The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-04-20
|THELAST FORMALITIES
Ratif1cations of the Peace
Treaty Exchanged.
THE PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION
Bellamy storer, Now Minister to Bel.
gium. viii Be the New MIN
lister to Spain.

Washington, April 1s.-The condi.
ti0n Of war which has existed between
the United States and Spain since
April 81, 1898, terminated today. when
the last formalities in the restoration
of peace were performed by the ex.
change Of notifications of the peace
treaty. Coincident with this. Presi.
dent Mckinley issued his proclamation
declaring that the war was at an end
and announcement was made that the
appointment of Bellamy Storer was de-
termined upon as United States min
listen to Spain.
The principal ceremony Of the day
occurred in the reception-room at the
White House. when the exchange of
ratifcations took place at 8 o'clock.
In anticipation of the historic charac-
ter Of the event. many members of the
cabinet and officials prominent in the
administration gathered at the White
House.
The signing of the protocol of ex-
change occurred at 1913 p. M. Am
bassador Cambon signed for Spain and
Secretary Hay for the United States.
The protocol was in French, and brief
~ Iecited the circumstances leading up
to the exchange.
This cleared the way for the ex-
change itself, constituting the final act.
The president took from the desk the
American copy of the treaty, hand
somely .engrossed, bound in dark blue
morocco, and encased in a black me.
Iocco portfolio, and handed it to NJ.
Cambon. At the same time, NJ. Cam.
bon handed to the president the Span
ish copy OF the treaty, also engrossed,
bound in morocco and encased in a
maroon-colored morocco box. There
were defferential bows as each received
from the other this final pledge of
peace. This exchange Of ratifications
occurred at 1886.
The president was the FIRST to speak.
"Mr. Ambassador, he said, II will
issue my proclamation at once"
M. Cambon thanked the president for
the promptness with which the proc
lamation followed. This ended the
formal ceremony, and after brief felici-
tations the ambassador and other off,
Gals withdrew.
After the ceremony President Nc
Kinley issued the following proclama-
ton:
Whereas. A treaty of peace between
the United States of America and her
majesty the queen regent Of Spain, in
the name of her august son, Alfonso
XIII, was concluded and signed by
their respective plenipotentiaries at
Paris, on the 10th day Of December,
1898. the original of which is in the
Spanish language. and is word for word
as follows: Here the full text Of the
treaty is included.) And.
"Whereas, The said convention has
been duly ratified by both parties and
the notifications of the two govern
ments were exchanged in the city Of
Washington on the 18th day of April.
one thousand eight hundred and
ninety.nine.
NOW, therefore, be it known. that
l. William Mckinley, president Of the
United States of America, have caused
the said convention to be made public
to the end that the same and every ar
ticle and clause thereof may be OBJ
served and fulfilled with good faith by
the United States and the citizens
thereof.
''In witness thereof, have hereun-
to set my hand and caused the seal Of
the United States to be affixed"