Ulysses S. Grant to By the President: Hamilton Fish, December 19, 1871

No. 1. By the President of the United States of America.

a proclamation.

Whereas satisfactory information has been received by me through Don Mauricio Lopez Roberts, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Spain, that the government of that country has abolished discriminating duties heretofore imposed on merchandise imported from all other countries, excepting the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, into Spain and the adjacent islands, in vessels of the United States, said abolition to take effect from and after the 1st day of January next:

Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by an act of Congress of the 7th day of January, 1824, and by an act in addition thereto, of the 24th day of May, 1828, do hereby declare and proclaim that, on and after the said 1st day of January next, so long as merchandise imported from any other country, excepting the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, into the ports of Spain and the islands adjacent thereto in vessels belonging to the citizens of the United States, shall be exempt from discriminating duties, any such duties on merchandise imported into the United States in Spanish vessels, excepting from the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, shall be discontinued and abolished.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.