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police measures taken against Armenian； Finnish； New Turkish； and
other orators who have wished to come here and make the
conference and the city a bear…garden ； have led both the extreme
partiesthat is； the solid Roman Catholic party on one side； and
the pretended votaries of liberty on the otherto hate the
ministry equally。 He thinks that they will join hands and oust
the ministry just as soon as the conference is over。
Some allowance is to be made for the fact that Sir Henry is a
Roman Catholic： while generally liberal； he evidently looks at
many questions from the point of view of his church。＇9＇
＇9＇ As it turned out； he was right： the ministry was ousted； but
not so soon as he expected； for the catastrophe did not arrive
until about two years later。 Then came in a coalition of high
Calvinists and Roman Catholics which brought in the Kuyper
ministry。
July 24。
For some daysin fact； ever since Captain Mahan on the 22d
called attention to article 27 of the arbitration convention as
likely to be considered an infringement of the Monroe
Doctrineour American delegation has been greatly perplexed。 We
have been trying to induce the French； who proposed article 27；
and who are as much attached to it as is a hen to her one chick；
to give it up； or； at least； to allow a limiting or explanatory
clause to be placed with it。 Various clauses of this sort have
been proposed。 The article itself makes it the duty of the other
signatory powers； when any two nations are evidently drifting
toward war； to remind these two nations that the arbitration
tribunal is open to them。 Nothing can be more simple and natural；
but we fear lest； when the convention comes up for ratification
in the United States Senate； some over…sensitive patriot may seek
to defeat it by insisting that it is really a violation of
time…honored American policy at home and abroadthe policy of
not entangling ourselves in the affairs of foreign nations； on
one side； and of not allowing them to interfere in our affairs；
on the other。
At twelve this day our delegation gave a large luncheon at the
Oude Doelenamong those present being Ambassadors De Staal；
Count Nigra； and Sir Julian Pauncefote； Bourgeois； Karnebeek；
Basily； Baron d'Estournelles； Baron de Bildt； and othersto
discuss means of getting out of the above…mentioned difficulty。 A
most earnest effort was made to induce the French to allow some
such modification as has been put into other articlesnamely；
the words； 〃autant que possible；〃 or some limiting clause to the
same effect； but neither Bourgeois nor D'Estournelles；
representing France； would think of it for a moment。 Bourgeois；
as the head of the French delegation； spoke again and again； at
great length。 Among other things； he gave us a very long
disquisition on the meaning of 〃devoir〃 as it stands in the
articlea disquisition which showed that the Jesuits are not the
only skilful casuists in the world。
I then presented my project of a declaration of the American
doctrine to be made by us on signing。 It had been scratched off
with a pencil in the morning； hastily； but it was well received
by Bourgeois； D'Estournelles； and all the others。
Later we held a meeting of our own delegation； when； to my
project of a declaration stating that nothing contained in any
part of the convention signed here should be considered as
requiring us to intrude； mingle； or entangle ourselves in
European politics or internal affairs； Low made an excellent
addition to the effect that nothing should be considered to
require any abandonment of the traditional attitude of the United
States toward questions purely American； and； with slight verbal
changes； this combination was adopted。
July 25。
All night long I have been tossing about in my bed and thinking
of our declaration of the Monroe Doctrine to be brought before
the conference to…day。 We all fear that the conference will not
receive it； or will insist on our signing without it or not
signing at all。
On my way to The Hague from Scheveningen I met M。 Descamps； the
eminent professor of international law in the University of
Louvain； and the leading delegate in the conference as regards
intricate legal questions connected with the arbitration plan。 He
thought that 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 〃House in the Wood；〃 where the 〃Final
Act〃 was read。 This is a statement of what has been done； summed
up in the form of three conventions； with sundry declarations；
voeux； 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
Raffalovitch； the Russian secretary； who stood close beside the
president； and as soon as the 〃Final Act〃 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 bad 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 reservation 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 concerned； would be
wrecked on that wretched little article 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 〃Times；〃 to put the
gist of it into an 〃interview〃 for the great newspaper which he
serves； and to this I consented； for； during the proceedings this
afternoon in the conference； Sir Julian Pauncefote showed great
uneasiness。 He was very anxious that we should withdraw the
declaration altogether； and said； 〃It will be charged against you
that you propose to evade your duties while using the treaty to
promote your interests〃； but I held firm and pressed the matter；
with the result above stated。 I feared that he would object in
open conference； but his loyalty to arbitration evidently
deterred him。 However； he returned to the charge privately； and I
then promised to make a public statement of our reasons for the
declaration； and this seemed to ease his mind。 The result was a
recasting of my proposed speech； and this Mr。 Lavino threw into
the form of a long telegram to the 〃Times。〃
July 26。
At ten to a meeting of our American delegation； when another
bombshell was thrown among usnothing less than the question
whether the Pope is to be allowed to become one of the signatory
powers； and this question has now taken a very acute form。 Italy
is； of course； utterly opposed to it； and Great Britain will not
sign if any besides