Luis Carlos Rico to Given at Bogota on the 23d day of May, 1882. FRANCISCO J. ZALDÚA. José M. Uricoechea , Secretary for Foreign Affairs, December 24, 1880

Decree No. 310 of 1882 (23d May), whereby the convention between the United States of Colombia and the Republic of Salvador for the preservation of peace and the sending of representatives to an international congress is promulgated as a law of the Republic.

The President of the United States of Colombia, in virtue of the exchange of ratifications in Paris, January the 7th, 1882, proclaims the following to be a law of the Republic:

It being of great importance to give a solid basis to the cordial relations of friendship which have always existed between the Republic of the United States of Colombia and that of Salvador, and likewise to affirm the sentiments of international fraternity which serve to perpetuate the peace and prosperity of the Americas, Luis Carlos Rico, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of Colombia in France; and José Mara Torreo Caicedo, minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of Salvador in France; have, in the name of the Governments they respectively represent, agreed upon the following articles:

Article I.

The United States of Colombia and the Republic of Salvador bind themselves perpetually to submit to arbitration, when no solution is reached by diplomatic means, all controversies and disputes of whatever kind that may (despite the efforts of the two Governments to avoid them) arise between them.

Article II.

The designation of the arbitrator, when occasion arises for his appointment, shall be made in a special convention, in which also shall be clearly defined the question in dispute, and also the proceedings to be observed in the court of arbitration. If there should be no agreement for the celebration of this convention, or should it be expressly agreed to omit this formality, the arbitrator shall be the President of the United States of America.

Article III.

The Republic of the United States of Colombia and that of Salvador agree that they will endeavor, at the first opportunity, to celebrate with the other American nations conventions analogous to the present, to the end that the solution of every difficulty between them by arbitration may be definitely agreed upon, and that, in September of the coming year, representatives may be sent by them to an international congress at Panama, for the purpose of adopting some principles as a basis of American public law; it being understood that the Governments of the United States of Colombia and of Salvador will be represented in said congress.

Article IV.

This convention shall be ratified by the high contracting parties in due form, and the ratifications exchanged at Bogota, San Salvador or Paris within the shortest time possible.