Office of the Historian

Mr. Phelps to Mr. Blaine.

Legation of the United States,
Berlin, September 3, 1891. (Received September 21.)
No. 324.]

Sir: I have this day addressed to you the following telegram:

The decree repealing the decree excluding American pork has been signed. May I, through you, congratulate the President that under his auspices the long struggle to secure this right is successfully ended?

I do this upon the receipt of a telegram from Baron von Marschall, which tells me that the decree has been signed and will be published to-night in the Official Gazette.

With the kindness which has characterized the treatment extended to me by all connected with the foreign office, I was assured before leaving Berlin that I should receive immediate notice of the event. The delay following the agreement reached on the 22d of August in the correspondence between our acting secretary and Mr. von Mumm was due to the necessity, either one of constitutional necessity or of policy, of getting the consent of all the States of the Empire to the decree.

That seems to have been happily accomplished, and an important product of our country is now formally vindicated.

I inclose the text of the decree, from which you will see that the vindication is complete and without condition.

I need not give expression to the satisfaction I feel at the completion of a task to which for two years I have given so much time and attention.

I have, etc.,

Wm. Walter Phelps.
[Inclosure in No. 324.—Translation.]

Decree repealing decree excluding American pork.

We William, by the grace of God German Emperor, King of Prussia, etc., decree in the name of the Empire, the assent of the Bundesrath having been obtained, what follows:

  • Section 1. The decree respecting the prohibition of the importation of swine, swine’s flesh, and sausages of American origin of March 6, 1883 (Imperial Law Gazette, page 31), ceases to be of force for living swine, as well as for such products as are provided with an official certificate stating the flesh has in the land of origin been examined pursuant to the rules in force there, and has been found free from qualities injurious to health.
  • Sec. 2. The chancellor of the Empire is empowered to adopt appropriate measures for the control of the character of the swine flesh imported from America.
  • Sec. 3. This decree enters into force on the day of its publication. In testimony whereof our own proper signature and the imperial seal are hereto affixed.

Done at Castle Schwarzman, the 3d of September, 1891.

[l. s.]
  • William.
  • von Caprivi.