The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-19

q journal at Washington wished In xst
mold OF two naturalization treaties with
hutSpean powers watch we're 1eiaS So,.-
sidered by the United States goveln.nen..
he simps went TO an authority Ina
ASKED ~ be allowed TO search Ic con-
hdential iles rho leaues. was p.oMpt,,
aeecaet to. the newspaper nan made
etsiea OF Doth treaties, tne originals Nc d
re,sFned 10 the ries nnmediatly aud h
mftter was publishes neM, day.
iican on,y .c con- ecturel ON tho very
easy way IA wh.cn lhc journalist SO Gu
mat II was Though, nc canio from one OF
the orher COVE lnent depaa ments.
II Is difficult 40 say waicn is the great
evil, stolen treaty or a lost one pul ii
Is very probably nal only one ,reaty ,ias
ever been lost, an1 That unique distinct n
belongs TO Great Britain But 1t cost TIC
country six millions sterling. The foreign
office had been negotiate with the KIN,
OF Ashanti OH matto,s political aud 20
einbsdy their several CLAIMS and 10 maze
matters more agreeable Tor botn sides IL
was agreed that all differences should be
determined upon in general treaty.
Drafts were drawn out by England and
presented TO King kofioe by the repre-
sentative in Coomassic. and on the Other
hans, the kings advisors had suomittel
theirs to the English government. MI
went well. and then the hnll document
was officially drawn up and presented I,
tho dusky monarch of Ashanti for sigma
iure. rno foreign office officials waited
It's return from King Koflces capital,
They wVitod and waited until their pa.
tioncc became worn out. They at Icing, h
addressed Il note 10 the king, who imne-
diately replied TO the effect that nc had
returned the precious papers TO the for
cign ofheo long ago-he had sent them
direct.
The officials could not trace their ire.
oeipt, and everybody declared that they
had not seen them, the evidence was
against the statement of the king. and
as his copper colored majesty was known
to deceive, aud the probi,y OF his rectitude
was an unconsidered trile In matters Dip
lomatic, the benefit of the doubt was, o.
couise. given to the British officials, and
the result was declaration of war against
Ashanti.
After the conclusion OF peace and tho
utter defeat OF the king the lost treaty
was found slowed away in disused cup.
board in one OF the rooms OF the English
home office.
In the archives OF that same depart
ment are many treaties which we're be-
gun, but never finished, and these remain
under confidential lock and key, probably
tainly their contents viii never be di-
vulged
How are treaties arranged? All the pre-
liminarlcs are conducted through tho am
hassadors. Surprising treaty on a cor
tain subject were desired between this
country and Germany, our ambassador In
Berlin would receive instruction from the
state department, and he would In turn
communicate with the German govern.
mont the latter In Its turn eommunicat-
Ing with its Washington ambassador, who
would present his notes TO the American
government.
Then would ensue correspondence he-
tween the two powers through their re-
spcctive diplomatic representatives.
When the points were settled upon,
daft agreement or treaty would then he
drawn out by either side and submitted.
Approved ut last--in rome cases II has
taken two and sometimes three years to
arrive at that etage--thc chosen draft
would he transcribed on what is called
treaty paper" thick. white, parch-
ment-ike paper In the copy intended fer
this country, the transcription would be
done in English, whereas that intended
for Germany would be written In French
as the tongue Of the Gaul serves as tho
language of European diplomatlsts.