The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-04-28
YOU have official cognizance of it.

you nave Onlc1al cOSnlZaQce OIL II.
"In the second place this govern
ment attempted to secure from the
German and British governments mu-
tual concessions with regard to the
measures those governments respec-
lively adopted for the interruption of
trade on the high seas. This it did,
not of right, but merely as exercising
the privileges Of sincere friend Of
both parties and as indicating its i'm
partial good will. The attempt was
unsuccessful; but regret that your
Excellency did not deem it worthy Of
mention in modification Of the i'm
pressions you expressed. We had
hoped that this act on our part had
shown our spirit in these times Of dis
tressing war as our diplomatic CORE
spondence had shown our steadfast
refusal to acknowledge the right Of
any belligerent to alter the accepted
rules of war at sea insofar as they
affect the rights and interests of neu-
trails.
"In the third place, ! note with
sincere regret that; in discussing the
sale and expectations of arms by citi-
zeps of the United States to the enc
mics of Germany, your Excellency
seems to be under the impression
that it was within the choice ofst5s
government Of the United States, not
withstanding it's professed neutrality
and its diligent efforts to maintain 1T
in other particulars, to tnhibit this
trade, and that it's failure. to do so
manifested an unfair attitude to-
wards Germany. This government
holds, as I believe your Excellency is
aware and as it is constrained to hold
in view Of the present indisputab3e
doctrines of accepted international
law that any change in its own laws
Of neutrality during the progress OF
war which would affect unequally the
relations of the United States with
the nations at war would be an un-
justifable departure from the princi-
pie of strict neutrality by which, 1t
has consistently sought to direct its
actions, and 1 respectfully submit
that none of the circumstances urged
in your Excellency's memorandum
alters the principle involved. The
placing of an embargo on the trade
in arms at the present time WoEad
constitute sucn a change and be: a.
direct violation of the neutrality 4of
the United States. It will, fell az s
sured, be clear to your Excellency
that, holding this view and consider
ing itself in honor bound by it, it ssI
out of the question for this goVern11
ment to consider such a course.
81 hope that your Excellency viii
realize the spirit in which am draft
ing this reply. The friendship. be-
tween the people Of the United States
and the people Of Germany is! so
warm and of such long standing, the
ties which bind them to one another
in amity are so many and so strong,
that this government feels under
special compulsion to speak with per-
feet frankness when any occasion
arises which seems likely to create
any misunderstanding however slight
or temporary, between those whoSrep-
resent the governments of the; two
countries. 1t will be a matter Of
qualification to me If ! have removed
from your Excellency's mind anYmis-.
apprehension you may have been un-
der regarding either the policy OF the
spirit and purposes Of the govern
ment of the United States. Its1neu-1
trality is founded upon the firm basis
of confidence and good will.
accept, Excellency, the renewed
assurances Of my highest consiSsraE
ton.
(Signed) "W. J. Bryan
At the German embassy no COM
ment was made on the note further
than a statement that it had been
transmitted to the foreign Office at
Berlin, and that as it was a reply
from the American government to a
from the German gov
ernment the embassy was without
authority to say anything until in
structed to do so.