No. 493.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Berne, April 6, 1878.
(Received April 22.)
No. 62.]
Sir: Your instruction No. 24, of the 14th ultimo,
reached me only this afternoon, and in compliance therewith I at once
addressed a note to this government, conveying the invitation of the United
States for the participation of the Government of the Swiss Confederation in
a conference to adopt a common ratio between gold and silver, and for other
purposes, mentioned in the act of Congress of February 28 last, a copy of
which is inclosed herewith.
Mr. Hammer, the Vice-President of the Confederation, takes much interest
[Page 835]
in this question, and not long ago
told me in a private conversation that he thought that France would withdraw
from the Latin Union, and he expressed the hope that we would join it. He
has a copy of your instruction No. 24, cut from a New York paper, but as he
reads English with difficulty he was unable to express his views fully
thereon.
I shall be unable to find the President either this afternoon or to-morrow,
but shall try to see him on Monday, and if I can gather his views in regard
to the invitation, I will report them without delay.
I apprehend that the principal obstacles to securing the adhesion of the
three governments, contemplated by the statute, will arise from the very
warlike aspect of affairs in Europe; and also from the six-month limit fixed
by the law, which I suppose is to be counted from the date of its
enactments, and of which more than five weeks are already gone. I doubt
whether we can obtain an answer from Switzerland until the summer session of
the Federal Assembly.
Some four or five weeks ago I cut from a New York paper an abstract entitled
“A proposed international law,” of which I inclose a copy, and I
unofficially asked of Mr. Schenk whether it was true that Switzerland had
united with Germany, Austro-Hungary, Sweden, and Italy in a commission for
the consideration of an international law on bills of exchange. He said that
he personally was unaware of any such project, but that if I would leave the
paper with him he would tell me the result of his inquiries. A few days
afterward I received a confidential note from him to
the effect that the information, as stated in the newspaper, was correct:
“Overtures in that sense were made verbally last year by the German legation
to the President; and that he replied verbally also that Switzerland would
probably take part if a conference were to take place for the purpose of
discussing the matter.”
I communicate this as perhaps affording an occasion in the conference
proposed by our government to settle the question of bills of exchange also;
and that should you desire a combination of the two questions you may know
how far matters have gone here.
I have, & c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 62.]
Mr. Fish to Mr.
Schenk.
Legation of the United States,
Berne, April 6,
1878.
The undersigned, chargé d’affaires of the United States of America, has
the honor, under instructions from his government, to inform His
Excellency, Mr. Schenk, President of the Swiss Confederation, and,
through His Excellency, the High Federal Council, that the undersigned
is authorized, in the name of the Government of the United States, on
behalf of the President, to invite the Government of the Swiss
Confederation 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 bimetallic money and securing fixity of
relative value between those metals; such conference to be held at such
place in Europe or in the United States, at such time within six months,
as may be mutually agreed upon by the executive 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.
He is likewise instructed to bring to the notice of the Government of the
Swiss Confederation a recent enactment of Congress, entitled “An act to
authorize the coinage of the standard silver dollar, and to restore its
legal-tender character,” a copy of which he has the honor to inclose
herewith.
The position of the United States commercially, from its relation to the
Eastern and Western nations of this hemisphere, gives it a paramount
interest in a proper adjustment of the two precious metals in their
common service of furnishing the intrinsic and universal money of
foreign trade.
[Page 836]
The Government of the United States is greatly interested in the measure
now proposed for conforming the coinage and proportions of the two
precious metals in the systems of the countries invited to participate
therein, to the common advantage of the world.
In extending this invitation, in the name of his government, the
undersigned expresses its hope that the Government of the Swiss
Confederation will be pleased to accept the same, and that its adhesion
to the proposed conference may be signified at as early a day as the
importance of the question will permit.
The undersigned has the honor to renew, & c.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 62.]
Proposed international law.
[From a New York paper.]
The following letter from H. D. Jencken, secretary of the Association for
the Reference and Codification of the Law of Nations, was received by
David Dudley Field, and sent by A. P. Sprague, secretary of the American
International Code Committee, to the Secretary of State:
“The Association for the Reform
and
“Codification of the Law
of Nations,
“33 Chancery
Lane.
My Dear Sir: We have received
information direct from Berlin that Prince Bismarck had,
principally from a suggestion emanating from our association,
resolved to invite the governments of different states to join
in a commission for the consideration of an international law on
bills of exchange. Austro-Hungary, Sweden, Italy, and the
Government of Switzerland, I am pleased to inform you, have
consented. Count Munster, the German ambassador, has been
instructed to invite Lord Derby (foreign office) to take
part.
“A strong feeling exists that America also should join. Would
you, therefore, at once take steps to ascertain the views of
your government and let me have the information as soon as
possible, so that I may communicate with Berlin? You will no
doubt agree with me that what is happening is highly
satisfactory to us and must be so to you.
“I remain, & c.,
“H. D. JENCKEN,
“Honorable
General Secretary.
“Hon. D. D. Field, New York.”
Mr. Evarts writes in reply that the State Department takes much interest
in the subject, and is ready to receive and act upon an invitation if
extended.
