The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-04

affixed in red ink, one Of them being the
great seal of the Emperor.
ROYAL MOURNING.
Letters announcing the death of Euro
pean royalty are edged with heavy mourn
ing, which is employed for all ceremonial
communications issued during the period of
court mourning.
While it is bad form for our home officials
to address the President Ibis Excellency,"
some European monarchs affix this title
to the address upon the envelopes of their
letters. An envelope in heavy mourning.
bearing letter in which King Leopold an
nounces the recent birth of a royal Bel
gian princess, bears the inscription:
"Son Excellence, Monsieur lie President
des Etats Unis d'Amerique."
Mr.. Roosevelt sees none of these royal
letters of ceremony, and this fact is we'll
known to their senders. Nor does the chief
magistrates apparent indifference cut his
fellow-rulers sorely to the heart, for they
themselves never the formal replies
which he dispatches to them. So the whole
affair is a polite sham, like fifteen min
utes' call. However, the custom keeps
many men in employment and adds some
tangible historic data to the archives of the
State Department.
Monarchs do not intrust such letters to
| the ordinary channels of the public post.
| To begin with, they are written in the for
eign Offices of the respective governments,
| taken to the palaces for the royal sigma
| ture and then transmitted by special mail
pouches directly to the ambassadors and
ministers of the powers accredited to
| Washington. These diplomats deliver them
| to the secretary of state. In the event of
death of a royal person immediate notifica-
| ton is made to the State Department by
our diplomatic representative accredited to
| the afflicted court. The State Department
| Immediately wires the Presidents condo
| lence. Births and marriages in royal
| houses are not thus reported by telegraph
| as well as by mail.
| It is contrary to our traditions to initiate
any of this ceremonial correspondence
other than letters accrediting or recalling
| diplomatic representatives. We never an
nounce by letter or otherwise a death,
| birth or marriage in the presidential fam
| lily, but etiquette of course demands that
| the President acknowledge all ceremonial
| letters which he receives and that he frame
| them as nearly as practicable according to
| the forms held sacred among the older ma
| tons.
| FORMULA OF REPLY.
| Absolute formulate have been adopted for
| all forms Of our ceremonial letters. Mr..
| Sydney Y. Smith. chief of the diplomatic
| bureau, State Department, is Uncle Sans
| authority as to these forms. 1t is he who
| actually does all of the Presidents letter.
| writing, so far as royalty is concerned
| "Great and Good Friend" is the form of
| address which he employs for all ceremon-
/ ial letters in reply to announcements of
| royal deaths, births and marriages.
May God have your majesty in His wise
| keeping Your Good Friend Theodore
| Roosevelt" is the form of closing. Such
| letters begin as follows:
Theodore Roosevelt, President of the
United States. To his Majesty" ETC.. etc.
Each sovereign must, however, be ad-
dressed according to his preferred form.
| For example. recent letter to the Emper-
| or of Austria was commenced (after the
customary heading Theodore Roosevelt"
etc. as follows: ITO His Majesty. Francis
Joseph, Emperor of Austria, King of b.
hernia. Apostolic King of Hungary" The
King of Portugal must be addressed His
Most Faithful Majesty" the King OF
Spain. His Catholic Majesty" Emperor
William. His Imperial and Royal Majes-
ty." president of republic is addressed
His Excellency.'
An expert penman, Mr.. Z. B. Russ. Il
employed in the diplomatic bureau to write
all of these ceremonial letters coming from
the President. 1t is practically impossible
to distinguish his chirography from the