No. 88.
Mr. Morton
to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Paris, June 27, 1882. (Received July 13.)
Sir: I regret to have to inform the Department that the pork bill, of which a copy was sent with my dispatch No. 146, of March 31, 1882, was defeated in the Senate a few days ago.
This result was quite unexpected. The bill had the unequivocal support of the government, and of the senate committee, to which it had been referred. The chairman of this committee, Senator Wurtz, the eminent chemist, and dean of-the Academy of Medicine, reported the bill in the strongest language possible, showing, by conclusive proofs and arguments, that the trichinæ, wherever it existed, could not resist the double process of salting and cooking, and that, with a proper inspection, the introduction into France of our fully cured pork could not be attended with any danger or inconvenience. Mr. Tirard, the minister of commerce, advocated the passage of the bill on the same ground. The opposition, which came mainly from the hog-raising departments, contended that if there were no danger in allowing the free introduction of American meats into France, the government could remove the decree of prohibition without any law, and succeeded in defeating the bill by a majority of four votes.
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I have, &c.,