Von Bülow to George Bancroft, May 29, 1874

Mr. von Bülow to Mr. Bancroft.

In pursuance of the note of the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, Mr. Bancroft, under date of the 28th ultimo, the undersigned hastened to take the necessary steps to cause an investigation to he made into the proceedings taken against Mendel Cohn, with regard to his call into military service in Prussia.

The undersigned has now the honor most respectfully to inform the minister that, from the preliminary result of the examination, so far as yet carried, the person in question was, it appears, horn at Tchwente, in the district of Flatow, and emigrated to America about eight years ago, but returned to Germany in January, 1872, married at Flatow, and settled there.

It thus seems that article 4 of the treaty of February 22, 1868, applies to the case, and that there can be no doubt of the competency of the Prussian authorities to summon the said Cohn to military service, without regarding his naturalization as an American citizen.

While the undersigned reserves a definite reply in the matter, until the receipt of the full report of the provincial authorities, he was unwilling to omit to bring these facts at once to the knowledge of Mr. Bancroft, and avail himself at the same time of this occasion to renew the assurance of his most distinguished consideration.