JOHN SHERMAN.



DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON,

_Office of Special Commissioner Plenipotentiary_.

The PRESIDENT:

In response to the following resolution of the Senate, passed under date
of February 14, 1898, and which was referred to the undersigned for
report, viz--

"Second. That the President inform the Senate whether any agent of
a government in Cuba has been accredited to this Government or the
President of the United States with authority to negotiate a treaty
of reciprocity with the United States, or any other diplomatic or
commercial agreement with the United States, and whether such person has
been recognized and received as the representative of such government
in Cuba"--

I have the honor to submit the following report:

In October, 1897, the minister of Spain at this capital verbally advised
the undersigned that so soon as the new government in Spain had leisure
to take up the question he would probably be authorized to enter into
negotiations with the undersigned for reciprocal trade arrangements with
Spain, and that a representative of Cuba would probably be associated
for the interests of that island.