File No. 763.72112/2744
The Swedish Minister ( Ekengren ) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received July 25.]
My Dear Mr. Polk : From the newspapers I have seen that the British Government has, on the strength of the so-called “Trading with the Enemy Act,” forbidden any commercial intercourse from the part of British subjects with certain firms in this country, enumerated in a special list which some days ago was published by the said Government. It has also in certain newspapers been stated, or at least intimated, that the Government of the United States were going to protest against the measure thus taken by England as involving an unlawful restraint on the free commerce of this country.
As the blacklisting of a comparatively; large number of American business houses in the manner done by the English may cause considerable inconvenience also to such of my own countrymen who may maintain business connections with one or more of those houses, and as this case also for other reasons seems to be of interest to my own country, I have thought myself justified in this informal way to address myself to you for, if possible, obtaining some first-hand information as to the present situation with regard to this matter [Page 419] and, maybe also some indication concerning the course your Government may take. Had I been in Washington these days I should have taken the liberty to call on you in person. As I am way out in the country and a trip down to the Capital this season does not appeal to me too strongly, I venture to address myself to you in this informal manner in the hope that you will not consider it all too inappropriate and that you kindly will excuse the encroachment I thus may make upon your valuable time. It is hardly necessary for me to add that any information you should deem proper to give as an answer to this letter would by me be regarded as strictly confidential.
With best regards [etc.]