I hope to see him personally to-day, and shall then read to him the text of
the act of Congress inclosed in your dispatch, and explain to him more fully
the necessity of an early reply.
[Inclosure in No. 8.]
Mr. Wilson to Count
Aspremont Lynden.
Legation of the United States,
Brussels, April 6,
1878.
Monsieur le Ministre: On the 28th of February
last the Congress of the United States passed an act authorizing the
coinage of silver dollars, and restoring this money to its legal tender
at its nominal value for all debts and dues, public and private, except
where otherwise stipulated by contract.
As this act was passed by very large majorities both in the Senate and
House of Representatives, and as the President of the United States, in
his annual message, expressed his opinion in favor of keeping up, as far
as possible, the volume of the two precious metals as the legal-tender
coinage of the country, the bi-metallic money policy of the United
States may be considered as decided.
In view of the possible inconvenience that might be experienced in our
commercial relations with foreign countries by the restoration of silver
to the rank of a legal tender for all debts, public and private, the
second section of the act above referred to provides for an
international conference, to obviate, as far as possible, this
contingency.
The desire of the people of the United States to see silver reinstated as
a legal tender was expressed, both in popular assemblies and in
instructions to their representatives in the national legislature, in a
manner and with a unanimity rarely witnessed before in the agitation of
any national subject. In obedience to the popular will thus expressed,
and in accordance with the convictions of a large majority in the
national
[Page 55]
legislature, the bill
was passed with a full appreciation of the inconvenience that might
result to international trade, but in the hope that the conference
therein provided for might so adjust the bi-metallic money standard as
to remove this apprehension.
In accordance, therefore, with the provisions of the second section of
this act of Congress for such conference, I am, Monsieur le Ministre,
requested to invite, in the name of the Government of the United States,
the Government of His Majesty the King of Belgium to join the United
States in a conference to adopt a common ratio between gold and silver,
for the purpose of establishing, internationally, the use of bi-metallic
money, and securing fixity of relative value between these metals; such
conference to be held at such place in Europe or the United States at
such time, within six months from the passage of this law, as may be
mutually agreed upon by the executives of the governments joining in the
same, whenever the governments so invited, or any three of them, shall
have signified their willingness to unite in the same.
As an early adhesion of at least three of the European nations invited to
join in this, project of a conference is of the first importance, in
order that the President of the United States may appoint the
commissioners provided for by law, I am requested to bring this subject
to the notice of the Belgian Government with the least possible delay,
in order that I may report to my government at as early a moment as
possible the wishes and preferences of this government as to the time
and place of the proposed conference, that a concurrence on these points
may not be too long delayed.
It is scarcely necessary, Monsieur le Ministre, to assure you that the
Government of the United States feels a lively interest in the measure
herein proposed for conforming the coinage and proportions of the two
precious metals to the common advantage of the World, nor need I assure
you that, in case His Majesty’s Government shall signify a willingness
to enter into this conference, the Government of the United States will
not fail to appreciate this as another manifestation of that spirit of
international confraternity for which Belgium is already so
distinguished.
I pray you, &c.,
Monsieur Le Compte d’Aspremont
Lynden,
Minister for Foreign
Affairs.
