The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-16
WORK OF TREATY TAKERS.
Points for the Public as to How Peace
Document VIII Be Prepared.

About the 1st Of December will be
added to the collection of important in
ternational documents in the state de-
partment at Washington the treaty of
peace concluded between Spain and the
United States at the conference to be
held in Paris about the 1st Of October.
This treaty will take rank in impor-
tance and interest with the treaties of
the wars Of 1776 and 1872 and the Mex
lean war.
The action of the peace commission
ers at Paris will not be final. The
treaty on which they agree will be SUBJ
ject to ratification by both countries.
According to the constitution and laws
of the United States. no treaty with
this country is operative until 1t has
gone through five stages, of which the
negotiation and signing by the peace
commissioners Is only the first.
When the peace commissioners have
reached a determination the treaty as
agreed to will be copied in duplicate
and each copy, will be signed by all the
commissioners. The copies will be made
with the pen, for the typewriter is not
recognized in diplomacy. In the Span
ish copy the Spanish commissioners Will
the American.
The American copy will be brought
back to this country by the secretary OF
the American commission and delivered
to the secretary of state. In the state
department a message for congress will
be prepared. 1t will be written on heavy
sheets of blue paper, fastened together
at the top with red silk ribbon. The
president will sign this message, and
Assistant Secretary Pruden Will take IT
to the capitol, where the senate, gath
cred in special session, will be waiting
to receive 1t. When the message has
been delivered to the senate, the chair
man Of the committee on foreign rela-
tions will move an executive session,
and behind closed doors the message
will be read. 1t will probably follow
the usual custom and be referred to the
committee on foreign relations. When
the senate adjourns II will be delivered
to a confidential messenger from the
government printing ofice. who Will
carry II to the public printer, and un-
der his personal supervision 1t Will be
put into type by a special set OF COM
positors. When the work ID complete
and about 100 copies have been run or.
in the vault The copies Will be deliv-
cred to the secretary OF the senate, who
will receipt for them, number each one
and deliver them to the members OF the
senate.
When the treaty has been approved
(or the senate has advised and con-
sented to its ratificationo. new copy
will be made and returned to the presi-
dent. with the signature OF the presi-
dent OF the senate, attested by the sec
retary of the senate. The president, on
receipt Of notice that the senate has
given it's consent. will ratify the treaty,
and the state department Will prepare
what is known as an exchange copy.
This Is the copy which will be sent TO
Madrid, to be preserved there an the
permanent record OF the government
between the countries. Spain also Will
prepare an exchange copy and send IT
| to the United States.
When II was customary to use wax
| for the official seal OF state document
| II was usual for the state department
| 70 inclose the seal OF an exchange
| treaty In a round silver box. having the
| national coat Of arms in RELIEF Now
| that waters are used. this Is not done.
| and the exchange treaty we send to
| Spain will doubtless be very plain
| document. 1t will be written In Eng
| lish. on long sheets OF blush paper.
| known as treaty paper, fastened at the
| side with a ribbon. The president will
! sign II, Secretary Days signature Will
| attest that Of the president. and then
| the document will be taken to the keep
| err OF the seal OF state. 1t Is not enough
| that the keeper should recognize the
signatures OF William Mckinley and
| William II. Day. He must have a
signed order from the president. direct
ed to him, before he will make the Inn
preston of the great seal on the red
| wafer at one corner of the document
| The treaty. then complete. may be In
closed in a box. but II will probebly be
placed In a portfolio OF green leather
embossed and stamped with gold
| border.
The copy which the queen regent OF
Spain will sign and Prime Minister Sa.
gasta will forward to this country Will
| differ from ours. IL will be In two Ian
guages-Spanish and French--and II
will probably be engrossed on vellun1
and inclosed in carved or ornamental
| box. Almost all the exchange treaties
on Ale I'm the state department are very
ornate. and some are decorated In SILL
| yer and gold.
The exchange OF ratihcations is the
fourth step toward theh completion OF
| the treaty. The fifth and final step Is
| A., ,x~,,r1 N - fioY, Of the treaty by tho