No. 125.
Mr. Hitt
to Mr. Evarts.
Paris, July 19, 1878. (Received July 31.)
Sir: Upon receiving your instruction No. 61, of date June 17, 1878, in regard to the monetary conference, I communicated the information therein contained to the minister of foreign affairs in a letter of date July 3, 1878, and expressed the hope that the designation of time, August 10, and place, Paris, for the meeting of the proposed conference would receive the early concurrence of the French Government.
No formal reply has yet been received to that communication, but Mr. Jagerschmidt, the gentleman at the foreign office in charge of this subject, says that the answer has been prepared and will be sent to the legation to-day communicating the concurrence of the French Government. He also states that the delay has been caused by the absence of Mr. Leon Say, the minister of finances, who has been absent in Scotland, and whom it was necessary to consult.
I am also informed at the foreign office that Paris having been chosen as the place of meeting of the conference, the custom prevailing under such circumstances would indicate that the formal invitations to the various governments which have agreed to participate in the conference should be sent out by the French Government, which will at the same time charge itself with the preparation of suitable rooms in one of the public buildings for the sittings of the conference, with the assignment of a fitting number of attendants, and similar arrangements for the convenience of that body; that the action on the part of France in sending such invitations should be at the request of the Government of the United States, which originally proposed the conference; and it was therefore desirable that such a request should be sent from this legation.
Not knowing the exact scope of the invitations which have already been sent by you to the various governments alluded to, and deeming it well that every step in this matter should be taken with your knowledge, [Page 180] and as far as possible under your instructions, I telegraphed you the substance of the above on day before yesterday and inquired whether I should make the request of the French Government to send out formal invitations for the conference at Paris on the 10th of August. Up to this hour (four o’clock) no reply has been received.
I have, &c.,