Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-21

GIFTS TO UNCLE SAM.
a FEW "TRIFLEso WHICH THE suL-
TAN SENT IN 1889.

which is the Arabian way of writing
Dec. %, 1S39-the sultan of Oman
whose name was Seyyid Saood, Bin Sui
tan Bin Ahmed. addressed gracious let
ter to His Excellency Martin Van Bii-
rem, President OF the United States OF
North America in which he informed
the president that lie had sent him by the
royal ship Sultanee few trifles as a
token of friendship and good feeling.
These triaes consisted Of two Arabian
horses and their groom, one bottle of
altar of rose. two pieces Of gold, FIVE
demijohns of rosewater, one Persian
carpet, one gold ornament with silk
tassel, four camel's hair shawls, one gold
mounted sword, two large pearls, one
string of 100 pearls, one gold plate, one
bottle Of diamonds, one gold snuff box
studded with precious stones and one
box of mixed pearls and diamonds.
The ship with its precious cargo ar
rived i'll New York on the % of May,
and the president was at once notified.
Under the constitution the president has
not the right to accept personal gift
from any foreign state or power, and
consequently Mr.. Van Buren, was in
dilemma. He referred the matter to the
secretary of state, and the secretary of
state wrote to the agents Of the vessel in
New York, and they, in turn, informed
the commander of the ship that the presi-
dent was without authority to accept the
gifts. But the commander was not will
ing to carry the presents back to his
royal master, for the sultan had way Of
cutting off the heads of his messengers
II they failed to deliver his presents. So
he politely but firmly insisted that they
should be accepted.
Fearing that this might give rise to I'M
pleasant complications, the president
finally decided to refer the question to
congress as u last resort. Accordingly, ON
May 81 he addressed communication to
the senate setting forth the difficulty he
was in aud asking that some action
might be taken. The matter was duly
considered by congress, and at the end of
two months elaboration it passed reso-
luton authorizing the president to accept
the gifts in the name of the United
States government and to dispose of
such as could not conveniently be stored
in the state department. After three
months of correspondence, red tape, di-
plomacy and legislation the sultan's
Christmas presents were finally accepted.
and then the president was put to the
trouble of selling the horses, the shawls
and the rosewater. while Uncle Sam
was given the further trouble OF finding
suitable place to store the remaining
gifts and was afterward put to great
expense in capturing the thief who car
ried oil the entire collection in bag
and was only caught after a long chase
This is not the only time that Uncle
Sam has got himself into trouble by his
popularity. For many years our consuls
and ministers in Asia and Africa had
hard time trying to convince emperors.
sultans and kings that it was against the
laws of our country for them to accept
the presents which these soyereigns in
sisted upon offering them to show how
much they thought of Uncle Sam. Many
of these offerings consisted of animals
horses, elephants, tigers and the like
and our representatives had no end Of
trouble in finding accommodations for
such unwieldly and ferocious gifts, which
are ofttimes forced upon them in spite OF
their protests.
OF course. Uncle Sam has received
many presents which he has been very
glad to accept as tokens OF friendship |
and good will on the part of foreign gov
ernments. These gifts embrace wide
variety of objects, from a plain whales
tooth-presented by the king of the Fiji
islands-to costly ornaments, handsome
pieces of furniture and rare paintings.
The first gift received by the American
government was two paintings, oil por-
traits of Louis XVI and Marie An
toinette, presented by the king and queen
themselves soon after the close of our
Revolutionary war
Uncle Sam has been particularly for
To in h., nf
French governments regard for Uncle
Sam is embodied in some beautiful
Seyres vases of the highest artistic beau
ty and very valuable. Among the most
noteworthy are the two French Limoges
vases in the National museum. They
are ench over eight feet in height one
decorated with emblems Of war and the
other with symbols of peace. Their total
cash yalue--if we may be allowed to
place money valuation On gifts
$1,000
Another vase that should not be over
looked is the one awarded by the emper-
or of Germany to this country rs first
prize at the Berlin Fishery exposition in
1880. 1t is made of silver. gold and
glass, studded with jewels and is of ex-
qniste design and workmanship.
On the outside of the National mu-
scum, as though deserving of no better
accommodation. is huge stone sar-
cophagus. or coffin. which was presented
by the admiring people of Syria TO Pres
ident Jackson. ..Old Hickory" did not
appreciate the gift and swore that lie
would not be buried in it. 1t is. there
fore, not locked upon with much favor
except by tourists, who have up to this
time Clipped off more than ten pounds of
II as mementos.
Next to vases Uncle Sam is specially
rich in swords-swords of all kinds, most
of them handsome and costly-that have
been presented by various foreign gov
ernments or their representatives. Med
ais, too, are I, common form of gift. The
sultan of Turkey showed his good will by
sending us medal in commemoration Of
the four hundredth anniversary of the
discovery of America. 1t is an exquisite
cameo in a case of gold studded with
diamonds.
or course every one is familiar with
the two great statues presented by the
people Of France to the people of Amer
ica-the statue of Liberty. which stands
ut the entrance to the harbor of New
York, and the Lafayette statue, which
adorns the beautiful park in Washington
opposite the White House and has the
distinction of being the only official mon
ument to foreigner in the national cap
it'll.
Mention pioht ho vv,odo ~ MANY otba~