Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1880

No. 296.
Mr. Evarts to Mr. von Schlözer.

Department of State,
Washington, March 20, 1880.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 17th instant, stating that your government has received a communication from the imperial envoy at Peking reporting that the representatives of the treaty powers at that capital have adopted the resolution to discontinue the negotiation which has been conducted in writing with the Chinese Government in regard to the audience question and other matters of etiquette, and to confine themselves to the demand that hereafter free access to the provincial authorities shall be allowed to all consular representatives of the treaty powers.

You state, furthermore, that your government is prepared to express its approval of the resolution in question to its envoy at Peking, but desires to know, before doing so, whether the Government of the United States shares this view.

In reply to your inquiry, I have the honor to state that this government adheres to the view of the treaty powers that it is advisable to discontinue the discussion of points of etiquette, and to seek the more practical advantages to be obtained by insisting upon free access to the provincial authorities.

Accept, &c.,

WM. M. EVARTS.