British subject. Mr. Perdicaris's house is situated about 3 miles from Tangier. The consul-general and the British minister have informed the Sultan's deputy that the Moorish authorities are to be held personally responsible, and in order to secure the release of the captives they have insisted that any terms demanded by Raisuli be immediately granted. They are also dispatching a special courier to the court to have the Sultan's deputy instructed to comply with such requests as they may make. The consul-general regards the situation as serious, and asks that a man-of-war be sent to enforce the demands.) Mr. Loomis to Mr. Gummeré. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Mr. Loomis informs Mr. Gummeré that a war vessel has been ordered to Tangier, but that it may not arrive there for three or four days.) Mr. Gummeré to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN CONSULATE-GENERAL, (Mr. Gummeré reports no terms have yet been received from Raisuli, who has carried the captives to the mountains, where it is impossible to pursue him. The aid of the Moorish authorities is given in every way. The presence of a ship of war will be of great assistance.) |