Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-25
A VATICAN EXHIBIT
It Will Be Sent to the st.
Louis Exposition.
MR.. CURTIS MISSION
BORE INVITATION FROM PRESI-
DENT FRANCIS TO ROME.
Courteous Reception by the Pope-As-
constituent Caused at First by the
Audacity Of the Proposition.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
ROME December 10, 1908.
The holy see will be we'll represented at
the Louisiana purchase exposition, and for
the first time will participate in such
function. An exhibit selected from the
Vatican library, museum and art galleries
will be sent to St. Louis by Father Ehrle,
project of the pontifcal library An in
teresting collection of relics of the late
Leo XIII will be loaned by his family, in
GLIDING several of the choicest of the gifts
received by him at the jubilee anniversary
of his reign, and a cardinal, probably Car
dinal Satolli. will represent the pope at the
ceremonial functions, although that has not
yet been definitely settled.
This is an entirely new departure for the
church. 1t is unprecedented, and is intend
ed to be an expression of the interest the
holy father feels in the progress of the well
fare of the American people. 1t was de-
cided upon after three weeks of conference
and reflection. and to tell the story shall
have to be little more personal than usual
in my letters for l had the responsibility
of bearing the invitation and conducting
the negotiations on behalf of President
Francis and the directors of the exposition.
I was requested to undertake that mission
because of the experience and a somewhat
intimate acquaintance with the officials or
the Vatican gained In 1892 in connection
with similar duty in behalf of the Column
bian Exposition The circumstances, how
ever, quite different.
In 1892 the Congress of the United States
passed a resolution requesting the pope to
settle a long continued and acrimonious
controversy by having the archives of the
Vatican searched for evidences of knowl-
edge the part of the church of pre-Co-
lumbar discoveries of America by the
Norsemen. 1 was selected by President
Harrison to present the request to Leo
XIII, and then began very highly appre-
ciated and valuable acquaintance with him
and several of the cardinals and other
ecclesiastics at Rome. The papers from
ST. Louis received while 1 was in
Seville, and consisted of formal invitation
from President Francis to the pope. hand
somely engraved a letter of credentials for
myself from John Hay, Secretary of State,
and somewhat lengthy instructions for my
guidance.
The formal invitation and letter of Gre
dentials read as follows:
Department of State, Washington, Au-
gust %, 1903. To the Most Eminent Car
dinal Secretary of State, Rome:
l have great pleasure in commencing to
the acquaintance and courtesy of your emf
hence Mr. William E. Curtis, a distin-
guished citizen of the United States who
bears letter from the President of the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition inviting the
concurrence of his holiness, the pope, in
commemoration of the one hundredth ami
versary of the purchase of the Louisiana
May, 1904. This is an enterprise of the
greatest significance and importance, and
one In the success of which the President
of the United States takes a lively interest.
Commenting Mr.. Curtis to the conf
dence and esteem of your eminence, l am,
with sentiments of the highest considera-
ton, your obedient servant, JOHN HAY"
Text of the Invitation.
EST. Louis. August IS, 1903, Your Holiness:
BY the authority of the Congress of the
United States of America, and by the
proclamation of the President, the one hun
dredth anniversary OF the purchase of the
Louisiana territory from France will be
commemorated at the city of st. Louis in
the state of Missouri, by an exposition, in
which all nations of the earth will partici-
pate. appointing commissioners and making
appropriate displays of their progress in
the arts, sciences and industries 1t will
be very gratifying If the holy be
represented by a commissioner of distin-
guished ability and merit and by ex-
hibition Of the examples of art and anti
putty and mementoes of the several SOW
ereign pontffs which are now preserved in
the Vatican. Should your holiness be
pleased 10 intrust such objects of interest
and value to the care Of an official repre-
sentative who will bring them to the United
States, / am authorized to give the aSSur-
ance that special building or room will be
provided for their exhibition, and that they
will be protected by a guard. At the close
Of the exposition the articles will be re-
turned TO Rome with the care and
safely delivered to those from whose gen.
crosby and kindness they were obtained.
Il have the honor to assure your holi-
Eess that whoever may be appointed to
represent the holy see will be received with
all possible courtesy and distinction by the
authorities of the exposition.
With profound respect and reverence l
have the honor to be your holiness most
Obedient servant
DAVID R. FRANCIS. President.
WALTER B. STEVENS. Secretary"
Credentials Sent to the Pope.
Upon my arrival in Rome l sought the
good Offices Of Mgr. Kennedy of Philadel-
phias the genial rector of the American
College, who Is sometimes called the United
States ambassador to the holy see because
he Is always obliging and energetic in as
sistinS fellow countrymen who want to see
the pope and have other business at the
Vatican. There is no one else to whom
they can appeal. Our ambassador TO the
king and our consul general are powerless
for they cannot approach the officials OF
the church. Mgr Kennedy enjoys the
highest rank OF all the American prelates at
Rome and Is a great favorite at the Vati-
can, that whatever business we have
there is usually conducted through him.
BY his hands sent to the papal secretary
of state copies and Italian translations Of
the documents l carried. including my In
structit ms. in order that the holy father
should understand from the start what
came for and what / was expected to do
with application for an early audience
that the originals might be presented in
person. The officials at the Vatican are
always prompt and obligng, and an ap-
polntinent was made for the same evening
From that time the negotiations continued
for about three weeks, which made almost
daily visits to the Vatican necessary and
frequent conferences with the pope, Mgr
Merry DEL Val. his secretary OF state and
other high officials. Unfortunately, as DR.
Kennedy was about starting on his annual
vacation, l deprived of his valuable
assistance and counsel, but he gave me a
good start, and after his departure l was
chaperoned by Father Edward Byrne, vice
rector of the Irish College. brilliant young
scholar and lovable gentleman. to whom
am under the greatest obligations.
Treated With Cordial Courtesy.
From the beginning to the end l was
treated with cordial courtesy and con-
sideration by everybody from the holy
down In The nagec ubo