AMERICA, GERMANY, AND SPAIN-1897-1903 165 



On various occasions before that time I had met my 

 colleague the Spanish ambassador, Senor Mendez y Vigo, 

 and my relations with him had been exceedingly pleasant. 

 Each of us had tried to keep up the hopes of the other 

 that peace might be preserved, and down to the last mo 

 ment I took great pains to convince him of what I knew 

 to be the truth that the policy of President McKinley 

 was to prevent war. But I took no less pains to show him 

 that Spain must aid the President by concessions to pub 

 lic opinion. My personal sympathies, too, were aroused 

 in behalf of my colleague. He had passed the allotted 

 threescore years and ten, was evidently in infirm health, 

 had five sons in the Spanish army, and his son-in-law had 

 recently been appointed minister at Washington. 



Notice of the declaration of war came to me under cir 

 cumstances somewhat embarrassing. On the 21st of 

 April, 1898, began the festivities at Dresden on the seven 

 tieth birthday of King Albert of Saxony, which was also 

 the twenty-fifth anniversary of his accession ; and in view 

 of the high character of the King and of the affection 

 for him throughout Germany, and, indeed, throughout 

 Europe, nearly every civilized power had sent its repre 

 sentatives to present its congratulations. In these the 

 United States joined. Throughout our country are large 

 numbers of Saxons, who, while thoroughly loyal to our 

 Eepublic, cherish a kindly and even affectionate feeling 

 toward their former King and Queen. Moreover, there 

 was a special reason. For many years Dresden had been a 

 center in which very many American families congregated 

 for the purpose of educating their children, especially in 

 the German language and literature, in music, and in the 

 fine arts; no court in Europe had been so courteous to 

 Americans properly introduced, and in various ways the 

 sovereigns had personally shown their good feeling to 

 ward our countrymen. 



It was in view of this that the Secretary of State in 

 structed me to present an autograph letter of congratu 

 lation from the President to the King, and on the 20th of 



