File 093.11141/21.
The Secretary of State to
Ambassador Page.
No. 196.]
Department of State,
Washington,
April 1, 1914.
Sir: Referring to your telegram of February 26
last,2 reporting
that, in reply to your unofficial inquiries in the matter, the Foreign
[Page 319]
Office had indicated that
the British Government would accept the replica of Houdon’s statue of
Washington offered by the State of Virginia, the Department encloses
copies of a letter and of its enclosure from the Governor of that State
in further relation to the matter.
You will formally communicate to the British Government the offer as set
forth in this letter.
I am [etc.]
For the Secretary of State:
John E. Osborne
.
[Inclosure.]
The Governor of
Virginia to the Secretary of
State.
Governor’s Office,
Richmond, Va.,,
March 26, 1914.
My Dear Sir: As you have already been
officially informed by the Clerk of the House of Delegates, the
General Assembly of Virginia enacted a joint resolution providing
that a replica or copy in bronze of the Houdon statue of General
George Washington should be presented by the Commonwealth of
Virginia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Replying to the tender, which was made by cable through your office
while the General Assembly was in session, the Clerk of the House of
Delegates was notified by the Honorable J. B. Moore, Counselor of
your Department, that he was in receipt of a cablegram from the
American Ambassador at London to the effect that the liveliest
satisfaction had been expressed by Sir Edward Grey at this
disposition on the part of Virginia, and that the Ambassador awaited
instructions through the Secretary of State to make the formal
offer, which he was sure would be appreciatively accepted at the
first meeting of the Cabinet.
By a further concurrent resolution, the General Assembly directed me,
as Governor of Virginia, to transmit to you that portion of the
resolution agreed to on February 20, 1914, which was cabled to the
American Ambassador at London, with the request that the Secretary
of State communicate the same to the Government of Great Britain and
ascertain its wishes in relation thereto.
I am, therefore, enclosing you herewith the resolution referred to,
with the request that you transmit same through the regular channels
to the Government of Great Britain and Ireland.
Yours very truly,
[Subinclosure.]
Joint Resolution of the General Assembly of
Virginia.
Whereas, unbroken peace and good will has existed between the United
States and Great Britain for more than a century, and the people of
Virginia entertain the warmest friendship for the people of their
mother country—
Now therefore, as a token of esteem and good will.
Be it resolved by the House of Delegates of
Virginia, the Senate concurring, That a replica of the
Houdon statue of George Washington be presented to the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
