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your Excellency, inviting official representation on the part of your Government in the Congress proposed at that time to be held at Stockholm in August, 1877. Circumstances, over which the Commission had no control, afterwards occurred that made an adjournment of the Congress to a later date a necessity. It is only now that I learn, from the correspondence hereto annexed, the definite action of the Government of Sweden and Norway, and I hasten to communicate it to your Excellency, although, doubtless, you will already have been informed of the same by a communication from that Government itself. The two following letters explain themselves : — 1. Letter to the undersigned from Count Lewenhaupt, Minister of Sweden and Norway accredited to the United Slates. Sir, — Washington, 6th August, 1877. I have the honor to inform you that I have been instructed to convey to the Government of the United States the invitation of the Government of the King to take part in the Penitentiary Congress at Stockholm in 1878, and that I have to-day, to that effect, addressed to His Excellency Mr. Evarts, Secretary of State, the note of which a copy is hereto annexed. Be pleased, Sir, to accept the assurance of my high consideration. C. Lewenhaupt, Dr. Wines. Minister of Sw rcden and Norway. 2. Letter to the Hon. Mr. Evarts, Secretary of State of the United Slates. Mr. Secretary,— Washington, Gth August, 1877. The International Penitentiary Commission having in its meeting at Brussels, in the month of March last, decided that the International Prison Congress, accepting the invitation addressed to it by the Government of the King, through Mr. Almquist, Director-General of Prisons for Sweden, and a member of the Commission, would convene at Stockholm during the second half of the month of August of next year (1878), the Government of the King has been instructed to communicate that fact to Foreign Governments. In discharging this duty, the Government of the King would express the hope that all the States of the civilized world will, by a numerous representation, testify, as well their interest in the high and important end which the Congress has in view, as their sympathy for the generous initiative taken by its President, Dr. Wines. On its part, the Government of the King will take all needful measures to facilitate the labours of the Congress. I have been instructed to inform your Excellency of the above facts, and also to say that the Government of the King would feel a special pleasure in seeing the Government of the United States represented on this occasion by one or several official delegates. Reserving to myself the communication, hereafter, of the exact date of the meeting of the Congress, I have the honor to renew to your Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration. C. Lewenhaupt. His Excellency Mr. Evarts, Secretary of State, &c. This cordial invitation of the Swedish Government, addressed, as would seem, to all the civilized Governments of the world, fixes definitively the time and the place of the approaching Congress, and it must be a supreme necessity that would require or justify any change of either. The undersigned and his colleagues of the Commission earnestly hope that no disappointment, occasioned by the postponement of the Congress to 1878, will prevent your country from being officially represented therein. If your Excellency's Government, under the impression that the Congress would be held this year, shall have already sent a delegate or delegates to the Congress, the undersigned would venture to suggest and ask that such delegate or delegates may be permitted to remain abroad till the meeting of the Congress next year. Doubtless he or they may be employed very usefully to the home Government in visiting, inspecting, and examining penal, reformatory, and preventive institutions in the different countries of Europe, and so in collecting a mass of information beyond what would or could have been obtained by a mere attendance upon the sessions of the Congress; information that may be rendered extremely serviceable in any contemplated reorganization or improvement of such institutions in your own country. A large number of Governments have responded to my circular letter of last year, by the communication of extremely interesting and valuable papers to be laid before the Congress touching the present state of the prison question and of prison discipline and reform in their several countries, in the form of answers to the questions submitted in the said circular letter. To these Governments the undersigned, as well in the name of his colleagues as of himself, returns very sincere thanks, and earnestly requests that such Governments as have not yet replied to the questions will kindly do so as early as may be convenient, addressing their communications to the undersigned at " Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.A." W re are extremely anxious to have information on this subject from every civilized country on the globe —iv detail, if possible ; if not, in a summary statement, however short such statement may be. Awaiting a reply, I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, E. C. Wines, President of the International Penitentiary Commission. To His Excellency the Minister in charge of the Penal Administration.