The Van Buren press., 1898-12-17
THE TREATY OF PEACE.
Between the United States and Spain
Signed at Paris Last Saturday
Evening,

PARIS, Dec. 10. The treaty of peace
was signed at 8 :45 this evening.
The joint commission met at 3 80 P.
NJ. and at 5:15 took recess until P. NJ
The treaty as signed consists of seven
teen articles, it having been deemed ad
xisable to sub divide 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
Secretary Moore. in behalf of the United
States commission, and by Senior Vii
lariutti for Spain, on account of the
continued illness of Secretary Ojeda, of
the Spanish commission. Each copy
contained the English and Spanish texts
of the treaty in parallel columns, The
wording had been approved previously
by the commissions without a joint
meeting, so there was no controversy
on this subject.
The signing of the treaty tonight
would have afforded subject for a
great historical painting. The group,
gathered about the table jim the stately
chamber of the foreign Offices was i'm
pressive in itself, while the sense of the
momentous issues to be decided was
deeply felt by all the participants and
gave an impressive and solemn tone to
the scene. Around the great table sat
the ten arbitraters of the destinies OF an
old and new nation. Standing be-
hind them were numerous attaches OF
the American commission.
The jets from the chandeliers above
the heads of those present magnified the
brilliant green and scarlet of the up
holsterings 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 "A bitter |
none the less painful because
long foreseen. They sat silently as
though almost crushed, but no one |
could withhold sympathy from Senor
Rios, the president of the
Spanish commission, who, coming from
his bed, WAS bundled in great over
coat, though logs were burning in the
tireside The spirits of the two bodies
were symbolized by the clothes worn
by the members.
Although the commissions met at
$3.50 o clock expecting to finish their
work in half an hour the engrossing of
the treaty parchment was found to be
so troublesome that it delayed the sign
ing of the document until 500. Clerk
Martin, of the American commission,
worked all day without even stopping
to eat When he came into the cham
M T,Qn tx,ttt. tla bea fnt,nd
the commissioners waiting, The Span
ish company had arrived 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 eommiss-
ioners signing them in the order pres
ent as follows: William r. Day, Sen
ator Cushman K Davis. Senator VIM.
P. Frye, Whitelaw Reid and Senator
George Gray; Senior Montero Rios,
Senior Abarzuza, Senior Garnica. Senior
Villarrutia and Gen. Cerro y Saons,
each commissioner signing its opponents
treaty.
Both were tied with the Spanish and
American colors. When the seals were
expected to be affixed attendants Were
sent scurrying for ribbons of French,
the tri color, with which the documents
were sealed as compliment to the
French hosts of the commission.
Many officials interestedly watched
every detail of the proceedings. The
last seal being impressed, the commiss
ioners rose and without formality each
member shook the hands of all his an
tagonists and exchanged assurances of
sincere personal esteem. The Spaniards
afterwards commented acridly upon
what they termed the bad taste of the
Americans in mastering crowd of at
taches to 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 Villarutia appeared
and exclaimed to a group of CORES
pondents who were waiting in the cor
ridor 'Ec est fini.
The other members of the Spanish
commission followed Senior Villarutia
and passed silently through the vesti
bule to their waiting carriages. The
American commission strolled out chat
ting complacently and as they descend
ed the steps the lights in the chamber
were darkened.