Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-08-12
AN IMITATOR ONLY.
MINISTER MERRY MORE EXACT
INC THAN PAUNcETOTE.
MS wife Felt AgGrieved--rhe President
Ignoring Her Claim TO Honor. Escort-
ed Mrs. Madison 20 Dinner--roa
Moore Her Companion.
wuwsa HE Pauncefote pre-

lEuWsn HE Pauncefote pre-
~ Jcedence incident rel
I, pIAN5 ative to Grant day
I, &kil 3fHG ceremonies. caused
! NJ *,N VIVIAN fiutter among the
/ Vl%tl1L,. -N4NIH diplomatic set in
/ AhN.WAas7 Washington. but II
Kafnys, : 5sl1f proves to be only
! Nflf8 4-1XM, one OF history's
| IlIN S26ky ever recurring in
! ~ cidents. Nearly one
! ~ " hundred years ago
one OF the British ambassadors prede-
cessors raised q similar question, un-
fortunately after the event instead Of
before. For long time the feeling
was intensely disagreeable, and at one
time bade fair to become serious.
A literary interest is added to the
occurrence by the fact that Tom Moore,
the poet, then visiting America, seized
unon It as the theme for one OF the
slanderogs and vindlctive letters that
he wrote to his friends In England. He
was an intimate associate Of the Eng
llsh minister and his wife, and bis con.
dolences with the latter on the "af-
front" to which she had been subject
ed did much to fan the flame Of the
lady's fury.
President Jefferson was the offender.
Minister Merry and his wife were the
complalnants In the diplomatic cause
celebre Of 1904. They were at the
white house, having accepted tho
| presidents invitation to dinner. Mr..
Jefferson happened, when dinner was
announced, to be conversing with Mrs.
/ Madison. the wife OF his secretary OF
state. He accompanied her to the ta-
Bile. Mrs. Merry was at some distance
from the president at the time Of the
announcement, but this fact she re-
garded as in no way palliative Of what
she considered the insult to which she
had been subjected. The president OF
the youthful republic had given to the
wife Of his Il mister precedence over
the wife Of old England's representa-
tive!
Mrs. Merry was furious. A vain.
fault finding woman, imbued with ma
tive conteript for free institutions, she
seized upon the incident as q means
possibly OF fomenting a petty diplomat
io fuss, Of whisA she would be the cen-
ter. By her fattsfy she had so COM
pletely Non the littia poet that he saw
America and Americans through her
eyes only, and when little Moore
then, by the by. a man Of only about
five and twenty--wrote Of the mon
strous" occurrence TO his mother from
Baltimore on June 10, 1904. he used this
language:
Il stopped at Washington with Mr..
and Mrs. Merry for near a week; they
have been treated with the most point
ed incivility by the present Democratic
president, Mr.. Jefferson. and It is only
the precarious situation Of Great
Britain which could possibly induce II
to overlook such indecent, though at
the same time petty. hostility"
The Merrys did not lack sympathy in
Washington. where the Federaiists
readily aided Mrs. Merry in her en-.
deavors to have a British minister
show that an insult to his wife was 4
mighty serious international affair. Mr,
Merry, being a dutiful husband. as well
as jealous representative. waxed
frantic, and before long the TEMPEST
In the teapot had become so very tu-
multuous that Secretary Madison COM
municated with Mr.. Monroe-then min
lister to England-on the subject. II
seemed at the time possible that the
American minister might be called up
on to explain the "incfvillty" to Mrs.
Merry, and Mr.. Madison thought II wise
70 inform the minister as to the iacts.
Mr.. Monroe was promptly equal 70
| the occasion. No attempt was made
by the British foreign once TO call bis
attention officially to the lamented In
/ cldent. but a British under secretary,
acting uEder instruction probably, did
bring the subject up to Mr.. Monroe. at
the same time intimating that an on
clal communication would follow.
Though a grave man, Mr.. Monroe
could not keeping treating the matter
In a spirit Of fun. He gave bis infor-
mant TO understand that he considered
the affair too absurd for serious con-
sideration. At the same time, while
]
the humorous features OF the case, be
slyly called the under secretarys AZ
tention TO the fact that should the af-
fair should reach diplomatic Import
ance, he had "tu quoque" ready In
the shape OF countercharge Of ihciv-
nity. In fact, not long before, the wife
OF an English under SECRETARY. at a
state dinner in England. had been ac-
corded precedence over Mr.. Monroe.
The Merry affront incident was
closed and the excitement attending II
soon passed away, as fer as concerned
all but the Merrys. They continued 10
pose as monstrously offended persons
Mr.. Merry never visited the white
house save on official business. Mrs
Merry refused to go there at all. Pres
ldent Jefferson. desiring to establish q
more agreeable state OF AFFAIRS, inquired
through a diplomatic medium whether
Mr.. and Mrs. Merry would honor hin
to a family dinner. On Mr.. Nerry'i
assent he sent the invitation In biz
own hand writing. Mr.. Merry doubt
less under conjugal duress, formally
addressed Secretary Of State Madison
asking whether he was invited In his
personal or oniclal capacity II the
former he must obtain the permission
OF HIS sovereign before accepting; II
the latter, he must be assured OF treat
ment becoming his exalted position.
Here is what Mr. Madison replied:
The president instructs be 10 say
that Mr.. and Mrs Merry are at liberty
10 act as they please in a matter OF
such small moment"
It Saves Children's Lives.
Whites cream yermlfuge lnsures
your child against one serious danger.
II promptly rids IL Of worms. IL acts
thoroughly, but Is just as harmless as