The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-03-21
The Silver Conference.
SECRETARY EvARTs's LETTER TO THE
UNITED STATES MINISTER'S ABROAD,

! SECRETARY EvARTS'S LETTER TO THE
UNITED STATES MINISTER'S ABROAD.
WASHINGTON, d. c., March u, 1873. SIR:
L enclose herewith a copy of an act of Con-
gress authorizing the coinage of he'silver
dollar and restoring its legal tender. You
are requested to bring this enactment to the
notice of the Government to Which you are
accredited, and, in accordance with the pro-
visions contained in the second section
thereof, TO invite said Government, in the
! name OF the Government of the United
States, "tO join the United States in a con-
ference to adopt a common ratio between
gold and silver for the purpose OF establish
ing internationally the use of bmetaliC
money, and securing fixity of relative value
between those metals; such conference to
be held at such place in Europe or in the
United States, at such time within six
months, as may be mutually agreed upon by
the Executives of the Governments joining
in the same, whenever the Governments so
invited, or any three of them, shall have sig
nified their Willingness to unite in the
same" As the President, in his annual
message to Congress, distinctly expressed
his opinion in favor of maintaining silver as
one OF the two precious metal Is which fur
nish the coinage of the world, and keeping
up to as full measure as possible the vol
ume of the two precious metals as our in
trinsic money, and as the act of Congress, to
which your attention is now called, was
passed by very great majorities of both
Houses, the policy of this country in sup
port of bimetallic money may be considered
as decided. The position of the country
commercially from its relation to the west
ern and eastern nations Of the other hemis-
phere, gives TO it paramount interest in
proper adjustment of the two precious met
ais in their common service of furnishing
the intrinsic and universal money of foreign
trade. And, besides, as producer of silver,
this country has Il just disposition to
promote one of the important uses Of that
precious metal as constituent part Of the
money of the world. You will, therefore,
promptly attract the attention of the Gov
eminent to which you are accredited to the
great interest which this Government feels
in the measure now proposed for conform
ing the coinage and proportions of the two
precious metals in the systems of the coun-
tries invited TO participate therein to the
common advantage of the commerce of the
world. Fwtta
You will observe that an early adhesion of
at least three of the European nations to this
project of a conference is of the first inn
pOrtance. This being secured, it will be in
the power Of the President to appoint the
Commissioners provided for in such case by
the act of Congress. You will communicate
to me the wishes or preferences of the Gov
eminent addressed on this subject through
you, as to the time and place of the pro-
posed conference, that a concurrence on
these points may not be unnecessarily de-
layed, and, il. necessary, you may use the
telegraph for that purpose | am, sir, your
obedient servant, WIN. NJ. EvARTs.