Mr. Snowden to Mr.
Foster.
United
States Legation,
Madrid, October 7,
1892.
No. 3.]Sir: In reply to your instruction, No. 6, of the
7th of September, concerning the delivery of the President’s invitation to
the Duke of Veragua, chief of the house of Columbus, and to his brother, the
Marquis of Bárboles, and to his son, Don Christopher Columbus of Aguilara, I
have the honor to inform you that this has been done. I beg to inclose
herewith a copy of my letter to his grace fixing the hour of 5 o’clock on
the 6th of October for the formal delivery of the invitation, and also a
copy of his reply to this. At the appointed hour I proceeded to the palace
of the duke, accompanied by Mr. Francis MacNutt, the secretary of legation,
and Lieut. McCarty Little, the naval attaché. I had deemed it proper and
becoming to invite Rear-Admiral Luce, U. S. Navy, the commissioner-general;
Lieut. Calwell, his chief of staff; Mr. Win. E. Curtis, Prof. Wilson, Dr.
Fewkes, Mr. Hough, and Mr. Culin, of the commission, to be present at this
ceremony.
All these gentlemen were in the uniform of their respective grades or in full
dress. We were received with ceremony at the palace, the salons of which
were well decorated and brilliantly illuminated. The Duke of Veragua wore
the full uniform of grand admiral of Spain, with the cordon of Charles III;
the Marquis of Bárboles, the uniform of a commander in the Spanish navy.
Absence from Madrid prevented the Duchess of Veragua and Don Christopher
Columbus y Aguilera from being present.
After the formalities of reception, I read a speech, of which I inclose a
copy, and delivered copies of the President’s invitation and the act of
Congress. The duke, who appeared profoundly touched by the terms in which he
was addressed, opened the letters and read them aloud, in English; an
English translation of his speech in reply is herewith inclosed.
During the moments of cordial and informal conversation which followed both
gentlemen expressed very warmly their appreciation of this act of the
Government of the United States, and assured me that no effort would be
spared to overcome all obstacles to their coming to America at the date
indicated.
We withdrew from the palace with the same ceremonies that attended our
reception.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure No. 1 in No. 3.]
Mr. Snowden to
Duke of Veragua.
Legation of The United States of America,
Madrid, Spain, October
3, 1892.
Sir: The Congress of the United States at its
recent session unanimously adopted a resolution extending to yourself,
your brother, the Marquis de Barboles, and your son, with your families,
a most cordial invitation to attend the opening ceremonies of the
World’s Columbian Exposition at the city of Chicago, in the State of
Illinois, on the 1st of May, 1893. The Secretary of State of the United
States has honored me with instructions to present this invitation and
copies of the resolution of Congress to yourself and the members of your
family, which it will be my privilege to do as soon as I am formally
presented to Her Majesty the Queen.
[Page 501]
If it will suit your convenience I shall he pleased to perform this
gratifying duty at such place as you may name, at 5 o’clock on the
afternoon of Thursday, the 6th instant, and I shall he pleased if you
will convey the contents of this communication to your brother and son,
and invite them to be present with such other members of your family as
you desire to witness the ceremony.
With assurances, etc.,
[Inclosure No. 2 in No.
3.—Translation.]
Duke of Veragua to Mr.
Snowden.
Excellency: I have had the honor of receiving
the polite invitation in which your excellency is pleased to inform me
of the commission intrusted to you by the Government and the people of
the United States of America on the occasion of the resolution recently
adopted in regard to myself, my brother, the Marquis of Barboles, and
our families, inviting us to the inauguration of the exhibition which
will take place in the city of Chicago, in the State of Illinois, on the
1st of May, 1893.
This testimony of respectful deference to the memory of the discoverer of
America, whose unworthy representative I am, is very pleasant to me, and
it will be for my family an honorable distinction which it will always
remember and will serve to render livelier our sympathies for your great
nation.
We will, therefore, be most delighted to wait for you on next Thursday,
at the time you had the kindness to appoint, and to know through so
honored a channel the terms of the invitation with which the Congress
has distinguished us.
On such a signal occasion, we have the honor to be your obedient
servant.
The Duke of Veragua.
[Inclosure No. 3 in No. 3.]
Remarks of Mr. Snowden.
Honored Sir: I am instructed by my Government
to present to your grace, to your brother, the Marquis de Barboles, to
your son, and the other members of your immediate family, copies of a
resolution unanimously adopted by the Congress of the United States at
its last session.
This resolution, which I am commissioned to deliver into your hands,
embodies the sentiments of the people and Government I have the honor to
represent at this court, and gives expression to the earnest desire
universally entertained in the United States that, during the
approaching ceremonies which are to commemorate the discovery of a New
World, you and your kindred should become guests of the nation which
enjoys the largest benefits from the achievements of your illustrious
ancestor.
We deem it especially appropriate that the living descendants of
Christopher Columbus should be present at the celebration to share in
the honor that the world will pay to the memory of a man who, as the
letter which accompanies the resolution so justly declares, stands
preëminent in American history.
You may rest assured, sir, that from the moment you reach our shores you
and your family will be the guests of an appreciative and patriotic
people, whose hands will be outstretched in a cordial welcome, and whose
hearts and homes will be open to receive you.
This invitation is not a mere formality, but, on the contrary, an
expression of the earnest wish of my countrymen that you accept their
hospitality and become their honored guests.
In the eelebration which is to commemorate the four hundredth anniversary
of the greatest event in all history, it is proposed to illustrate the
advance made within that period in the arts and sciences, in the
development of the world’s resources, as well as the intellectual and
moral growth of the great mass of humanity. On this memorable occasion
every nation will be represented, and the civilization of the Old World,
following the course of your ancestor, will meet in friendly rivalry
with that of the New in a city which typifies, perhaps more than any
other, the enterprise, the wealth, and the genius of the American
people.
No nobler tribute could be offered to the achievement of man than will be
presented in this majestic assembling of the nations.
I fully appreciate the privilege and honor that this occasion confers
upon me, in being the medium of conveying to you and your family an
invitation that carries with it an offer of unbounded hospitality of
sixty-five millions of people.
[Page 502]
[Inclosure No. 4 in No.
3.—Translation.]
Remarks of the Duke of Veragua.
Mr. Minister: The distinction with which I have
been honored by the President of the Republic of the United States of
Ameriea, on making use of the authorization which was given to him by
the Chambers, affords to me the gratification of knowing the feelings of
that people towards my family.
The Chicago Exposition being intended to commemorate the fourth centenary
of the discovery of the New World, by celebrating that transcendant
event in history, is of capital interest in the history of America, and
pays just homage to the glory of Columbus, whose unworthy representative
I am by direct line.
The remembrance of the great celebration which will take place next year
in the city of Chicago would always be pleasant to us; but the
considerate kindness of which we are the recipients, through you,
constitutes the highest honor that could be conferred, and we can only
meet it by accepting the kind invitation of the American people, unless
some cause superior to our will should prevent.
I request you, Mr. Minister, to make known to your Government our
feelings of gratefulness, and receive our high consideration, which also
is extended to the distinguished persons who accompany you on this
occasion.
