equal interest between the American States, will leave no room for an artificial balance of power like unto that which has led to wars abroad and drenched Europe in blood.

We believe that friendship, avowed with candor and maintained with good faith, will remove from American States the necessity of guarding boundary lines between themselves with fortifications and military force.

We believe that standing armies, beyond those which are needful for public order and the safety of internal administration, should be unknown on both American continents.

We believe that friendship and not force, the spirit of just law and not the violence of the mob, should be the recognized rule of administration between American nations and in American nations.

To these subjects, and those which are cognate thereto, the attention of this Conference is earnestly and cordially invited by the Government of the United States. It will be a great gain when we shall acquire that common confidence on which all international friendship must rest. It will be a greater gain when we shall be able to draw the people of all American nations into close acquaintance with each other, an end to be facilitated by more frequent and more rapid intercommunication. It will be the greatest gain when the personal and commercial relations of the American States, south and north, shall be so developed and so regulated that each shall acquire the highest possible advantage from the enlightened and enlarged intercourse of all.

Before the Conference shall formally enter upon

the discussion of the subjects to be submitted to it I am instructed by the President to invite all the Delegates to be the guests of the Government during a proposed visit to various sections of the country, with the double view of showing to our friends from abroad the condition of the United States, and of giving to our people in their homes the privilege and pleasure of extending the warm welcome of Americans to Americans.

TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION.

A quorum of the Delegates being present, the Secretary of State declared the Conference duly assembled, and asked the pleasure of the body; when the following resolution was offered by Mr. Romero, and unanimously adopted, to wit:

Resolved, That this Conference names as President pro tempore the Hon. John B. Henderson, a Delegate to this Conference, representing the United States of America.

Thereupon the honorable Secretary of State retired, and Mr. John B. Henderson assumed the chair and declared the Conference ready for the transaction of business.

Whereupon, on the motion of Mr. Hurtado, Charles R. Flint, one of the Delegates from the United States, was unanimously elected Secretary pro tempore of the Conference.

PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.

Thereupon the following resolution was offered by Mr. Romero, and unanimously adopted, to wit:

Resolved, That the President pro tempore is hereby authorized and requested to appoint a Committee on

Organization, to consist of five members, whose duty it shall be to recommend to the Conference the name of some suitable person to be permanent President thereof.

And it is further resolved, That said Committee shall recommend to the Conference the manner in which presiding officers shall be selected in the absence of the President.

Under the provisions of the above resolution the President pro tempore appointed the following committee, to wit: Matias Romero, Lafayette Rodrigues Pereira, Alberto Nin, Horacio Guzman, José M. Hurtado, which committee made the following report, to wit:

Resolved, That the honorable James G. Blaine, Secretary of State of the United States of America, be elected President of the International American Conference.

And it is further resolved, That in the absence of the President, the chair will be occupied by one of the Delegates of each of the nations represented in the Conference by turn, selected by lot.

Which report was unanimously adopted by the Conference.

On the order of the Conference, the President pro tempore appointed the following-named committee to notify the Hon. James G. Blaine of his election as President of the Conference, to wit: José M. Hurtado, Cornelius N. Bliss, F. C. C. Zegarra, Juan F. Velarde, Manuel Aragón.

COMMITTEE ON RULES.

The following resolution was offered by Mr. Romero and unanimously adopted, to wit:

Resolved, That a committee of seven members be appointed by the President pro tempore, whose duty it shall

be to prepare and submit to the Conference, on its reassembling in Washington in November next, a set of parliamentary rules for the Government of the body in the transaction of business.

Under which resolution the President pro tempore appointed the following-named committee, to wit: José Alfonso, Manuel Quintana, J. G. do Amaral Valente, William Henry Trescot, José Maria Placido Caamaño, Matias Romero, Jacinto Castellanos.

COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES.

The following resolution was then offered by Mr. Zegarra, and unanimously adopted, to wit:

Resolved, That a committee of five members be appointed by the President pro tempore, whose duty it shall be to designate and report to the Conference, on its re-assembling in November next, such committees as in its judgment should be appointed to facilitate the business of the Conference, and the number of members which each committee shall have.

Under the provisions of said resolution the President pro tempore appointed the following-named Delegates to constitute said committee, to wit: Cornelius N. Bliss, Nicanor Bolet Peraza, Fernando Cruz, F. C. C. Zegarra, Alberto Nin.

EXCURSION THROUGH THE UNITED STATES.

Thereupon, Dr. Matias Romero offered the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted, to

wit:

Resolved, That the members of the International American Conference accept with pleasure the invitation of the President of the United States of America to be the guests of that Government in an excursion through the territory of the United States, and that they express their thanks for said invitation.

The committee appointed to notify Mr. Blaine of his election as President of the Conference then reported that they had discharged their duty, and that he would accept the office.

Whereupon; by order of the Conference, he was escorted to the chair by the committee, and assumed the duties of President of the International American Conference.

It was thereupon unanimously ordered that the Conference adjourn to meet in the city of Washington, on Monday, November 18, at 11 o'clock a. m., at 1801 I Street, northwest.

ELECTION OF VICE-PRESIDENTS.

SESSION OF DECEMBER 5, 1889.

The following resolution was reported from the Committee on Rules:

Resolved, That there shall be elected, by a secret vote, a first and second Vice-President, who, in the absence of the President, shall discharge their duty in their regular order. In the absence of both Vice-Presidents, the chair shall be filled by one of the Delegates in the order of location.

After brief discussion the above resolution was adopted.