Henry Trescot to Chester Holcombe, November 2, 1880

The commission to Mr. Holcombe.

Dear Sir: You will receive with this a memorandum containing the views of the commissioners as to the project of treaty submitted to our consideration by the Chinese commissioners. You will submit it to them in order that they may be prepared for a discussion of our points of difference at the next interview. In your conference with them we think it would be advisable without a formal expression of our opinion, which we reserve for an interview, to impress upon them your conviction that our project goes as far in the way of concession as we can go, and the stipulation of Article I is the least that we can accept in the fulfillment of our instructions.