Mr. Blaine to Senhor Mendonça .

Sir: I have great pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of your note of this date, in which you inform me that the Government of the United States of Brazil, in due reciprocity for, and in consideration of, the free admission into the ports of the United States of the products of Brazil enumerated in my note of November 3, 1890, has by legal enactment authorized the free or privileged admission, on and after the 1st of April, 1891, of the articles, the product or manufacture of the United States of America, named in your note; that your Government has further provided that no increase shall be made in the export tax on the articles admitted free into the United States, and that all future reduction in the export tax shall immediately apply to such articles when sent to the United States, and that the laws and regulations adopted by Brazil to prevent fraud shall not impose any additional charges or fees therefor on the articles named in your note imported from the United States.

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I am directed by the President to state to you that he accepts this action of the Government of Brazil, in granting exemption of duties to the products of the United States, as a due reciprocity for the action of the Congress of the United States, as set forth in my note to you of November 3, 1890, it being noted that the date fixed by Congress for the free admission of sugars is the 1st day of April, 1891.

I shall be pleased to meet you at the Department of State at your early convenience to agree upon the time and manner of making public announcement of this commercial arrangement, which it is understood shall remain in force so long as neither Government shall definitely, at least three months in advance, inform the other of its intention and decision to consider it at an end at the expiration of the time indicated; provided, however, that the termination of the commercial arrangement shall begin to take effect either on the 1st day of January or the 1st day of July.

Congratulating you, Mr. Minister, on the valuable service which you have rendered in bringing about this, important and satisfactory result, I renew to you the assurance of my highest consideration.

James G. Blaine.