ThequestionnowcameupinourAmericandelegationastosigningthethreeconventionsintheActeFinal——namely，thoserelatingtoarbitration，totheextensionoftheGenevarules，andtothelawsandcustomsofwar。Wevotedtosignthefirst，tosendthesecondtoWashingtonwithoutrecommendation，andtosendthethirdwitharecommendationthatitbetheresigned。ThereasonforsendingthesecondtoWashingtonwithoutrecommendationisthatCaptainMahanfeelsthat，initspresentcondition，itmaybringonworseevilsthanitprevents。Heespeciallyand，I
think，justlyobjectstoallowingneutralhospitalshipstotakeonboardthewoundedandshipwreckedinanavalaction，withpowertothrowaroundthemthesafeguardsofneutralityandcarrythemofftoaneutralportwhencetheycanagainregaintheirownhomesandresumetheirstatusascombatants。
ThereasonforsubmittingthethirdtoWashington，witharecommendationtosignitthere，isthatconsiderableworkwillberequiredinconformingourlawsofwartothestandardproposedbytheconference，andthatitisbestthattheWashingtonauthoritieslookitovercarefully。
Iwasveryanxioustosignallthreeconventions，butthefirstisthegreatone，andIyieldedmyviewsonthelasttwo。
Thepowersaretohaveuntilthe31stofDecember，iftheywishit，beforesigning。
July27。
EarlyinthemorningtoameetingofourAmericandelegation，Mr。
vanKarnebeekbeingpresent。Weagreedtosignthearbitrationconvention，attachingtooursignaturesareservationembodyingourdeclarationofJuly25regardingthemaintenanceofourAmericanpolicy——theMonroeDoctrine。AtelegramwasreceivedfromtheStateDepartmentapprovingofthisdeclaration。TheimbroglioregardingtheforcingofthePopeintothemidstofthesignatorypowerscontinues。Theultramontanesarepushingonvariousdelegates，especiallysundryAustriansandBelgians，whodependonclericalsupportfortheirpoliticalexistence，and，insomecases，fortheirdailybread;andtheresultisthatM。
Descamps，oneofthemosteminentinternationallawyersinEurope，whohasrenderedgreatservicesduringtheconference，butwhoholdsaprofessorshipattheUniversityofLouvain，andcanholditnotonemomentlongerthantheJesuitsallowhim，ismakingagreatdisplayoffeelingonthesubject。Italy，ofcourse，continuestotakethestrongestgroundagainsttheproposaltoadmithisHolinessasanItaliansovereign。
Ourpositionis，aswaswellstatedinthegreatcommitteebyMr。
Low，thatthecontractingpartiesmustallconsentbeforeanewpartycancomein;andthisunderoneofthesimplestprinciplesoflaw。Weoughtalsotoaddthatanypowerthusadmittedshallnotonlyconsenttoarbitrateonothers，buttobearbitratedupon。This，ofcourse，theVaticanmonsignoriwillneverdo。TheywouldseeallEuropedelugedinbloodbeforetheywouldsubmitthepettiestquestionbetweenthekingdomofItalyandthemselvestoarbitrationbylaypowers。AllotherthingsareheldbythemutterlysubordinatetotherestorationofthePope’stemporalpower，thoughtheymustknowthatifitwererestoredtohimto—morrowhecouldnotholdit。Hewouldbeoverthrownbyarevolutionwithinamonth，evenwithallthetroopswhichFranceorAustriacouldsendtosupporthim;andthenweshouldhavetheoldmiserablestateofthingsagaininItaly，withbloodshed，oppression，andexactionssuchastookplacethroughoutthefirsthalfofthiscentury，and，indeed，whileIwasinItaly，undertheoldpapalauthority，in1856。
Intheafternoontothe"HouseintheWood"togooverdocumentspreliminarytosigningthe"FinalAct。"
July28。
Intheafternooninplenarysessionoftheconference，hearingthefinalreportsastoformsofsigning，etc。
To—dayappearsintheLondon"Times"theinterviewwhichitscorrespondenthadwithmeyesterday。Itdevelopsthereasonsforourdeclaration，andseemstogivegeneralsatisfaction。SirJulianPauncefotetoldHollsthathelikeditmuch。
Thecommitteeonformsofthe"FinalAct，"etc。，hasatlast，underpressureofallsorts，agreedthatthequestionofadmittingnon—signatorypowersshallbedecidedbythesignatorypowers，hereafter，throughtheordinarymediumofdiplomaticcorrespondence。ThisisunfortunateforsomeoftheSouthAmericanrepublics，butitwillprobablyinsomewayinuretothebenefitoftheVaticanmonsignori。
July29。
Thelastandculminatingdayoftheconference。
Inthemorningtheentirebodygatheredinthegreathallofthe"HouseintheWood，"andeachdelegationwassummonedthencetosigntheprotocol，conventions，anddeclarations。Thesewerelaidoutonalongtableinthedining—roomofthepalace，whichisadornedwithveryremarkablepaintingsofmythologicalsubjectsimitatingbas—reliefs。
Allthesedocumentshadtheplacesforeachsignaturepreparedbeforehand，andourseals，inwax，alreadyplaceduponthepagesadjoiningtheplacewhereeachsignaturewastobe。AttherequestoftheForeignOfficeauthoritiesformyseal，IhadsentadayortwobeforehandthesealringwhichGoldwinSmithgavemeatthefoundingofCornellUniversity。ItisanancientcarnelianintagliowhichheobtainedinRome，andbearsuponitsface，exquisitelyengraved，aWingedVictory。ThissealIusedduringmyentireconnectionwithCornellUniversity，andalsoasamemberoftheElectoralCollegeoftheStateofNewYorkatGeneralGrant’ssecondelection，when，attherequestofthepresidentofthatbody，GovernorWoodford，itwasusedinsealingcertificatesoftheelection，whichweresent，accordingtolaw，tocertainhighofficialsofourgovernment。
