The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-06-24

~ IIIN 3gsiky ever recurring in
~ oldents. Nearly one |
u hundred years ago
one Of the British ambassadors prede-
cessors raised similar question, un-
fortunately sftor the event instead OF
before. For a long time the feeling
was intensely dlsagroeable. and at one
time babe fair 10 become serious.
A literary interest Is added to the
occurrence by the fact that Tom Moore.
the poet. then visiting America. seized
upon II as the theme for one Of the
slanderous and vindictlye letters that
he wrote 10 his fI1ends In England. lie
was an intimate associate Of the Eng
lish minister and his wife. and his con-
dolenoes with the latter on the "af-
front" TO which she had been subject
ed did much to fan the fame OF the
lady's fury.
President Jefferson was the offender.
Minister Merry and his wife we're the
complainants In the diplomatic cause
eelebre OF 1904 They we're al the
white house. having accepted The
presidents invitation 10 dinner. Mr..
Jefferson happened. when dinner was
announced. 10 be converting with Mrs.
Madison. the wife OF hls secretary Of
state. lie accompanied her TO the IA
bic. Mrs Merry was at some distance
from the president nj the time OF the
announcement. but this fact she re-
garded ne In no way palliative Of what
she considered the insult % which she
had been subjected. The president o.
the youthful republic had givea 20 the
wife Of his minister precedence over
the wife Of old England's representa-
tive!
Mrs. Merry vas furious. A vain.
fault hndlng woman. lmhued with a ma
tive contempt for free institutions. she
seized upon the incident as a means
possibly Of iomenting a petty diplomat
ic fuss. of which she would be the CEN
ter. by her fattery she had 20 COM
pleiely won the little poet that he saw
America and Americans through her
eyes only. and when little Moore
then. by the by. a man Of oaly about
ave and twcnty-wrote OF the mon
strous" occurrence To his mother from
Baltimore on June 10. 1904. he used this
language
Il stopped AZ Washington with Mr..
and Mrs. Merry for near a week. they
have been treated with the most point
I'd inciylliiy hy the present Democratic
president Mr. jefferson. and @ Is only
ihe precsrious situation Of Great
Britain which could possibly induce q
90 overlook such indecent. though at
she same tlsne petty, hostility"
Tho Morrys did not lack sympathy in
Washington. where the Fclcral.sis
readily aided Mrs Merry 90 her en-
deayors 10 have a British minister
show that an insult 10 his wife was
mighty serious International affair. Mr.
Merry. being a dutiiul husband. NJ well
a. zoaious representative. waxei
Granite and before long the tempest
IN the teapot had become 90 very tu-
multuous that Secretary Madison COM
municaied with Mr. Monroe-thcn min
ister 10 England-on the subject. II
seemed al the time possible that the
American minister might De called up
on 20 explain the "inciyility" 20 Mrs
Merry. and Mr. Madison thought Il wise
90 inform the minister a. 20 the facta
Mr. Monroe was promptly equal TO
the occasion. No attempt was made
by the British foreign once TO cali his
attention officially 10 the lamontcd In
oldent. but a British under secretary.
acting under instruction probably. did
bring the subject up 10 Mr. Monroe. al
the same time intimating that an on
cial communication would follow.
Though a grave man. Mr.. Monroe
could not keeping treating the matter
In a spirit Of fun. Ne gave hls infor.
mant 10 understand that he considered
the affair too absurd Tor serious con.
adoration. AZ the same time. whlls
dnating with unwon,cd mcg ngnt Of
the humorous features of 4 he
slyly called the under sccl
tention TO the fact that a
fair should reach dlplou
ancc, he had a IA Qu.a