ing states shall have been effected and the said additional
  articles shall have acquired full force and effect as an
  international treaty.

  I find, upon examination of the published correspondence which took
  place in 1870 at the time of the war between France and North
  Germany (British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 60, pp. 945-946),
  that upon the initiative of the Prussian minister at Berne, followed
  by the proposal made by the government of the Swiss confederation to
  the French and North German governments, the then belligerents
  severally notified to the government of Switzerland their
  willingness to accept provisionally and at once to establish as a
  _modus vivendi_ applicable to the war then in progress, both by sea
  and land, all the additional articles to the convention of Geneva of
  October 20, 1868, together with the subsequent interpretations of
  the ninth and tenth articles thereof agreed upon and proposed by
  England and France. I understand from your note that, although those
  articles have not as yet become a matter of international
  convention, it is desired that the United States and Spain accede to
  the same, together with the same amendments and construction as
  above stated. I entertain no doubt that the United States will
  readily lend its support and approval to the general purpose of
  those articles and be in favor of adopting them as a _modus
  vivendi_; it has ever been in favor of proper regulations for the
  mitigation of the hardships of war. But before it can accede to them
  as a matter of fact, in the present instance, it must first fully
  understand the nature and text of the amendments and construction
  placed upon the articles by France and England as stated by you.

  I would respectfully suggest, therefore, that there be furnished to
  this government either the text or a clear exposition of the
  articles, with the amendments and constructions referred to, in
  order that the understanding may be complete. A certain pamphlet,
  written by Lieuten