140 



LEGISLATIVE POWER. 



The legislative power is vested in a Congress composed of two houses — - 

 one of representatives ; the other of .senators — all elected by the people 

 for the term of four years. There is one senator for the department of 

 Litoral ; three for each of the larger departments ; one for the Beni, 

 and two for Tarija — twenty-two senators at present. No man can be 

 elected a senator who has less than a thousand dollars a year income, 

 or who has suffered imprisonment by law. The value placed upon a 

 representative is fifteen hundred dollars income. 



By the last constitution, Congress is directed to meet at the capital 

 every two years, on the 6 th of August, and to remain in session seventy 

 days. 



The President has the power to change the place of meeting at regular 

 or extra sessions to any part of the country, when in his opinion there is 

 danger from internal or external wars. 



One representative is elected by thirty thousand Creoles, and one for 

 the fraction of twenty thousand, counted by departments, whose gov- 

 ernors or prefects are appointed by the President. 



A President is elected for the term of five years, and cannot be re- 

 elected until another term of five years has expired. We believe there 

 never has bte i an election of President by the people. The last Presi- 

 dent came into office by overthrowing the government. 



The power of the government of Bolivia rests upon its armed force. 

 The voting population is thinly scattered over an extensive country, and 

 the army is large. Intelligent people of this country much dislike the 

 mother country — Spain. They blame her rulers for the manner in 

 which the Creole portion of South America were treated while she held 

 the country. To keep them ignorant and get their silver was the sole 

 policy of that government. 



I was surprised to be invited to the house of a family in great distress. 

 The husband and father was thought to be dying. Without understand- 

 ing why I was asked, I went. The house was situated on the corner of 

 a street opposite to a church. It was crowded with ladies and gentle- 

 men. The patio was filled with frame-work, made of reed, some ten 

 feet high, to which fire-works were fastened. The . street in front was 

 crowded, and the centre of it carpeted the length of the house. The 

 ladies on the balconies, as far as we could see along the street, were 

 dressed in white, and had gathered quantities of flowers in baskets. 

 The gentlemen were dressed in deep black, as if going to church. We 

 were introduced to the lady of the house, who seemed to be greatly 

 distressed, but was engaged paying attention to the people like at a ball, 

 lier daughters were dressed with- flowers, and with so much care as to 



