The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-12-17
SIGNING OF THE TREATY.
AN INSPIRING SCENE FOR A HISTORICAL
PAINTER.
The Last Act In the Great International
Drama-.-The Commissioners Shook
Hands With Their Opponents, Bidding
Them Farewell..-A Great Event.


PAR1s.-The treaty Of peace was
signed Saturday.
The signing Of the treaty would
have afforded o subject for great his
torical painting, The group gathered
about the table in the stately chamber
of the foreign Office was impressive in
itself. While the sense of the mo-
,mentous issue decided was deeply felt
by all the participants gave an impress
sive and solemn tone to the scene.
Around the great table sat the ten ar
bitrators of the destinies of an old and
new nation. Standing behind them
were numerous attaches of the Amerl-
can commission. The jets from the
chandeliers above the heads of those
present magnifed the brilliant green
and scarlet of the upholsterings into
gaudiness.
There was theatrical contrast be-
tween the black clothed actors and the
scenery. To the Americans it was a
happy ending of the epilogue OF war;
for the Spaniards, it was plainly bit
ter tragedy, none the less painful be-
cause long foreseen. They sat silently,
as though almost crushed, but no one
could withhold sympathy from Senior
I1ontejo Rios, the president of the
Spanish commission, who, coming from
his bed, was bundled in great over
coat, though logs were burning in o
great fireplace. The spirits of the
two bodies were symbolized by the
clothes worn by the members.
Although the commissioners met at
$50 o'ccock, expecting to fG sh their
work in half an hour, the engrossing
of the treaty on parchment was found
to be SO troublesome thatit delayed the
signing of the document until 500.
Clerk MartlD, of the American COM
mission, worked all day, without even
stopping to eat. When he came into
the chamber at 1880 with the document,
he found the commissioners waiting.
The Spanish company had arrived a
half hour earlier. 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 present, as follows: Will
liam R. Day, Senator Cushman K.
Davis, Senator William P. Frye,
Whitelaw Reid and Senator George
Gray; Senior Montejo Rios, Senol
Abarzuza, Senior Garnica, Senior VII
larutia and Gen. Cerero y Saons, each
commission signing its opponents
treaty. Both were tied with the Span
ish and American colors.
When the seals were expected to be
affixed, attendants were sent scurrying
for ribbons of the French trio-color,
with which the documents were sealed,
as a compliment to the French hosts
of the commission.
Many officials interestedly watched
every detail of the proceedings.
The last seal being impressed, the
commissioners rose, aud without form,
atty each member shook the hands Of
all Lis antagonists and exchanged as,
surances of sincere personal esteem.
; The Spaniards afterward commented
acridly upon what they termed the bad
taste of the Americans in mastering g
crowd Of attaches to gloat over the
consummation of their downfall and tc
scramble for relics.
The signing was finished at 8:45
At that time the door of the chamber
opened and Senior Villarutia appeared
and exclaimed to a group of CORE
spondents, who were waiting in the
corridor: Gee est fni" The Other
members Of the Spanish commission
followed Senior Villarutia and passed
silently through the vestibule to thei1
waiting carriages. The American
commission strolled out chatting com
, placentIy, and as they descended thu
steps the lights in the chamber were
darkened.
The Americans were the first to or
rive at the foreign office, the Spaniard
coming half an hour later. Seno
Montejo Rios, president of the Span
ish commission, assembled the step
leaning on cane and bundled up in
fur coat. The Americans shook hand
with the Spaniards when they entered
the conference hall. The faces Of tn
representatives of Spain were exceed
ingly solemn. Apparently they re
,, garded the occasion as funeral one
! The treaty, which was not com
, pleted, was brought in sections in tn
hands of the engrossers, while tn
commission was sitting.
After being photographed, the com
missioners listened to the reading c
the treaty until 5:15, at which hou
they took q recess until 7 O'Clock
while awaiting the arrival of the las
sections Of the treaty.
The long session in the afternoo
and the subsequent recess were du
only to the fact that each article of th