No. 417.
Mr. Porter
to Mr. Curry.
Department
of State,
Washington, October 28,
1886.
No. 133.]
Sir: I inclose, with reference to the telegram sent
you yesterday, copies of the proclamation of the President dated the 27th
instant, suspending the discriminating customs duties on the products of and
articles proceeding under the Spanish flag from Cuba and Porto Rico or any
other foreign country. Attached to the copies inclosed you will find a
memorandum of agreement on the subject, signed on the part of both
Governments October 27, 1886.
I am, &c.,
JAS. D. PORTER,
Acting
Secretary.
[Page 826]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 133.]
by the president of the united states of
america.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me by the Government of
Spain that no discriminating duties of tonnage or imposts are imposed or
levied in the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico upon vessels wholly
belonging to citizens of the United States, or upon the produce,
manufactures, or merchandise imported in the same from the United States
or from any foreign country;
And whereas notification of such abolition of discriminating duties of
tonnage and imposts as aforesaid has been given to me by a memorandum of
agreement signed this day in the city of Washington between the
Secretary of State of the United States and the Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary of Her Majesty the Queen Regent of Spain
accredited to the Government of the United States of America:
Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 4228 of the
Revised Statutes of the United States, do hereby declare and proclaim
that from and after the date of this my proclamation, being also the
date of the notification received as aforesaid, the foreign
discriminating duties of tonnage and impost within the United States are
suspended and discontinued so far as respects the vessels of Spain and
the produce, manufactures, or merchandise imported in said vessels into
the United States from the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, or from any
other foreign country; such suspension to continue as long as the
reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United
States and their cargoes shall be continued in the said islands of Cuba
and Porto Rico, and no longer.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the
United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of
Washington
this 27th day of
October, in the year of Our Lord 1886, and of the Independence
of the United States the 111th.
[
seal.]
GROVER
CLEVELAND.
By the President:
T. F. Bayard,
Secretary of State.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 133.]
Memorandum of agreement between the Government of the
United States of America and the Government of Spain for the reciprocal
and complete suspension of all discriminating duties of tonnage or
imposts in the United States and in the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico
upon vessels of the respective countries and their cargoes.
First. It is positively understood that from this date an absolute
equalization of tonnage and impost duties will at once be applied to the
products of and articles proceeding from the United States or from any
foreign country in vessels owned by citizens of the United States to the
islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, and that no higher or other impost or
tonnage duties will be levied upon such vessels and the merchandise
carried in them as aforesaid than are imposed upon Spanish vessels and
their cargoes under the same circumstances.
Under the above conditions the President of the United States will at
once issue his proclamation declaring that the foreign discriminating
duties of tonnage and imposts within the United States are suspended and
discontinued so far as respects Spanish vessels and the produce,
manufactures, or merchandise imported in them into the United States
from Spain or her possessions aforesaid, or from any foreign
country.
This memorandum of agreement is offered by the Government of Spain and
accepted by the Government of the United States as a full and
satisfactory notification of the facts above recited.
Secondly, The United States minister at Madrid will he authorized to
negotiate with the minister for foreign affairs, either by an agreement
or treaty, so as to place the commercial relations between the United
States and Spain on a permanent footing, advantageous to both
countries.
In witness whereof the undersigned, in behalf of the Governments of the
United States and of Spain, respectively, have hereunto set their hands
and seals.
Done at Washington
this 27th day of
October, A. D. 1886.
T. F. BAYARD
. [
l.
s.]
E. DE MURUAGA
. [
l. s.]
