Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-17

abroad, and the foreign minister brings it to
the Department Of State. He and the secre-
tary of State trade copies. both signing In
duplicated paper certifying that they have done
SO. The whole affair il finally completed oy
fling this protocol Of exchange, together
with the treaty. in the Department of State and
in the foreign Office OF the other nation. Inc
President procaims the treaty by writing on
the original COW. part of which goes at the
beginning and part at the end OF the document
For example, the new agreement Win RUSSIA
respecting extraditon begins with the WORDS:
Whereas a convention between the United
States OF America and his majesty the Emperor
of all the Russias was concluded and signed at
Washington on March %, 1887, &c. ana wlnos
up with, Now. therefore. be 1t known that l,
Grover Cleveland. President OF the United
States OF America. have caused the same con-
yention to be made public, &c.
When the United States negotiates treaty
abroad its minister or other person duly des-
ignated for the purpose signs In behalf OF this
government 1t will be seen that the processes
are very elaborate, and circumstances alter
them in ali sorts OF ways. III there are no
diplomatic relations existing between Uncle
Sam and foreign country treaty may be ne
gotiated BY a naval commander or by any other
person properly authorized. who in such a case
becomes a special envoy. Some treaties are in
tended to hold indefinitely, while others govern
for a stated term of years As rule pro-
vision OF the agreement states that 1t shall not
be Terminated by either party without sufficient
notice-say. six months or a year.
When treaty Is completed aud proclaimed
copy of it is sent to the public printer. who
sets II up in type and returns 500 copies to the
Secretary OF State. As many copies as may be
required are distributed among Congressman.
THE GREAT SEAL.
The great seal of the United States appears
on the original ratified copy of the treaty, on
the ratified exchange copy and also attached to
the proclamation of the original. 1t is stamped
on wafer of white paper. which is stuck on
with mucilage. Tiffany of New York made the
die Tor the seal, which is very beautiful. Lest
any ore should get a print from it. it is kept
locked up and closely guarded at the Depart
ment OF State. South American countries atiix
their seals III the same manner. but the treaties
between European nations and Uncle Sam are
scaled with wax. However, their seals are not
affixed upon The documents. but are in the
shape OF large disks OF line beeswax attached
by cords running through them. The seals on
the older treaties are soft enough to receive an
impression from the finger. but with the wax Of
the later ones an ingredient is used that renders
IL much harder.
To preserve the seals OF wax they are usually
inclosed In round boxes of silveror other metal,
With the impression of the diverse OF the seal on
the top of the box. The seal attached to Il treaty
with Great Britain is big small plate.
with u design representing Victoria her
throne on one side. while on the other side the
queen appears on horseback: A silver case
inclosed the seal of the extradition treaty
recently concluded with Sweden. and the case
Is inclosed in n box of polished wool with brass
clssps A silk bag three feet in length contains
the treaty with Persia, which Is written on
brownish paper folded into the shape of q book,
a great lump of wax bearing the impression OF
the seal.
TREATIES WITH CHINA.
As might be supposed, the treaties with
China very odd. That concluded in 1868 is
inclosed in a box of lacIuered ware. sprinkled
with gold. 1t is in the shape of book. the
leaves OF which have likewise a gold sprink-
ling. the process by which this is done being an
oriental secret. The difficulty of sprinkling
gold on paper so that i, will stick. and to make
ink adhere 20 il. has never been overcome by
/ Yankee Ingenuity. Another treaty with the
middle kingdom is on thin yellow paper. which
7 IL pasted on linen. the writing. in Chinese
characters IL on n sheet six feet long, which
I rolls up into scroll. The border il an intri-
cate design done with ink in different colors.
a dragon being woven in rs the artistic motive
: The scroll il wrapped in a silk Goth of royal
yellow. and the whole is enclosed in cylinder
of yellow silk. the outer cover being elabor-
ately embroidered.
Some treaties are written on vellum, which i:
the skin of the calf. tie fines. kind being from
the intestines of that animal The agreement
with Sweden. above referred 20. Ii parch-
ment. bound i'll purple velvet aad watery silk
Some OF the treaties preserved mt the Depart
rleut of State are more curious than any which
have thus far been mentioned. That with the
Samoan Islands. for example. has no writing at
all. but is merely robe Of grass trimmed with
feathers around The edge. A treaty with the
Fiji Islands is nothing more nor less than Il
whales tooth A similar token from Afri-
can potentatc is an elephants tusk. These are
+ nominally tokens of amitv merely. However
their acceptance by the Cni.ed States wa.
( equivalent to the conclusion OF treaties oil
peace and friendship. ~ t.,ey had been sem
/ back the refusal would have been considered
decara ion of war.
Preserved a curiosity in the Department
of State is a treaty which ratified between
the Athenians and Chalcidnns in the year IA
b. c. 1t Is plaster cast from the original
which engraved on slab of marble. Th,
document was found bv digging the soutl
wall of the Acropolis in 1876.