Mr. Randall to Mr. Seward
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimo, transmitting copy of a communication of the 25th ultimo from Sir Frederick Bruce, giving notice as provided by article 22 of the postal convention between the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, signed at London on the 15th of December, 1848, of the purpose of her Majesty’s government to terminate said convention on the 1st of January, 1868, simultaneously with the termination of the Cunard mail subsidy contracts.
I have the honor to request that you will please inform his excellency, the British minister that this department has received, with satisfaction, this notice for terminating the existing convention, accompanied by an expression of the readiness of her Majesty’s government to enter into negotiations for a new and improved postal arrangement to be carried on directly between the post departments of the two countries, and that I am prepared to receive and consider such proposals as the British post department may desire to offer as a basis of a new arrangement, securing to the public of both countries the advantage of reduced rates of postage and increased mail facilities.
I am very respectfully your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.