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resolutely opposed it。 The State convention of his party called
upon him to vote for it； the national convention of the party
took the same ground； his relatives and friends besought him to
yield； but he stood firmly against the measure； and finally； by
his example and his vote； defeated it。 It was an example of
Spartan fortitude； of Roman heroism； worthy to be chronicled by
Plutarch。 How was it chronicled？ I happened to be traveling in
Germany at the time； and naturally watched closely for the result
of the impeachment proceedings。 One morning I took up a German
paper containing the news and read； 〃The impeachment has been
defeated； three senators were bribed；〃 and at the head of the
list of bribed senators was the name of Fessenden！ The time will
come when his statue will commemorate his great example； let us
hope that the time will also come when party spirit will not be
allowed to disgrace our country by sending out to the world such
monstrous calumnies。
As to attacks upon the United States； it is only fair to say that
German publicists and newspaper writers were under much
provocation。 Some of the American correspondents then in Germany
showed wonderful skill in malignant invention。 My predecessors in
the embassy had suffered much from this cause。 One of them； whom
I had known from his young manhood as a gentleman of refined
tastes and quiet habits； utterly incapable of rudeness of any
sort； was accused； in a sensational letter published in various
American journals； of having become so noisy and boisterous at
court that the Emperor was obliged to rebuke him。 Various hints
of a foul and scandalous character were sent over and published。
I escaped more easily； but there were two or three examples which
were both vexatious and amusing。
Shortly after my arrival at my post； letters and newspaper
articles began coming deploring the conduct of the Germans toward
me； expressing deep sympathy with me； exhorting me to 〃stand
firm；〃 declaring that the American people were behind me； etc。；
etc。； all of which puzzled me greatly until I found that some
correspondent had sent over a telegram to the effect that the
feeling against America had become so bitter that the Emperor
himself had been obliged to intervene and command the officials
of his empire to present themselves at my official reception； and
with this statement was coupled a declaration that I had made the
most earnest remonstrance to the Imperial Government against such
treatment。 The simple fact was that the notice was in the
stereotyped form always used when an ambassador arrives。 On every
such occasion the proper authorities notify all the persons
concerned； giving the time of his receptions； and this was simply
what was done in my case。 On another occasion； telegrams were
sent over to American papers stating that the first secretary of
the embassy and myself； on visiting Parliament to hear an
important debate； had been grossly insulted by various members。
The fact was that we had been received by everybody with the
utmost kindness； that various members had saluted us in the most
friendly manner from the floor or had come into the diplomatic
gallery to welcome us； and that there was not the slightest
shadow of reason for the statement。 As an example of the genius
shown in some of these telegrams； another may be mentioned。 A
very charming American lady； niece of a member of Mr。 McKinley's
cabinet； having arrived on the Norwegian coast； her children were
taken on board the yacht of the Emperor； who was then cruising in
those regions； and later； on their arrival at Berlin； they with
their father and mother were asked by him to the palace to meet
his own wife and children。 A few days afterward a telegram was
published in America to the effect that the Emperor； in speaking
to Mrs。 White and myself regarding the children； had said that he
was especially surprised； because he had always understood that
American children were badly brought up and had very bad manners。
The simple fact was that； while he spoke of the children with
praise； the rest of the story was merely a sensational invention。
One of the marvels of American life is the toleration by decent
fathers and mothers of sensational newspapers in their
households。 Of all the demoralizing influences upon our people；
and especially upon our young people； they are the most steadily
and pervasively degrading。 Horace Greeley once published a
tractate entitled； 〃New Themes for the Clergy；〃 and I would
suggest the evil influence of sensation newsmongering as a most
fruitful theme for the exhortations of all American clergymen to
their flocks； whether Catholic； Jewish； or Protestant。 May we not
hope； also； that Mr。 Pulitzer's new College of Journalism will
give careful attention to this subject？
As to public questions then demanding attention； the first which
I now recall was a bit of international comedy； serving as a
prelude to more important matters； and worth mentioning here only
as showing a misconception very absurd； yet not without dangers。
One morning； as I had just sat down to my office work； there was
ushered in； with due ceremony； a young gentleman of light color；
Parisian to the tips of his fingers；in accent； manner； and
garb；who was announced as the charge d'affaires of Haiti。 He
was evidently under deep concern； and was soon in the midst of a
somewhat impassioned statement of his business。
It appeared that his government； like so many which had preceded
it； after a joyous career of proclamations； revolutions；
throat…cutting； confiscation； paper money； and loans； public and
private； had at last met a check； and that in this instance the
check had come in the shape of a German frigate which had dropped
into the harbor of Port…au…Prince； run out its guns； and demanded
redress of injuries and payment of debts to Germany and German
subjects； and the charge； after dwelling upon the enormity of
such a demand； pointed out the duty of the United States to
oblige Germany to desist；in short； to assert the Monroe
Doctrine as he understood it。
The young diplomatist's statement interested me much； it brought
back vividly to my mind the days when； as a commissioner from the
United States； I landed at Port…au…Prince； observed the wreck and
ruin caused by a recent revolution； experienced the beauties of a
paper…money system carried out so logically that a market…basket
full of currency was needed to buy a market…basket full of
vegetables； visited the tombs of the presidents from which the
bodies of their occupants had been torn and scattered； saw the
ring to which President Salnave had recently been tied when the
supporters of his successor had murdered him； and mused over the
ruins of the presidential mansion； which had been torn in pieces
by bombs from a patriotic vessel。 My heart naturally warmed
toward the representative of so much glory； and it seemed sad to
quench his oratorical fire and fervor with a cold statement of
fact。 But my duty was plain： I assured him that neither the
President whose name the famous 〃Doctrine〃 bears； nor the
Secretary of State who devised it； nor the American people behind
them； had any idea of protecting our sister republics in such
conduct as that of which the Germans complained； and I concluded
by fervently exhorting him to advise his government and people
simply topay their debts。
It gave me pleasure to learn； somewhat later； that this very
prosaic solution of the difficulty had been adopted。
I make haste to add that nothing which may be said here or
elsewhere in these recollections regarding sundry equatorial
governments has any reference to our sister republics of South
America really worthy of the name。 No countries were in my time
more admirably represented at Berlin than the Argentine Republic；
Chile； and Brazil。 The first…named sent as its minister the most
eminent living authority on international law； the second； a
gentleman deeply respected for character and ability； whose
household was one of the most beautiful and attractive I have
ever known； and the third； a statesman and scholar worthy of the
best traditions of his country。
As to more complicated international matters with which my
embassy had to deal； the first to assume a virulent form was that
of the Samoan Islands。
During the pr