Office of the Historian

Minister Swenson to the Secretary of State

No. 236
American Legation,
Copenhagen, December 27, 1901.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a clipping, together with a translation of the same, giving the text of a petition to the King, the Ministry, and the Rigsdag, praying that the question of [Page 505] alienating the Danish West Indies be submitted to a plebiscite in the islands. Copies of this petition, which appears in today’s papers, are to be left in every bookstore in Denmark for signature, until the 3rd of January.

The opponents of the sale, who are behind this move, are receiving encouragement and support from many of the advocates of the proposed cession in their demand for a vote. I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs Tuesday, the 24th instant, to inquire if he was ready to authorize signature of the treaty at Washington. He said that he was not; and that he had written Mr. Brun, instructing him to ascertain the attitude of the United States Government with respect to a plebiscite.

I again urged the importance of delaying the conclusion of the treaty no longer; pointing out the dangers involved. He regretted that the question of plebiscite should cause such embarrassment; but in view of the strong pressure that had been made upon him, he did not dare to refuse the demand for a vote without bringing the matter to the attention of the American Government. And this he did not think could be done satisfactorily by cable.

I have [etc.]

Laurits S. Swenson
[Inclosure—Translation]

[Untitled]

A Petition to the King, the Ministry, and the Rigsdag, praying that the question of selling the Danish West Indies be submitted to a vote in the islands.

The question of alienating our West India colonies has again become prominent. We do not know what the result of the negotiations with America will be. But irrespective of our individual views as to the desirability of retaining the islands or the opportune time for selling them, we the undersigned agree that no alienation of Danish territory should be permitted without giving the inhabitants of said territory an opportunity to express their wishes in respect to such action. This is especially desirable in the present case, in view of the sentiment in favor of remaining Danish that has recently manifested itself in the islands.

Therefore we the undersigned earnestly and confidently request the King, the Ministry, and the Rigsdag not to make any final decision regarding the sale of our West India colonies except on the basis of a free vote, in accordance with the principles of universal suffrage, by the inhabitants of the islands; necessary preparations for such election to be made as soon as the circumstances will permit.