Iaffixedmysignaturetothearbitrationconvention，writingin，asagreed，theprovisothatoursignaturesweresubjecttotheMonroeDoctrinedeclarationmadeinopensessionoftheconferenceonJuly25。TheothermembersoftheAmericandelegationthensignedinproperorder。Butthetwootherconventionsweleftunsigned。ItwaswithdeepregretthatI
turnedawayfromthese;butthemajorityofthedelegationhaddecreedit，anditwasdifficulttoseewhatothercoursewecouldpursue。ItrustthattheWashingtonauthoritieswillrectifythematterbysigningthemboth。
Wealsoaffixedoursignaturestothefirstofthe"declarations。"
AtthreeP。M。cametheformalclosingoftheconference。M。deStaalmadeanexcellentspeech，asdidMr。vanKarnebeekandM。
deBeaufort，theNetherlandsministerofforeignaffairs。TotheseCountMunster，thepresidingdelegatefromGermany，repliedinFrench，andapparentlyextemporaneously。Itmusthavebeenpainandgrieftohim，forhewasobligedtospeakrespectfully，inthefirstplace，oftheconference，whichforsomeweekshehadaffectedtodespise;and，secondly，ofarbitrationandtheothermeasuresproposed，which，atleastduringallthefirstpartoftheconference，hehaddenouncedasatrickandahumbug;
and，finally，hehadtospeakrespectfullyofM。deStaal，towhomhehassteadilyshowndecideddislike。Hedidthewholequitewell，allthingsconsidered;butshowedhisfeelingsclearly，asregardedM。deStaal，byaddingtopraiseofhimgreaterpraiseforMr。vanKarnebeek，whohasbeenthemainmanagingmanintheconferenceinbehalfoftheNetherlandsGovernment。
Thentothehotelandbeganworkonthedraftofareport，regardingthewholeworkoftheconference，totheStateDepartment。Iwasespeciallyembarrassedbythefactthatthewordingofitmustbesuitedtothescruplesofmycolleague，CaptainMahan。Heisamanofthehighestcharacterandofgreatability，whomIrespectandgreatlylike;but，asanoldnavalofficer，weddedtotheviewsgenerallyentertainedbyoldermembersofthenavalandmilitaryservice，hehashadverylittle，ifany，sympathywiththemainpurposesoftheconference，andhasnothesitatedtodeclarehisdisbeliefinsomeofthemeasureswhichwewereespeciallyinstructedtopress。Inhisbooksheisonrecordagainsttheimmunityofprivatepropertyatsea，andindrawingupourmemorialtotheconferenceregardingthislattermatter，inmakingmyspeechwithreferencetoitintheconference，andinpreparingourreporttotheStateDepartment，Ihavebeenembarrassedbythisfact。Itwasimportanttohaveunanimity，anditcouldnotbehad，sofarashewasconcerned，withouttoningdownthewholething，and，indeed，leavingoutmuchthatinmyjudgmentthedocumentsemanatingfromusonthesubjectoughttocontain。Sonow，inregardtoarbitration，aswellastheothermeasuresfinallyadopted，hisfeelingsmustbeconsidered。Still，hisviewshavebeenanexcellenttonic;theyhaveeffectivelypreventedanylapseintosentimentality。Whenhespeaksthemillenniumfadesandthisstern，severe，actualworldappears。
Iworkeduntillateatnight，andthenwenttoScheveningenalmostindespair。
July30。
ReturnedtoTheHagueearlyinthemorning，andwentonagainwiththereport，workingsteadilythroughthedayuponit。ForthefirsttimeinmylifeIhavethusmadeSundayadayofwork。
AlthoughIhavenoconscientiousscruplesonthesubject，itwasbredintomeinmychildhoodandboyhoodthatSundayshouldbekeptfreefromallmannerofwork;andsothoroughlywasthisruleinculcatedthatIhaveborneitinmindeversince，oftenresistingverypressingtemptationtodepartfromit。
Butto—daytherewasnoalternative，andthewholetimeuntilfiveo’clockintheafternoonwasgiventogettingmydraftready。
AtfiveP。M。theAmericandelegationcametogether，and，tomysurprise，receivedmyreportwitheveryappearanceofsatisfaction。Mr。Lowindicatedsomeplaceswhich，inhisopinion，neededmodification;andtothisIheartilyagreed，fortheyweregenerallyplaceswhereIwasmyselfindoubt。
Mydrafthavingthusbeenpresented，IturneditovertoMr。Low，whoagreedtobringitto—morrowmorningwithsuchmodifications，omissions，andadditionsasseemedbesttohim。Theoldproverb，"’Tisalwaysdarkestjustbeforedaylight，"seemsexemplifiedintheaffairsofto—day，sincethekindreceptiongiventomydraftofthereport，andthesatisfactionexpressedregardingit，formamosthappyandunexpectedsequeltomywretcheddistrustregardingthewholematterlastnight。
July31。
TheAmericandelegationmetateleveninthemorninganddiscussedmydraft。Mr。Low’smodificationsandadditionswerenotmanyandweremainlygood。ButheomittedsomethingswhichI
wouldhavepreferredtoretain:thesebeinginthenatureofapleainbehalfofarbitration，or，rather，anexhibitionoftheadvantageswhichhavebeensecuredforitbytheconference;but，betweenhisdoubtsandCaptainMahan’sopposition，Ididnotcaretocontestthematter，andseveralpageswereleftout。
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