Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1881

No. 258.
Mr. Blaine to Mr. Morton.

Department of State,
Washington, November 2, 1881.

No. 48.]

Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 54 of the 13th ultimo, in which you give an interesting report of your interview with Mr. St. Hilaire, minister of foreign affairs of France, with reference to the decree prohibiting the importation of American pork into the French Republic.

Your course with reference to this matter meets with my hearty approval, and I hope you will avail yourself of every favorable opportunity to press the subject upon the consideration of the French Government, especially as the very distinct promise of Mr. St. Hilaire to move his colleague Mr. Tirard to repeal the objectionable decree affords ground for the hope that a change for the better is taking place in the views of the French authorities in regard to the question.

I am, &c.,

JAMES G. BLAINE.