No. 354.
Mr. Bayard to Sir L. S. Sackville
West.
Washington, November 12, 1887.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 8th instant respecting the conference on the sugar question.
You state that the conference will meet, on the 24th instant, and inform me that your Government will be pleased to have delegates in behalf of the United States join the conference during its session.
I have the honor to say in reply that as no delegates can be sent without the authority of Congress, and as Congress does not meet until December 5, it is not probable that, even if legislative action were contemplated, any representative of the United States could be effectively present during the sittings of the conference which commence eleven days before the meeting of Congress.
I have, etc.