New-York tribune., 1899-01-16
MEMORIES OF GHrvr
THE QUAINT THEATRE wurn.
LAST PEACE WITH GREAT BRl,
AIN WAS SIGNED
Ghent. Decanl

completed eghty-four years ago in ,,, va
old Belgian town, under conditions co,,.a s"a
strongly with those under which no, uns
Of peace has been triumphantly neoo,,.,V
Paris. As the Treaty OF Ghent vas ,,3
peace negotiated by an American Com,O,,., az
Europe before the new convention .ba,
barely been concluded at Paris. bav. ho.a a
splreG with curiosity to see the aualn, ,s"
where the final scene Of the protracted nsa'.N N
tions was enacted.
In the course OF a holiday ramble in 80.
town have had little difficulty in anaIra
room. 1t Is the refectory OF the CarthusIan c'
vent about half mile from the Place dA,
\ partition has been run through the nia."
the treaty room and the monks now hav. ,,''
meals in one section OF IT, The room :.
preached by a broad staircase from tho 49,.
and the windows look out upon the innsr ~
of the convent. which is frightened and a..
rated by landscapes painted on the high ,,.
walls. Before the partition was set up II v....
| Oblong room OF moderate dimensions with A..
moulding and decorated ceiling. II Wa.
commonplace and shabby theatre for the a.,
tablcau Of the peace negotiations between "a.
land and America.
When | asked permission at the outer doc, a.
the convent to see the treaty room handson.
young monk misunderstood the question .,a
made haste TO show me what he considered TAN
the chief art treasures Of historic Ghent Th.s
were three reception-rooms In the main buin
ing which were decorated with postage star,.
from floor to ceiling. Every inch of wall sn...
was covered with stamps. carefully assorted .,s
graded in color and arranged so as TO fo,,
various designs such az the belfry Of Chen, an,
Chinese palaces and gardens Weeks ana
months Of labor had been expended upon mi.
work. and when the designs and patterns IA
various colors had been completed there h,A
been final vanishing day. The furniture VA,
decorated with postage stamps in the sam.
style. and the rooms were not without artist.
effect, simple and humble although the material.
employed might he.
The young monk, who had exhibited Win
complacent pride these curiosities OF monas,s
art, seemed surprised when the inquiry for ,hs
treaty room was repeated. He was not famlla,
with tho vicissitudes and achievements Of dino
macy In the year OF grace 1914 and was COM
PEELED to summon an older monk who conductA
me through the court into the building in tho
rear. and finally ushered me into the refectory
This Is the ROOM" he said. "where the Treaty
Of Ghent signed Many Americans coma
here to see 1t. but only few Englishmen. Amer.
lea is a great Nation How you have triumphM
over those poor Spaniards!"
WHY THE PAYS BAs WAS FAVORED
The explanation Of the diplomatic use to which
this and other apartments In the old house wer,
put eighty-four years ago is a commonplace ona
These were the lodgings Of the British Commis.
sioners, who could not get proper accommods.
tion in the chief hotel Of the town The five
American Commissioners had been early on the
ground. and had established their quarters At
the best public house. This was the Hotel De-
| Pays Bas. in the Place d'Armes When the
British Commissioners arrived they slept at the
Lion. an inferior inn, and sent an invitation 10
their American colleagues to meet them theN
on the morrow for the purpose Of exchanging
powers. The Americans at first regarded this
invitation to the British lodgings as an inad.
ious attempt to deal with them as Ministers a
an inferior Power. They discussed the mattss
! for two hours in a suspicious mood. but finally
consented to send civil answer. The British
Commissioners reported that they were not sat.
isfed with their lodgings. and would be glad to
have the first meeting at the American quarters
| The first two consultations took place at the
Pays Bas, and when the British Representatives
/
we're held alternately at the quarters OF the two
Commissions. In this way the last session oe-
Cured at the British lodgings. in the room whefs
| the Carthusian monks now breakfast and dine.
SEVEN MONTHS OF DIPLOMACY.
The diplomats who exchanged these visits dur.
| ing period Of seven months were eight in mum.
Der. The British Commissioners were Lord Gam.
bier. an admiral with a quarterback manner;
DR.. William Adams, a publlcist, and Henry
| Gouburn, a member Of Parliament and Under
Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Lord Gambler was
the chairman. but the working member was Mr
Goulburn. who enjoyed the confidence OF Lord
Castereagh and Lord Liverpool, and received
from them secret cues during the early stage Of
| the negotiations. The American Commissioners
were John Quincy Adams. Henry Clay. Albert
| Gallatin. James A. Bayard and Jonathan Rus
SELL Among them Mr.. Gaatin was the working
member. for he was conclatory by nature and
| always ready to settle the dissensions constantly
arising among his contentious colleagues. MI
Adams and Mr.. Clay approached every issue
from an opposite point Of view, and were quick
TO take fire from each other. One OF their oios'
raphers remarks in fine irony that more OF their
time was spent in negotiating with one another
| than with their opponents.
The American Commissioners were impresss'
at the outset with the insncerity OF the Brusa
| Government in undertaking TO negotiate peas'
Russia had offered to mediate between Wv
belligerents and President Madison had pro'"p.
" dispatched Commissioners across the Aua.'
TO cooperate with Mr.. Adams. who was 'He"
Minister at st. Petersburg Great Britain "s'
unwilling to have the Russian Government ''N,
part I'm the settlement Of questions OF neuu''
rights and successfully thwarted the nesO".'
tons. 1t was not until Mr.. Galatin dea'' ~
sonally with Lord Castlereagh. in London '",'
a practical basis for diplomacy was reasN-
Mediation was rejected, England peihs u.'-
mined to isolate the United states iro'' -, -
pean sympathy; but direct negotiations ,.
the belligerents were sanctioned. Lohuo"
named by the British Government ana "o nsn,
n,,rg Inv the Madison Administration and un.a. g..
was finally suggested by Mr. Gallatin as SUI
neutral ground. When the Commissioners 49,.