New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-21
EXPERIENCES OF ANDREW D. WHITE.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THIS AMERICAN DIPLOMAT
CONTAINS MANY INTERESTING ANECDOTES


the way hazy Russian dispatches originate;
Owing to the lack OF public discussion. Rms
STA is the classic ground OF myth and lexsnd
One sees myths and legends growing day by
day For example. one meets half a dozen peo-
pie at o'clock tea in a Russian mouse ara
one Of them says: How badly the Emperor
looked at court last nightr Another says: 'Yes-
his liver is evidently out OF order; he ought q,
go to Carlsbad Another says: 7 think thai
special pains ought to be taken with his fool,
etc. People then scatter from this tea tabe
and in a day or two one hears that sufHcie,r
preCaution is not taken with the Emperor,
food; that II would not be strange II scra
Nihillst should seek to poison hin. day or
two afterward one hears that Whilst has en-
deavored to poison the Emperor. The legend
grows details appear here and there and hnarv
there come in the newspapers Of Western Eu-
rope full and careful particulars Of a thwartel
plot to poison his majesty"
Apparently ali sorts Of things are expectas
Of Ministers and Ambassadors Mr. WIFI.
enumerates some Of the queer things which
were expected of him when An1bassado- to Ger
many: Some compatriots expected ne TO for
ward 20 the Emperor begging letters. or LETTERS
suggesting to him new ideas. unaware that
nyriads Of such letters are constantly sa7t
which never reach him. and which even his sec
retaries never think Of reading Others sent
books not knowing tire rule prevailing among
crowned heads never to cccert published
book and not realizing that II this rule were
broken not one boo, in Thousand would GO
beyond the Office Of his general secretarv
Others sent medicine. which tEey wished him
to recommend; and ona man WIS veiy
persistent in endeavOring to secure his natestys
decision wager.
fr-
wind or string Instruments wishing to sing OF
play before him. sculPtcrs and painters wishing
him to visit their studios and writer's Of music
wishing him to order their compositions TO be
brought out at the Royal opera
'AH these requests eliminated in two. where
in the gentle reader viii see mixture Ct
the comic and pathetic. The first was from a
person mot an Americana who wished ny good
offices in enabling her to obtain commission
for brilliant marriage. she having in reserve
as she assured me. a real I.a;ln duke, whom
for a consideration she would secure for an
American heiress The other, which was from
an eminentIy respectable source, urged me 20
induce the imperial authorities 70 station in
the United States Young German officer with
whom an American young lady had fallen IN
love And these proposals was expected TO
further. IN spite OF the fact that the rules for
American representatives abroad forbid all spe-
cial pleading OF any kind in favor Of individual
interests or enterprises without special tnstruc-
lions from the State Department"
When the question Of annexing Santo Do
rningo, which country. for so small and insig-
nifcant a nation. has been playing a rather
large part in the political drama OF thu United
States lately. was being discussed thirty or
more years ago. General Grant. then President
selected Mr.. White one OF the commissioners
to visit the little republic and determine It's
value to the United States. Some OF the events
| connected with his visit had an amusing side
to them from several points OF view. Here is
Mr.. Whites account OF one OF these incidents:
Civil war had been recently raging through
out the republic and IN one OF the interior
towns 1 was one day notified that a well known
guerilla general, who had shown great bravery
| in behalf OF the Baez government wisned a pup
| lie interview. The meeting took place IN ths
large room or the house which had been as
| signed me- The mountain chiftain enteT@d, hear
ing rifle, and, the first salutations having been
exchanged, he struck an oratorical attitude, am
| after expressing in a loud harangus his high
consideration for the United States. for IT'S
| representative, and for all present, he solemnly
rendered the rife to me. saying that he had
taken It IN battle from Luperon, the arch enemy
| of the country. and could think OF no other be-
! stowal so worthy Of II. This gift somewhat
| disconnected me. In the bitterness OF party
| feeling at home regarding the Santo Domingo
| question. how would il look for one OF the COM
| missioners to accept such a present? Presi-
| dent Grant had been held up 70 ooloQuy
| throughout the whole length and breadth OF
the land for accepting a dog; what, then, would
| happen to a diplomatic representative who
should accept a rife? Connected with the ex-
| petition were some twenty or thirty repre-
| sentatives OF the press. and I could easily see
| how my acceptance OF such a gift would alarm
| the sensitive consciences OF many OF them ana
would be enlarged and embroidered until the
| United States would resound with indignant
| outcry against a commission which accepted
presents and was probably won over by con-
| tracts for artillery My first attempt was 70
| evade the difficulty Rife in hand. acknoWl-
| edged my appreciation Of the gift but declared
| to the general that my keeping such trophy
| would certainly be a wrong to his family thal
would therefore. accept it and transmit II 10
| his SON to be handed down from generation 10
| generation of his descendants as an helrlooi,
| and monument OF bravery and PATRIOTISM
| was just congratulating myself on this OF Z
| extemporized diplomacy when a cloud began -
gather in the generals face. and presently ne
broke forth. saying that he regretted TO ma
| his present not good enough to be accepted anu
! that II was the best he had: that IL he had pos
| sessed anything better he would have brought
| it, At this two or three gentlemen N our
party pressed around me, and in uncerLOHes
| advised me by all means to accept ~; tLe a
| was no alternative; 1 accepted the rlne IN - -
| sonorous words as I could muster-in o eIa,.
| Of the government OF the United states hau :
| placed Immediately in large box Win -
| words War Department upon ii In very starlns
| letters; and the matter ended FortuIate-!,
the commission. though attacked for multituos
| of sins. escaped censure in this mattSS