The Secretary of State to the Italian Chargé.
Washington, May 20, 1910.
Sir: Referring to your note, No. 547, of March 21 last, a formal reply to which will be made in due course, and to your various conferences with the counsellor for the department regarding the Maiorano case, and to the provisions of article 3 of the treaty of 1871 between the United States and Italy, I have the honor to say that the questions raised by your note are of much interest to the Government of the United States, and the Department of State is therefore considering the matter with care in order that the final attitude adopted by this Government shall be taken with due regard as well to all of the attending facts and circumstances as to the ultimate effect and results which may flow from its action. The department will have pleasure in communicating to you its determination in this matter as soon as the same shall have been reached.
Meanwhile I desire to renew to you the assurances given by the counsellor for the department in the course of his conferences with you, that in reaching a conclusion upon the matters raised by your note the department will act under a full sense of the importance of the questions involved and with a disposition to grant to Italian citizens, resident or nonresident, not only such rights and privileges as are due to them under the obligations imposed by treaty and by the rules of international law, but in addition such other rights and privileges as will be consonant with the best interests and welfare of this Government.
Accept, sir,