Thursday, October 27th, 1898
October 27, 1898
. . . We were all eagerly expecting a dispatch from Washington, but none had been received. Secretary Day revived my old suggestion about the
Whitelaw Reid
(October 27, 1837 – December 15, 1912) journalist, politician, diplomat. Member of the Peace Commission representing the United States in negotations with the Spanish government to conclude the treaty ending the Spanish-American War.
Friday, October 28th, 1898
October 28, 1898
No news yet from Washington, excepting a dispatch that the President is in Philadelphia, and promising instructions sometime today. At our morning meeting, Mr. Parnow,
Saturday, October 29th, 1898
October 29, 1898
Secretary Day came in rather early this morning with a dispatch in his hand from Washington. I read it, and as each of the other
Monday, October 31st, 1898
October 31, 1898
… There was some speculation as to the attitude the Spaniards were likely to take when our Philippine demands were presented. Secretary Day was full
Tuesday, November 1st, 1898
November 1, 1898
. . . Judge Day was a good deal troubled [today] by the statement in one of the papers that the French yellow book contained
Wednesday, November 2nd, 1898
November 2, 1898
Dispatch from the President to Senator Frye read this morning together with Frye’s previous dispatch to the President which had called it out. Frye expressed
Thursday, November 3rd, 1898
November 3, 1898
Secretary Day read this morning a long letter he had sent to the President arguing against the right to hold the Philippines by conquest. In
Friday, November 4th, 1898
November 4, 1898
Considerable time was spent this morning in translating to the other Commissioners the articles in the Figaro and Gaulois, which had obviously been inspired, if
Saturday, November 5th, 1898
November 5, 1898
The Commissioners began early this morning on the translation as far as it had advanced, reading and pausing, from time to time, for discussion. Judge
Sunday, November 6th, 1898
November 6, 1898
Drives both forenoon and afternoon and a quiet evening at home. Tried in the morning to take several of the Senators out; but Senator Davis
Monday, November 7th, 1898
November 7, 1898
… When the Commissioners assembled in my rooms, Judge Day produced a dispatch from Washington in answer to those which he and Senator Davis and
Tuesday, November 8th, 1898
November 8, 1898
We began quite early this morning the further consideration of our reply to the Spanish Commissioners, really intending only to read for slight verbal corrections,
Wednesday, November 9th, 1898
November 9, 1898
My first greeting this morning was a dispatch . . . announcing Republican victories. Before the Commission met, the Associated Press agent, Mr. Mack [a
Thursday, November 10th, 1898
November 10, 1898
At the beginning of our meeting this morning, Secretary Day presented a dispatch just received from Bellamy Storer, our Minister in Belgium. It was a
Friday, November 11th, 1898
November 11, 1898
Dr. Clarke turned up early this morning, and said that Judge Day was in no danger, but must certainly keep his bed today and probably
Saturday, November 12, 1898
November 12, 1898
The Temps announced last night that it was doubtful whether there would be a meeting of the Joint Commission today, and this morning this news
Sunday, November 13th, 1898
November 13, 1898
Church in the morning with a little drive afterwards. Long chat in the afternoon with Judge Day about the prospects of the conference. He is
Monday, November 14th, 1898
November 14, 1898
As the members straggled in this morning Judge Day explained that a long cipher dispatch had come, and was being translated. While awaiting it we
Tuesday, November 15th, 1898
November 15, 1898
… I had made a little memorandum the night before of the sort of paper I was inclined soon to suggest filing. It was in
Wednesday, November 16th, 1898
November 16, 1898
The cold gave me a rather bad night of it, and work began in the morning almost before I was ready…. [Lawrence] Townsend, our Minister
Thursday, November 17th, 1898
November 17, 1898
Was awakened in the night by an increasing oppression in breathing, and before morning found myself in an old fashioned asthmatic spasm, the first real
Friday, November 18th, 1898
November 18, 1898
No trouble at all in breathing; ten hours’ sleep; and an almost entire disappearance this morning of asthmatic symptoms, . . . After we got
Saturday, November 19th, 1898
November 19, 1898
. . . [I] spent the morning dictating some new points on the Spanish paper and revising some others, Senator Davis seemed particularly interested in
Sunday, November 20th, [1898]
November 20, 1898
[I received some] good letters from home, and a supply of papers, with no particularly bad news. [But] they gave [me] a feeling of loneliness
Friday, November 25th, 1898
November 25, 1898
The first Commissioners [to arrive] this morning were full of pleasant talk about their enjoyment of the Thanksgiving festivities. One or two spoke of slight
Saturday, November 26th, 1898
November 26, 1898
Frye, Day, and Moore appeared about the usual hour. As the latter two came in, Frye and I were engaged in a little talk about
Monday, November 28th, 1898
November 28, 1898
Commissioners all a little late coming down. Finally started with Frye, Day, and Gray in carriage—Davis, who has uniformly gone with me, not having appeared.
Tuesday, November 29th, 1898
November 29, 1898
[There was] long discussion over preparing [the] draft for [a] complete treaty to be presented now at [the] next meeting. Moore furnished [a] synopsis of
Wednesday, November 30th, 1898
November 30, 1898
In spite of the fact that it was desired to submit the tentative text of the entire treaty to the Commission this morning and discuss