Mr. Beaupré to Mr. Hay.
Bogotá, October 27, 1903. (Received 10.15 p.m., 29.)
October 27, 7 p.m. Report of the committee was discussed to-day in the Senate. Only four Senators spoke. Caro opposed the proposed law authorization as unconstitutional, on the ground that any future action which the Government might take and was free to take was subject to approval of future Congress, and that this Congress has no right to bind the action of the next one. He strongly denounced the treaty itself and the selfish motives of the United States in desiring such a treaty. Senator Groot, one of the authors of the report, spoke in the same tone. Senator Ospina defended the proposed law of authorization. Finally Senator Arango, after pointing out the futility of the proposed law, which was only the treaty with modifications which the Government of the United States has declared unacceptable, [Page 218] proposed that the discussion of the whole matter be postponed indefinitely, as there was no time for the Senate to discuss it. The Senators appeared to agree to the proposal, but the presiding officer closed the debate without vote having been taken. Action may be taken to-morrow or, as is also probable, the matter may be allowed to drop entirely. Congress will adjourn on the 31st instant.