Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
Spain's Envoy Hands His Credentials
to the President.
WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGED
Short Ceremony at the White
House This Morning.
LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES

off April 21 1895 were formally resumed at
II o'clock today when President Mckinley
greeted the Duke of ARGOS. the newly ac-
credited minister to the United States, in
the blue parlor Of the White House. 1t was
a notable occasion in the worlds history
the resumption of friendly relations be-
tween two nations which had been at war
and in the brief struggle had changed the
map of the world. The speeches of today
were especially notable They We're plain
spoken and devoid of the usual hazy diplo-
matte phraseology.
The ceremony was exceedingly simple
Promptly at II O'Clock the hour set, the
two carriages containing the Duke of ARGOS,
Secretary Hay and the secretaries of the
new Spanish minister, Senors Riano and
Pastor, reached the White House from the
State Department, where the new minister
had gone first. Quite a crowd had collected
TO catch glimpse of the new minister.
In the Blue Room.
The party was Immediately ushered into
the blue parlor The duke was attired in
his Respondent diplomatic uniform Across
his coat he wore scarlet sash and on his
breast sparkled the insignia of half a dozen
orders, the dazzling cross of the Order of
the Catholic being the most conspicuous.
He carried his plumed chapeau in his left
hand and the copy of his address in his
right. The secretaries were likewise attired
in their gorgeous diplomatic uniforms. On
reaching the blue parlOr they were present.
ed by Secretary Hay to Col. Bingham who
remained with them while the Secretary of
State retired for moment. He Immediate
ly reappeared with President Nc knley, to
whom he presented the duke and Seniors
Riano and Pastor. The President was cor
dial but dgnitied in his greeting. The duke
then read his address in Spanish. He stood
10 Of n hi- ai.l th.,
President while a little to the rear and
right Of the President stood Secretary Hay,
Col. Bingham and Assistant Secretary Cor
telyou stood upon the left. The ceremony
took less than five minutes.
After the intrOductions the Spanish min
lister handed his credentials to the Presi-
dent and addressed him as follows:
The Minister'S Address
Mr. President: | have the honor to place
in your eXcellency's hands the royal letter
by which her majesty, the Queen Regent of
Spain, in the name of her august son, King
Don Alfonso XIII, accrcdits me near this !
government in the capacity Of envoy extra |
ordinary and minister penipotentiary.
Il have come to renew the relations of |
friendship which have existed from of old |
between Spain and the United States, and |
which Were interrupted by the of last |
year. The treaty of peace which Spain has |
signed put an end to that war, and now |
LOOKING only 10 Ine future, SPAN desires |
that her relations with this republic may |
be as friendly they were in times past |
and from the days In which this country |
was struggling to gain its independence 1t |
is my task to contribute to the renewal of |
these relations, to strengthen them and to |
draw them closer: and, in the discharge of |
1t, hope to be aided by the kindness and |
cooperation of your excellency and of your !
government"
The President responded as follows:
The Presidents Response.
Mr.. Minister: / receive with the great
est qualification the letter by which her
majesty, the Queen Regent of Spain, in the
name of her august son, King Alfonso
XIII, has accredited you near this govern
ment as envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary.
You will find Mr.. Minister cordial
welcome in this country, not only from
those whose friends hip you acquired during
your former residence, but from all our
people, who rejoice as I do, at the renewal
of the ancient bonds Of amity, which with
a brief interruption have united our nations
for more than one hundred years
That these friendly relations may be
confirmed and strengthened to the ad-
vantage of both peoples is my earnest
wish, and l can assure you that every
member of this government will heartily
co operate with you to that desirable end"
The speeches were briefer than usual, and
while purely formal may be accepted as
models in their way.
A Noticeable Distinction.
1t was noticeable that the duke in re-
ferring to the qualification with which |
Spain resumed the friendly relations with |
the United States that had existed for |
over 100 years, plainly said that these re-
lations had been broken by war, while the |
President delicatey spoke only of the re-
lations interrupted for a short time.
ha 1ICin nf fhn ,1.lr
President stepped forward and shook hands |
cordially with the new minister, and they |
engaged in conversation In low tone for |
minute or two. The President gracefully |
inquired after the health of the queen re-
gent and the king. He courteously refer
red to the dukes former residence in this
country and his MANY friends here. and re-
peated the assurances of the concluding
words of his formal greeting that every
one here would unite In making the minis |
ters stay in this country pleasant and sat
isfactory.
The party then retired and was driven
to the Arlington Hotel
Surrenders His Trust.
The French ambassador, NJ Cambon,
called on Secretary Hay today and formal
ly surrendered the representation of Span
ish inter ests which he has conducted for
some time. This step followed the pre-
sentation of the Duke of Arcos as Spanish
minister and the assumption by him of
the duties thus far performed by the am
basSador.
Secretary Hay will give a dinner next
Tuesday evening in honor of the Duke of
ARGOS. This will be the first social and
semi-official courtesy extended to the rep
resentauve of Spain.
The French ambassador, NJ. Cambon, will
give a dinner in honor of the duke and
duchess Wednesday evening next. Thera
will be a notable assemblage of cabinet
officers, ambassadors and distinguished
officials at these dinners.
Contrast With Another Scene
The ceremony today was in striking con-
trast with the meeting that occurred in
the same room April I, 1898, two weeks
before diplomatic negotiations were broken
off, when the representatives of the six
great powers of Europe, Great Britain
France, Germany, Russia, Austria and
Italy made a final effort to avert the i'm
pending war by presenting a joint note of
the powers in the interest of a peaceful
solution of the Cuban problem.
The President upon that occasion still
chung to the hope that peace would reign,
but he distinctly impressed the representa-
tives OF the powers that Spain must afford
the necessary guarantee for the re-estab-
lishment of order on the island. The Pres