File No. 711.612/62b.
[Untitled]
Referring to Department’s instruction December 15, 11 p.m. To forestall passage by the Senate Monday of the resolution abrogating the treaty, already passed by the House, it will be necessary that I hear from you absolutely not later than Sunday afternoon that you have presented the note according to that instruction, and that the situation is such that it will be agreeable to the Russian Government for me to make public announcement in the following general sense:
It having been mutually agreed between the two Governments that the treaty of 1832 was imperfect in various respects and had given rise to occasional misunderstandings, the question of negotiating a new treaty has for the last three years been under consideration. As a result of recent pourparlers the Government of the United States has given the formal diplomatic notice of termination in accordance with the terms of the treaty, upon an understanding between the two Governments that between now and January 1, 1913, every effort will be made to negotiate a more modern treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation which shall be more responsive to the interests of the two Governments and adequate to the needs of their important relations.