Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-12-12
THE TREATY OF PEACE SIGNED.


To the Americans it was happy
ending of the epilogue of war; for the
Spaniards it was plainly bitter tragedy,
nons the less painful because long fore.
seen. They sat silently as though al
most crushed, and none could withhold
sympathy from Senior Montero Rios,
the president of the Spanish commits
sion, who, coming from his bed, was
bundled in a great overcoat, although
logs were burning in the fireplace
nearby.
The spirits of the two bodies were
symbolized by the clothes worn by the
members of the commissions, for the
Americans were attired in evening dress
for the dinner given them Immediately
after the meeting by the Due de Lou
bat, and the Spaniards wore black frock
coats.
Although the commissioners met at
half past 8 o'clock expecting to finish
their work in half an hour, the engross'
ing of the treaty on parchment was
found to be SO troublesome that it de.
layed the signing of the document until
$40. When Clerk Martin, of the Ameri-
can commission, came into the chamber
at 7:S0 with the document he found the
commissioners waiting. The Spanish
copy had arrived 8 half hour earlier.
Mr.. Arthur Ferguson then proceeded to
read first the English and after that the
Spanish version of the treaty. This
finished, two copies were passed around
the table, the commissioners signing
them in the order of their rank: VIM.
R. Day, Senator Cushman K. Davis,
Senator William P. Frye, Whitelaw
Reid and Senator George Gray, Senior
Montero Rios, Senior Abrazuza, Senior
Garnica, Senior Villauru.ia and General
Cererory Saons, each commissioner
signing its opponents treaty. Both were
tied with the Spanish and American
colors.
When the seals were prepared to be
affixed, attendants we're sent scurrying
for ribbons of the French tri-color with
which the documents were sealed as
compliment to the French hosts Of the
commissions.
The last seal being impressed, the
| commissioners arose and without for
] mglity each member shook the hands
| of all his antagonists and exchanged as
surapces of sincere personal esteem.
The Spaniards afterward commented
acridly upon what they termed the bad
taste of the Americans in mastering a
crowd of attaches 20 gloat over the
| consummation of their downfall and to
scramble for relics.
The signing was finished at S:45. At
! that time the door of the chamber
| opened and Senior Vlllsurutia appeared
and exclaimed to group of correspon-
dents who were waiting in the corridor
"C'est fni." The other members Of
the Spanish commission followed Senior
Villarutis and passed silently through
the vestibule to the waiting carriages.
| The American commission strolled out
chatting compacently and as they de-
scended the steps the lights in the
chamber we're darkened.
The treaty signed consisted of seven
teen articles, it having been found ad-
visable to subdivide two or three of the
articles in the draft agreed upon at the
| last meeting.
The commissioners of the two nations
wrote their signatures on two copies OF
the treaty, one copy being for the arch
ives.
The document was prepared by-Sec-
rotary Moore, in behalf of the United
States commission, and by Senior Villau-
rutia for Spain, on account of the con-
tinued illness of Secretary Ojeda, of the
Spanish commission.
Each copy contained the English
and Spanish texts of the treaty in par
alleled columns. The wording had
been approved previously by the COM
missions without joint meeting, 50
there was DO controversy on this sub
ject.
There has been great contest among
the families and friends of the Ameri-
can commissioners for possession Of the
pens with which the signatures of the
treaty were written. Some of the
Americans were provided with hand
some pens purchased for the purpose.
! The Spanierds appeared to be unatfect-
ed by the souvenir craze and contented
themselves with ordinary quill pens
strewn on the table.
Just prior to the final reading of the
treaty the commissioners were photo
graphed.
The official news of the signing of the
peace treaty was received in Washing
ton little later than the press reports.
1t was in cipher form as usual from
Judge Day. 1t was at once transmit
ted to the President who was alone at
the time, but within comparatively
short time all the members of the
Cabinet had either called or sent their
congratulations. The Presidents con.
CALCULATIONS were promptly cabled to
the commission, but the news of the sign
ing having been so thoroughly dis.
counted in advance, the actual receipt
Of the official advices created little stir.
Further details have been learned at
Washington as to the wording of the
treaty, which provide&shat Cuba is to
be relioquished, and that Porto Rico
and the Philippines are to be coded.
The Americans are to pay for the re-
patriation of all the Spanish troops
from all the colonies. The Spaniards
are to return all prisoners held by
them. They are to retain possession
of ali military stores and munitions of
war in the Philippines, and of such ships
as have not been captured.
The commercial treaties between the
two nations, which the war ruptured,
are to be renewed at the convenience
of fho trvo potionu