Mr. Price to Mr. Blaine.
New York, January 13, 1892. (Received January 20.)
Mr. Secretary of State:
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 7th instant whereby you again call my attention to the act of Congress approved October 1, 1890, in which provision is made for the admission of the following articles: All sugars not above No. 16, Dutch standard in color, molasses, coffee, tea, and hides on certain conditions which are stated in your note.
You inform me at the same time that, in view of the free introduction into the United States of the articles named, the product of Haiti, his excellency, the President of the United States, deems the duties imposed upon the agricultural and other products of the United States on their introduction into Haiti to be reciprocally unequal and unreasonable; and that, unless on or before the 15th day of March next, some satisfactory commercial arrangement is entered upon between the Government of Haiti and the Government of the United States, or unless some action is taken by my Government whereby the state of the trade relations between the two countries (which is considered by his excellency, the President of the United States, as being unequal and unreasonable) is remedied, his excellency, in pursuance of the act of Congress of October 1, 1890, will issue a proclamation on the aforesaid 15th of March next, suspending the free admission of the aforementioned articles, the production of Haiti, and that during such suspension the said articles shall be subject to the import duties set forth in section 3 of said act.
I have hastened to transmit this important communication to my Government, and I have not failed to apprise it of the desire which you have the kindness to express, in the name of the United States Government, viz, that such trade relations may be maintained by the United States with the Republic of Haiti as shall be reciprocally equal and mutually advantageous.
Be pleased to accept, etc.,