The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-13

peace was signed at S:45 o'clock this
evening.
The signing of the treaty tonight
would have afforded subject for
great historical painting. The group
gathered about the table in the stately
chamber of the foreign office was i'm
pressive, while the fact that the sense
of the momentousness Of the issues
which the act decided was deeply felt
by all the participants, gave an i'm
pressive and solemn tone to the scene.
Around the great mahogany table
sat the ten arbitrators Of the destinieS
of an old and young nation. Ranged
standing behind them were numerous
attaches of the American commission.
The jets from the crystal chandeliers
above the heads of those present mag
nified the brilliant green and scarlet
of the upholstering into gaudiness.
There was a 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 and none
could withhold sympathy for Senor
Montero Rios, the president of the
Spanish commission, whds coming from
his bed, was bundled in a great over
coat, 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
in, piY,Ss
dress for the dinner given them i'm
mediately after the meeting by TIL.
DUO De Loubat, and the Spaniards
wore black frock coats.
Although the commissioners met at
$3.50 O'Clock, expecting to finish their
work in half an hour, the engrossins
of the treaty on parchment was found
to be so troublesome that it delayed
the signing of the document until $40
O'Clock. Clerk Martin, of the Ameri-
can commission, worked all day, with
out even stopping to eat. When he
came into the chamber at 1880 O'Clock
with the document he found the com
missioners waiting. The Spanish copy
had arrived a half hour earlier. Mr.
Arthur Ferguson then proceeded t
read first the English and after tina
the Spanish version Of the treaty. This
finished, two copies were passed
around the table, the commissioner
signing them in the order of thei
rank-William r. Day, Senator Cush
man X. Davis, Senator William P
Frye. Whitelaw Reid and Senate
George Gray; Senor Montero Rios, Sc
nor Abarzuza, Senior Garnica. Seno
Villaurutia and General Cerro y Saons
each commissioner signing it's opponent
treaty. Both were tied with the Span
ish and American colors.
When the seals were prepared to b
affixed. attendants were sent scurry
ing for ribbons of the French tri-colo
with which the documents were seal
ed. as compliment to the Frencl
hosts of the commissions.
Many officials interestedly watche
every detail OF the proceedings
The last seal being impressed, tn
commissioners rose and without for
mality each member shook the hand
OF all his antagonists, and exchange
assurances of sincere personal esteem
The Spaniards afterward comment
ed upon what they termed the ba
taste Of the Americans in musterin
a crowd of attaches to gloat over th
+consummation Of their downfall and t
scramble for relics ..es5
The signing was finished at S:4
O'Clock. At that time the door of tn
chamber opened and Senor viflauruti
appeared and eclaimed to a group Q
correspondents who were waiting i
the corridor. "C"Est Fini." The othe
members of the Spanish commissio
followed Senor villaurutia and passe
silently through the vestibule to thei
waiting carriages. The American com
mission strolled out chatting com
plaisanty and as they descended tn
steps the lights in the chamber wer
darkened
The treaty as signed consists of sew
enteen articles. it having been foun
advisable to sub-divide two or thre
OF the articles in the draft agreed upo
at the last meeting.
The commissioners of the two nation
wrote their signatures on two copies G
the treaty, one copy being for the al
chives
1he document was prepared by Sec
retary Moore in behalf of the Unite
States commission and by Senor Vii
laurutia for Spain. on account of th
continued illness of Secretary O5eda, G
the Spanish commission.
Fact copy confined the English an
spanish texts of the treatyiin parallel
ed columns. The wording had bee
approved previously by the commits
siorers without a Joint meeting. s
tne-e was no controversy on this sub
iect.
There has been great contest anon
the families and friends of the Amer
lean com missioners for possession @
the pens with which the signatures
the treaty were written. Some of tn
Americans were provided with hand
some pens purchased for the purpos,
The Spaniards appeared to be unaffect
ed by the souvenir craze and contente
themselves with ordinary Quill pen
strewn on the table.