Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1872, Part II, Volume II

No. 29.
Mr. Fish to General Schenck.

[Telegram.]

Washington, May 6, 1872.

Your telegram received during the night.

An agreement which is to bind the future action of this Government can be made only by treaty, and would require the assent of the Senate.

Should the Tribunal decide that a nation is not responsible in pecuniary damages for the consequential results of a failure to observe its neutral obligations, such decision could not fail to be regarded as settling the question between the two Governments in the future.

If the British Government desire to open negotiations to define by treaty the extent of liability for consequential damages resulting from a failure of observance of neutral obligations, the President will carefully consider any proposals in that direction.

FISH.