St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-28
HIS SPEECHES DID IT.
Hon. John M. Francis, Late Minister to
Austria. Tells Why Kelley Didn't
Remain Abroad.
Both Austria and Italy Assert That They
Rejected Him Because of Want of
Political Tact;"
That His Imprudent Utterances on the
Rostrum Caused Them to Refuse
to Receive Him.
The Fact That His Wife is a Jewess
Did Not Affect His Case in
the Least.
why Keiley was Reiecfed.
New YORK, Dec. 27.-1he Tribune wi

Why Kelley was Rejected.
New YORK, Dec. 27.-1he Tribune will
publish the following tomorrow:
John NJ. Francis, lately United States min
lister at the court of Vienna, to which A. NJ.
Kelley was appointed as successor by Presi-
dent Cleveland, was seen yesterday by a
Tribune reporter at the house of ]. G. Hone
weyer at Yonkers. Mr.. Francis withdrew
from the mission on Aug. 8, since which time
owing to the refusal of the Austrian govern
ment to receive Mr.. Kelley, the duties of the
office have been performed by James Fenner
Lee, secretary of legation, and charg 9
d flares ad interim. Ibid you understand
the Austrian government to base its objec-
ton to receiving Mr. Kelley either on the
fact that hiG wife was JeweSs or on the fact
that their marriage was only civil con-
tracJ2" asked the reporter.
'I did not,'' replied Mr.. Francis emphat-
ically. Neither of these considerations
were looked upon by Austria officially as
grounds for the rejection, and it was never
for moment intended that this government
should be so advised. had long conversations
with Count ,kalnoky on the subject at the
time the difficulty arose; and while he pointed
out that q Jewess or even a lady of proximate
Semitic aLger could have no social status in
Vienna, he never once limited to ME officially
that that would in any way influence the
judgment of the Austrian government. l
know tnat Hebrews are not received i'll the
aristocratic society of Austria, or at least Of
the capital. Yet am sure the government
takes no notice of this fact officially, while it
is quite powerless to alter it even if it so de-
sired. l am aware also that civil marriage IS
not recognized in Austria. They have civil
marriases there, it is true, though these re-
quire to be sealed by the solemnity OF
ECCLESIASTICAL CEREMONY
h6fn ORC nE66 q
even this fact would not exclude the only ac-
credited representative of a foreign country,
where he in other respects proper person.
think, for instance, if a Hebrew had been
appointed instead of Mr.. Kelley,
he would have been received and
His position would certainly be a
very uncomfortable one in social sense
under the prevailing usages of the Viennese
society, but as far official relations are con-
cerned don't think he would suffer-"
'.How far does the prejudice against the
Hebrews eXtendf
ut only affects their social relations. Some
of the largest bushes men in Vienna, as is
well known, are Jews. Yet, while they mix
with Christians in their affairs, they have q
distinct society of their own. Baron Roths-
child, may tell you, appears just once year
st court at a state ball. stays but short
time, and goes away, while his wife never ap-
pears there at all. The baron's son is some
times invited to a private dinner by min
lister or ambassador. but never to diplomatic
banquet. Indeed, however eminent Hebrew
he may be, or however commanding his
ability the doors of the exclusive Catholic So
ciety of Vienna are permanently closed
against them
docs such prejudice exist with regard
to any other racer"
ST am acquainted with diplomat at vi
emma, the representative of an Eastern gov
ernment, who received an Oriental training
and is welded to Oriental customs. That
diplomat goes everywhere and is popular.
His wife, on the contrary, receives no social
recognition whatever. OF course you viii
understand am not defending this custom,
only stating it.
AN UNFORTUNATE MISTAKE.
ssHow is it that the current belief is that
Mrs. Keiley's origin was the reason of her
husbands rejection?"
ssSimply an unfortunate mistake on the
part of Baron Schaeffer, the Austrian repre-
sentative at Washington. Count Kalnoky
telegraphed to him in his reply to the au-
nouncement of the appointment of Mr.. Kelley
that his government would like to have an op-
portunity of considering the appointment be-
fore finally consenting to it, as is the custom
in such cases, and cOnfidentially limited at the
known fact of Mrs. Kelley being
Jewess. Baron Schaeffer's action
in giving publicity to this conhden-
tlal communication was gratuitous on
his part and certainly ill-advised. 1t was
only natural for Mr.. Bayard to protest under
the circumstances, and of course he did only
what any American would be likely to do in
his place. If, as Count Kalnoky remarked to
me, Baron Schaefer had simply directed the
attention of Mr.. Bayard in friendly way to
the fact that Mr.. Keiley's nomination was a
surprise and that there were some reasons
why time should be allowed the Austrian
government to decide on its action in the
premises and this Count Kalnoky assured me
is what he had in mind when he sent the dis
patch, no publication would have been made
of the fact. Mr.. Keiley's marital relations
would not have been made subject of dis
cussion, and all this trouble would have
been avoided. In Europe diplomatic usage
requires that a foreign country shall be
consulted as to its Willingness to receive q
proposed minister before he is sent, and the
correspondence which passes on the question
is always regarded as confidential in the in
terestS OF
INTERNATIONAL AlfITY
and as affecting the individual concerned. In
America different costom obtains, yet I
may remind you of the case of Catacazy, who
was recalled by the Russian government from
Washington at the request of our state de-
partment, on account of his being concerned
in the publication of some political articles
offensive to this government in New York
paper"
lis there any truth in the statement that
the rejection was due to the Intervention of
ItalyY'
mot shadow. Count Valusky says dis
tinctly that the Italian ambassador never al
luded to the subject in conversation with
him, and Mr.. Szogyenyi declares that the
italian government never interfered in any
way whatever. Both of them, how in
giving reasons for the rejection, spoke of the
want of political tact Mr.. Kelley had man
ifested by his political speeches. It was
plainly thought unadvisable to have an impru-
dent person as the American representative.
The Austrian press, which is almost wholly
under the direction of Hebrews, was unani-
mously opposed to the acceptance of Mr..
Kelley exactly as were many of our own
newspapers, which had supported Mr.. CleVe-
Land for the presidency"
'sDoeS the Austrian government seem to
have any feeling Of unfriendliness toward the
United StateSY'
ssNo. was always reminded in my inter-
views with the Austrian foreign Office of the
fact of the friendly relations existing be-
tween the two countries and that it was the
sincere desire of the Austrian government to
maintain these relations without interruption
or misunderstanding.
'sWhat harm could result If diplomatic re-
lations should be broken OF between the two
countries?
"a suspension Of diplomatic relations
would operate injuriously to our interests in
this, that the Austrian government would be
very likely to give the usual twelve months
notice of the
TERMINATIoN OF THE TREATY
'sThat treaty affords the only real security
we have for the protection of Austro-Ameri-
can citizens"
''Whe would be the loser by an abrogation
of the treaty?'
''We should. Austria might first Of all as
sumo, as Germany is assuming, the doctrine
once q subject always subject and there
fore on the return of an Austro-American
citizen to Austria, he would be arrested and
impressed into the army. Then, by discrim-
ination against our products, Of which enor-
nous quantities are used in Austria, could be
driven out of the market and they already