Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1878

No. 37.
Mr. Kasson to Mr. Evarts.

Legation of the United States,
Vienna, July 13, 1878. [Received July 30.]

97.]

Sir: I inclose herewith a copy of the original text, with a translation, of the formal notification by the imperial government of the acceptance by Austria and Hungary of the invitation extended to them on the part of the United States to participate in the international conference on the relations of gold and silver as money; an invitation communicated to this government by me on the 8th of April last. This reply was to-day delivered to this legation.

There appears no objection to Paris as the place, or the 10th of August as the time, for the meeting of the conference.

I have, &c.,

JOHN A. KASSON.

[Inclosure to dispatch No. 97.—Translation.]

Count Orezy to Mr. Kasson.

In his esteemed note of the 8th April last, the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, Mr. John A. Kasson, was pleased to communicate to the ministry for foreign affairs the law passed by the Congress of the United States of America relative to the coinage and circulation of silver money, and in the name of his government to address to us an invitation to a conference upon an international introduction of a double currency.

The envoy was similarly pleased, in his subsequent notes of the 2d and 4th instant, to propose Paris as the place, and the 10th of August next as the time, for the assembly of the conference in question.

Upon this conference the ministry for foreign affairs has not omitted to place itself in communication with the imperial and royal Austrian and the royal Hungarian ministers of finance, and it affords pleasure to the undersigned this day, in accordance with his previous oral declarations, to formally advise the envoy that the government of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty accept with thanks the invitation received; and although it is not unaware of the difficulties of an accord upon the subject, still it is willingly disposed to enter upon a discussion of the proposed question.

It is not less agreed as to the time and place of the proposed conference, and will adopt such arrangements in order that its delegates, whose appointment will soon take place, may be in Paris on the designated day.

In regard to the actual meeting of the conference, and not less in regard to the programme of the conference, the government of His Imperial and Royal Majesty believes that it is entitled to expect a detailed specification from the American envoy.

The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to the envoy the assurance of his distinguished consideration.

Vienna, 12th July, 1878.

For the minister for foreign affairs.

OREZY.