New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-12
the United States or citizens or venezuela Ut
even Of a third country. as the arbitrators
THE TREATY IN THE SENATE.

Government ana tNdl Oh bAtdt p'i'o'' ''~'''>"
The Senate this afternoon while Senator Mills
was making his speech on Cuba. II was not laid
before the Senate until the doors had closed in
axecutive session In accordance with the usual
custom, of the Senate the text of the conven-
ZION was rot even read for information. The
seol was broken and the Vice President an
nounccd that a general treaty Of arbitration had
been received on motion OF MI sherman II
Was ordered - he referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations. OF which he is chairman. ana
that reference was made without any senator
having the privilege Of hearing the document
read. II will be printed. and copies marked con
fdential' will he ready for Senators when the
next executive session is held
Owing TO the prominence given TO this treaty IN
the press. and the fact that its text has been dis
counted hv the publication of numerous abstracts
il wa. suggested this afternoon that the injnnc-
,ion Of secrecy be removed from it. The more so
was this favored when il understood that
The President had given out the text OF MS letter
81 transmittal The suggestion was not pushed
however a prominent member OF me committee
observing that the committee would CONSIDER 'hd'
subject at its next meeting. 1t is thought mat
the Senate may be persuaded 10 forego us usua'
re;icence and give the text OF the convention 10
me press.
Senators who In a general way know the con-
tents Of the treaty decline to discuss II lor pun
Ncation. Messrs. Cullom. Villas and Chanuier'
without referring to this particular cohNeh'ioh,
assorted their belief in the general doctrine OF
arbitration but beyond that would say nothinH.
The subject is one on which Senators necessarily
could cav nothing as the treaty Is bound to be
the subject of secre, debate.
The views of Senators privately expressed
however indicate that the convention Will re-
ceivc the most careful, scrutiny. and tina; II VIII
not I've rushed through the Senate with uhdue
haste. 1t is understood that there Will be visor-
Gus opposition to the article designating 10y
cign sovereign as final umpir,. If the matters
10 be considered by this court include such uou-
blesome questions the Alaskan BOUNDARY
there will also be strong opposition TO the ratii-
cation Of the document In general way IL
may be said that the Senate will insist upon nav
,nr great deal to say about this treaty anc
that il must coincide with the views OF the Sen
ate in every particular. The subjecS Will come
before the Committee on Foreign Relations on
Wednesday.
SIGNING THE AGREEMENT.
The treaty was signed in the diplomatic parlor
Of the State Department at -" o CLOCK lo-udy
ny Secretary Olney and Sir Julian Pauncefote
The latter was accompanied by Lord Cough
secretary Of the Embassy. The American wit
nesses were MI Cridlcr, chief Of the DIPLOMATIC
Bureau and Private Secretary Blandford Inc
meeting was devoid of any ectacuiar proceed
ings the two penipotentiaries simply signing
their names to the two copies OF the document
one of which was sent to the Senate for ratifca-
ton and the other will so to Lord Salisbury by
special messenger. who will sail on the Majestic
from New-York on Wednesday,
The proposed treaty consisted Of thirteen arti-
cles and covered twenty pages of the special
tiop
original signatures This paper is made dis'nc-
rive by a continuous border of two heavy red
lines half an inch apart and one inch from the
margins of each sheet. Each copy was clearly
written in legibe manuscript without flourlshes'
and the only ornamentatiOn consisted or the RED.
white and blue twisted cord with which all state
Department documents are held together The
copies exact duplicates except where rel
erences TO the countries or the Queen or Presi-
dent Of the United States occurred. Ill when
case the Queens name was placed IN the BItlsh
and the United States were mentioned first in
the copy transmitted to the Senate for ratfca-
tion.
AUTHORITY FROM LORD SALISBURY.
II was shortly after II when the British
Ambassador reached the State Department with
Lord Cough He had earlier in the morning re-
ceyed a final cable dispatch from Lord Salisbury
authorizing the signature, and had made an APP
pointment with Secretary Olney for consummat-
Ing the negotiations.
The Secretary promptly met Sir Julian in the
Diplomatic Room on his arrival. and the two
plenipotentiaries Immediately presented their
credentials to each other, Secretary Oney's
signed designated. by the Preslden. of the
United States and Sir Julian Pauncefotes signed
as designated. by the Queen on behalf OF Great
Britain.
Sir Julian took extra broad pointed stub
steel pen. in plain gutta-percha holder. and
promptly wrote Julian Pauncefote on III" Brit
ish copy. The Secretary OF State wrote Rich
airy Olney' under the other signature. and then
repeated his signature in the first place on the
American copy, after which the AMBASSADOR
wrote his name below the Secretary's
CONGRATULATIONS EXCHANGED.
A State Department clerk lighted taper and
put drop Of sealing wax after each signature
and affixed the proper seals Secretary Olney's be-
ing the single letters "R. o." surrounded by a
border cut in brass. while Sir Julian's bore his
crest, engraved an agate seal. which he
brought with him for the purpose. The forma-
ties having been completed. the Secretary and Sir
Julian shook hands and congratulated each other
and the British representative returned to the
Embassy, taking his copy of the document with
him.
The American copy was Immediately sent over
10 the Executive Mansion and delivered TO the
President. who. little later sent ii to the sen
ate with a message asking for its rathcation
The British copy which was signed first by Sir
Julian Pauncefote and subsequently by Mr..
Oney, and the United States copy signed FIRST
by Mr. Olney and then by Sir Julian Pauncefote,
are known the original copies. and each Gov
eminent permanently retains its own. After the
Senate shall have given It's advice ana consent
10 the ratification of the treaty IL VIII De neces-
sary 10 make exact copy OF the lnlted states
treaty as signed. and appended thereto the Presi-
dents ratification. This is known the ex-
change copy. and will he delivered TO the British
Government In exchange for similar copy re-
ceiyed from IT, the British ratincatlOn being
signed by the Queen.
After this has been done. the proclamation OF
the President viii he written on The original copy.
which was before the Senate, and ihen me
treaty becomes effective.
The treaty covers eight pages and consists OF
about 500 words.
TIE NEGOTIATIONS REVIEWED.
The negotiations for the treaty signed to-day
began in the spring of 1895. shortly before the
death Of Secretary Gresham. which abruptly