No. 155.
Mr. Noyes to Mr. Evarts.

No. 211.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your instruction, No. 135, of the 5th instant, inclosing a sealed letter addressed by the President of the United States to the president of the French republic, in answer to one received from him under date of the 2d of February last, announcing his elevation in the above-mentioned character; an office copy of the same was also inclosed.

On the same day on which I received it, the 25th instant, I delivered the office copy to the minister of foreign affairs, with a request that he would indicate in what manner the original should be communicated to President Grévy.

On yesterday I received from the foreign office a note informing me that the president of the republic would receive me to-day, Friday, at two o’clock, at the palace of the Elysée, in private audience, for the delivery of the letter of the President of the United States.

Accordingly, at two o’clock to-day, I repaired to the palace where I was cordially received by the president. In delivering the letter of the President of the United States I said it gave me pleasure to be the instrument of communicating the congratulations of our President and to assure President Grévy that the friendly sentiments towards the French republic, and the good wishes for himself therein expressed were those entertained by all our people.

President Grévy thanked me for the expression of good will towards himself, and said he was deeply sensible of the kindly expressions of the President of the United States; he said, “the friendly feeling of the two governments and of the two peoples is ancient, but it has never been warmer or more justly founded than to-day, when they are both republics and have so many sympathies and interests in common; nothing that I can do to cement and continue these relations will be omitted”

I have &c.,

EDWAED F. NOYES.