The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-19
CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE
TNA UG UR1L ADDRESS BY THE
DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER.
bnssadorto Great Britain, Ira Accepting
the PresidGncy-The Sessions to be
secret-Apparent Unanimity Augurs
Well for the Outcome.

secret-Apparent Unanimity Augurs
Well for the Outcome.
The Hague, May 1S.-The peace con-
ference called by the Czar of Russia
was opened at 2 o'clock this afternoon
in the hall of the Huis ten Bosch, or
the "House in the Woods M. de
Beaufort, president of the council and
minister of foreign affairs of the gov
ernmentS of the Netherlands, delivered
the inaugural address and welcomed the
delegates.
M. de Beaufort spoke of the high hon
or of the choice of The Hague as the
meeting place for the conference, and
eXtoled the noble initiative of the czar,
saying that this would be a red-letter
day in the history of the century, and
expressing the hope that the czar would
be able to look back at to-day as the
most glorious day of his life. He con-
cluded with calling attention to the al
| legorical group over the doorway of the
hall, Peace Entering to Close the Tenn
pie of Janus" and said: II trust this
beautiful allegory will be a good augu-
ry Of your labors, and that after you
| have completed them you will be able
to say that Peace, whom Art introduced
into this hall, left it to spread its bless
ings among the whole of humanity"
| The delegates decided to send the fol-
lowing telegram to the czar: THE peace
conference lays at the feet of your ma
jesty its respectful congratulations up
on the occasion of your birthday, and
! expresses its sincere desire to cooperate
in the great and noble work in which
your majesty has taken generous in
itiative, and for which it begs you to
accept it's humble AMI profound graft
tude."
M. de Staal, the Russian ambassador
to Great Britain and head of the Rus
sian delegation, informally assuming
the presidency of the conference. said
that his first duty was to express to M.
de Beaufort his sincere gratitude for the
noble terms in which he had referred to
his august master, adding that his ma
jesty would be deeply touched by them
as well as by the spontaneity with
which the high assembly had associat-
Staal said: Though to the czar is due
the initiative of the conference, we owe
much to the Queen of the Netherlands
for inviting us to her capital. 1t is
happy augury of success that we have
met under the auspices of the young
sovereign, whose charge is felt in a
wide circle, whose heart is open to
everything great and generous and who
has displayed such sympathy with the
cause which brings us here. 1t is on
the historic soil of the Netherlands that
the greatest political problems have
been discussed. Here is the cradle of
science and international law"
After a reference to the historic peace
treaties concluded at The Hague, and
expressing regret that M. de Beaufort
had not accepted the presidency of the |
conference, M. de Staal said in conclu- |
sion: II cannot consider my election
otherwise than inspired by my position
az plenpotentiary of the emperor, who |
was the initiator Of the conference. On |
this ground ] accept with deep graft
tude the distinguished honor, and l |
shall use every endeavor to justify |
your confidence But | am perfectly |
aware that advanced age is, alas, sad |
privilege and weak auxiliary. But |
hope that it will at least constitute |
claim upon your Indulgence"
After making his address M. de Staal,
in behalf of the conference, telegraphed |
to the Queen of the Netherlands as fol-
lows: "The members of this conference,
assembled for the first time in this beau
tiful Huis ten Bosch, hasten to lay at
the feet Of your majesty their pest
wishes, praying you to accept their
homage and gratitude for the hospital
ity YOU have so graciously designed to
offer them
The reading of the message was
warmly applauded. M. de Beaufort was
appointed honorary president, and the
leading Dutch delegate A. p. c. Van
Karnobock, d. L., former minister of
foreign affairs and deputy, was appoint
ed vice president. After the appoint
ment of nine secretaries M. de StaaPs
proposal that the sessions be secret was
adopted The next session will take
place on Saturday, when the delegates
will arrange a programme and appoint
The conference then ad-
iourned. The session to-day lasted only
twenty-five minutes, and the apparent
unanimity displayed was considered to
augur well for the outcome.
n 4