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part05+-第36部分

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possibly not always by means so peaceful as orating under the



roof of the Capitol。







Moreover; the nation had just escaped a terrible catastrophe at



the last general election; the ignorant; careless; and perverse



vote having gone almost solidly for a financial policy which



would have wrecked us temporarily and disgraced us eternally。



Time will; no doubt; develop a more conservative sentiment in the



States where this vote for evil was cast; as civilization deepens



and advances; better ideas will doubtless grow stronger; but it



is sure that the addition of Cuba to the United States; if it



ever comes; means the adding of a vast illiterate mass of voters



to those who at that election showed themselves so dangerous。







On all these accounts I had felt very anxious to put off the



whole Cuban question until our Republic should become so much



larger and so much more mature that the addition of a few



millions of Spanish…Americans would be of but small account in



the total vote of the country。







Then; too; I had little sympathy with aspirations for what



Spanish revolutionists call freedom; and no admiration at all for



Central American republics。 I had officially examined one of them



thoroughly; had known much of others; and had no belief in the



capacity of people for citizenship who prefer to carry on



government by pronunciamtentos; who never acknowledge the rights



of majorities; who are ready to start civil war on the slightest



pretext; and who; when in power; exercise a despotism more



persistent and cruel than any since Nero and Caligula。 No Russian



autocrat; claiming to govern by divine right; has ever dared to



commit the high…handed cruelties which are common in sundry West



Indian and equatorial republics。 I felt that the great thing was



to gain time before doing anything which might result in the



admission of the millions trained under such influences into all



the rights; privileges; and powers of American citizenship。







But there came the destruction of the Maine in the harbor of



Havana; and thenceforward war was certain。 The news was brought



to me at a gala representation of the opera at Berlin; when; on



invitation from the Emperor; the ambassadors were occupying a



large box opposite his own。 Hardly had the telegram announcing



the catastrophe been placed in my hands when the Emperor entered;



and on his addressing me I informed him of it。 He was evidently



shocked; and expressed a regret which; I fully believe; was



deeply sincere。 He instantly asked; with a piercing look; 〃Was



the explosion from the outside?〃 My answer was that I hoped and



believed that it was not; that it was probably an interior



explosion。 To my great regret; the official report afterward



obliged me to change my mind on the subject; but I still feel



that no Spanish officer or true Spaniard was concerned in the



matter。 It has been my good fortune to know many Spanish



officers; and it is impossible for me to conceive one of their



kind as having taken part in so frightful a piece of treachery;



it has always seemed to be more likely that it was done by a



party of wild local fanatics; the refuse of a West Indian



seaport。







The Emperor remained firm in his first impression that the



explosion was caused from the outside。 Even before this was



established by the official investigation; he had settled into



that conclusion。 On one occasion; when a large number of leading



officers of the North Sea Squadron were dining with him; he asked



their opinion on this subject; and although the great



majorityindeed; almost all presentthen believed that the



catastrophe had resulted from an interior explosion; he adhered



to his belief that it was from an exterior attack。







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 moment I took great pains to convince him of what I



knew to be the truththat 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 public 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 circumstances



somewhat embarrassing。 On the 21st of April; 1898; began the



festivities at Dresden on the seventieth 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 representatives



to present its congratulations。 In these the United States



joined。 Throughout our country are large numbers of Saxons; who;



while thoroughly loyal to our Republic; 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 toward our countrymen。







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



to present an autograph letter of congratulation from the



President to the King; and on the 20th of April I proceeded to



Dresden; with the embassy secretaries and attaches; for this



purpose。 About midnight between the 20th and 21st there came a



loud and persistent knocking at my door in the hotel; and there



soon entered a telegraph messenger with an enormously long



despatch in cipher。 Hardly had I set the secretaries at work upon



it than other telegrams began to come; and a large part of the



night was given to deciphering them。 They announced the



declaration of war and instructed me to convey to the various



parties interested the usual notices regarding war measures:



blockade; prohibitions; exemptions; regulations; and the like。







At eleven o'clock the next morning; court carriages having taken



us over to the palace; we were going up the grand staircase in



full force when who should appear at the top; on his way down;



but the Spanish ambassador with his suite! Both of us were; of



course; embarrassed。 No doubt he felt; as I did; that it would



have been more agreeable just then to meet the representative of



any other power than of that with which war had just been



declared; but I put out my hand and addressed him; if not so



cordially as usual; at least in a kindly way; he reciprocated the



greeting; and our embarrassment was at least lessened。 Of course;



during the continuation of the war; our relations lacked their



former cordiality; but we remained personally friendly。







In my brief speech on delivering President McKinley's letter I



tendered to the King and Queen the President's congratulations;



with thanks for the courtesies which had been shown to my



countrymen。 This was not the first occasion on which I had



discharged this latter duty; for; at a formal presentation to



these sovereigns some time before; I had taken pains to show that



we were not unmindful of their kindness to our compatriots。 The



festivities which followed were interesting。 There were dinners



with high state officials; gala opera; and historical



representations; given by the city of Dresden; of a very



beautiful character。 On these occasions I met various eminent



personages; among others the Emperor of Austria and his prime



minister; Count Goluchowsky; both of whom discussed current



international topics with clearness and force; and I also had



rather an interesting conversation with the papal nuncio at



Munich; more recently in Paris; Lorenzelli; with reference to



various measures looking to the possible abridgment of the war。







On the third day of the festivities came a great review; and a



sight somewhat rare。 To greet the King there were present the



Emperor of Germany; the Emperor of Austria; and various minor



German sovereigns; each of whom had in the Saxon army a regiment



nominally his own; and led it past the Saxon monarch; saluting



him as he reviewed it。 The two Emperors certainly discharged this



duty in a very handsome; chivalric sort of way。 In the evening



came a great dinner at the palace; at which the King and Queen



presided。 The only speech on the occasion was one of



congratulation made by the Emperor of Austria; and it was very



creditable to him; being to all appearance extemporaneous; yet



well worded; quiet; dignified; and manly。 The ceremonies closed



on Sunday with a grand 〃Te Deum〃 at the palace church; in the



presence of all the majesties;the joy expressed by the music



being duly accentuated by cannon outside。







I may say; before closing this subject; that Thomas Jefferson's



famous letter to Governor Langdon; describing royal per
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