AT THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE: V-1899 341 



our best way out of the difficulty was absolutely to insist 

 on a clause limiting the devoir imposed by article 27, and 

 to force it to a vote. He declared that, in spite of the 

 French, it would certainly be carried. This I doubt. 

 M. Descamps knows, perhaps, more of international law 

 than of the temper of his associates. 



In the afternoon to the &quot; House in the Wood,&quot; where 

 the &quot; Final Act&quot; was read. This is a statement of 

 what has been done, summed up in the form of three 

 conventions, with sundry declarations, vceux, etc. We 

 had taken pains to see a number of the leading delegates, 

 and all, in their anxiety to save the main features of the 

 arbitration plan, agreed that they would not oppose our 

 declaration. It was therefore placed in the hands of 

 Baffalovitch, the Russian secretary, who stood close be 

 side the president, and as soon as the &quot; Final Act&quot; had 

 been recited he read this declaration of ours. This was 

 then brought before the conference in plenary session by 

 M. de Staal, and the conference was asked whether any 

 one had any objection, or anything to say regarding it. 

 There was a pause of about a minute, which seemed to me 

 about an hour. Not a word was said, in fact, there was 

 dead silence, and so our declaration embodying a reser 

 vation in favor of the Monroe Doctrine was duly recorded 

 and became part of the proceedings. 



Rarely in my life have I had such a feeling of deep 

 relief ; for, during some days past, it has looked as if the 

 arbitration project, so far as the United States is con 

 cerned, would be wrecked on that wretched little ar 

 ticle 27. 



I had before me notes of a speech carefully prepared, 

 stating our reasons and replying to objections, to be used 

 in case we were attacked, but it was not needed. In the 

 evening I was asked by Mr. Lavino, the correspondent 

 of the London &quot; Times,&quot; to put the gist of it into an &quot; in 

 terview&quot; for the great newspaper which he serves, and to 

 this I consented ; for, during the proceedings this after 

 noon in the conference, Sir Julian Pauncefote showed 



