204 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE -XVIII 



most virulent of all, those who had just then been angered 

 by the doings of sundry Prussian underlings in Poland. 

 I must confess to uneasiness during his whole stay in 

 America, and among the bright days of my life was that 

 on which the news came that he was on board a German 

 liner and on his return. 



One feature of that evening is perhaps more worthy 

 of record. After the departure of the prince, the Em 

 peror s conversation took a more serious turn, and as we 

 walked toward his carriage he said, &quot;My brother s mis 

 sion has no political character whatever, save in one con 

 tingency: If the efforts made in certain parts of Europe 

 to show that the German Government sought to bring 

 about a European combination against the United States 

 during your Spanish war are persisted in, I have author 

 ized him to lay before the President certain papers which 

 will put that slander at rest forever.&quot; As it turned out, 

 there was little need of this, since the course both of the 

 Emperor and his government was otherwise amply vin 

 dicated. 



The main matter of public business during the first 

 months of the year was the Russian occupation of Man 

 churia, regarding which our government took a very 

 earnest part, instructing me to press the matter upon the 

 attention of the German Government, and to follow it up 

 with especial care. Besides this, it was my duty to urge 

 a fitting representation of Germany at the approaching 

 St. Louis Exposition. Regarding this there were dif 

 ficulties. The Germans very generally avowed themselves 

 exposition-weary (Ausstellungsmude) ; and no wonder, 

 for exposition had succeeded exposition, now in this coun 

 try, now in that, and then in various American cities, each 

 anxious to outdo the other, until all foreign governments 

 were well-nigh tired out. But the St. Louis Exposition 

 encountered an adverse feeling much more serious than 

 any caused by fatigue, the American system of high pro 

 tection having led the Germans to distrust all our expo 

 sitions, whether at New Orleans, Chicago, Buffalo, or St. 



