Kasson to Count Andrássy, July 23, 1878

Mr. Kasson to Count Andrássy.

The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, referring to the communication from the ministry for foreign affairs, accepting the invitation to the international conference proposed by the Government of the United States, to be held at Paris on the 10th of August next, has taken note of the expectation expressed therein, that the Government of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty will be furnished by the undersigned with a detailed specification of the programme of the conference.

In the absence of advices from his government respecting this programme, the undersigned only feels at liberty to assume that the delegates of the United States, who are the Hon. Reuben E. Fenton, the Hon. William S. Groesbeck, and Prof. Francis A. Walker, will bring with them to Paris the further propositions of their government, and that the detailed programme can only be arranged by the delegates of the several governments in consultation after their arrival in Paris. The law, of which the undersigned had the honor to transmit a copy to the ministry for foreign affairs at the time of communicating the invitation—at the same time calling the attention of his excellency Count Andrássy to the particular paragraph of that law proposing this international conference—this section of the law indicates in general terms the objects of the conference and the central points for discussion. Beyond this the undersigned is without instructions, and believes that, owing to the distance from Washington and the brief time intervening before the date of assemblage, the further instructions will be in the hands only of the delegates of the United States at Paris.

The conference being held in Europe, instead of at Washington, has doubtless disposed the government of the undersigned to leave the question of a detailed programme more freely to the deliberation, or perhaps to the initiative, of the conference assembled.

The undersigned will be glad to be advised of the names of the Austrian and Hungarian delegates, that he may transmit them to his government as well as to the delegates of the United States who are expected at Paris about this time. And he avails himself of this occasion to renew to his excellency the assurance of his distinguished consideration.