President de "GENTLEMEN: My first duty is to express to His Chapter II Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Address of Netherlands, my gratitude for the noble words which staal. he has just addressed to my August Master. His Majesty will be profoundly touched by the high sentiments by which M. de Beaufort is inspired, as well as with the spontaneity with which they have been approved by the members of this high assembly. If the Emperor of Russia has taken the initiative for the meeting of this Conference, we owe it to Her Majesty, the Queen of the Netherlands, that we have been called together in her capital. It is a happy presage for the success of our labors that we have been called together under the auspices of a young Sovereign whose charm is known far and near, and whose heart, open to everything grand and generous, has borne witness to so much sympathy for the cause. which has brought us here. "In the quiet surroundings of The Hague in the midst of a nation which constitutes a most significant. factor of universal civilization, we have under our eyes a striking example of what may be done for the welfare of peoples by valor, patriotism, and sustained energy. It is upon the historic ground of the Netherlands that the greatest problems of the political life of States have been discussed; it is here, as one may say, that the cradle of the science of International Law has stood; for centuries the important negotiations between European Powers have taken place here, and it is here that the remarkable treaty was signed which imposed a truce during the bloody con Chapter II test between States. Address of We find ourselves surrounded by great historic traditions. "It remains for me to thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands for the too flattering expressions which he has used about me. I am certain that I express the impulse of this high assembly, in assuring His Excellency, M. de Beaufort, that we should have been happy to see him preside over our meetings. His right to the Presidency was indicated not only by precedents followed on like occasions, but especially by his qualities as the eminent statesman who now directs the foreign policy of the Netherlands. His Presidency would, besides, be one more act of homage which we should love to pay to the August Sovereign who has offered us her gracious hospitality. As for myself, I cannot consider the election which has been conferred upon me otherwise than as a result of my being a plenipotentiary of the Emperor, my Master,- the august initiator of the idea of this Conference. Upon this ground I accept, with profound thanks for the high honor which the Minister of Foreign Affairs has conferred upon me in proposing my name, and which all the members of the Conference have so graciously ratified. I shall employ all my efforts to justify this confidence, but I am perfectly aware that the advanced age which I have attained is, alas, a sad privilege and a feeble auxiliary. I hope at least, gentlemen, that it may be a reason for your indulgence. "I now propose to send to Her Majesty, the Queen, whose grateful guests we are here, a message which I shall now read: "Assembled for the first time in the beautiful Chapter II House in the Woods, the members of the Conference hasten to place their best wishes at the feet of Your Majesty, begging the acceptance of the homage of their gratitude for the hospitality which you, madame, have so graciously deigned to offer them.' the Honorary Vice I propose to confer the Honorary Presidency of Election of the International Peace Conference upon His Excel-President and lency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nether- President. lands, and to name as Vice-President of this assembly the Jonkheer van Karnebeek, First Delegate of the Netherlands." Upon the adoption of these propositions, the fol- Secretaries. lowing officers were elected. Secretary-General, Jonkheer J. C. N. van Eys of Holland; Assistant Secretary-General, M. Raffolovich of Russia; Secretaries: M. Albert Legrand of France, M. Edouard de Grelle Rogier of Belgium, Chevalier W. de Rappard of Holland, Jonkheer A. G. Schimmelpenninck of Holland, M. Max Jarousse de Sillac of France, and Jonkheer J. J. Rochussen of Holland. Assistant Secretaries: G. J. C. A. Pop and Lieutenant C. E. Dittlinger. After passing a resolution declaring all meetings Secrecy. of the Conference and of its Committees to be absolutely secret, the Conference adjourned at half-past two until Saturday, May 20, at eleven o'clock in the morning. Chapter II Telegrams from the THE SECOND SESSION At the second session of the Conference, the President, M. de Staal, read the following telegrams: "HAUSBADEN: May 19, 1899. In thanking Your Queen of the Excellency, as well as the members of the Peace Conference, for the sentiments expressed in your Emperor of telegram, I take this occasion, with great pleasure, Netherlands and the Russia. Address of to repeat my welcome to my country. I wish most "ST. PETERSBURG: May 19, 1899. The Emperor requests me to act towards the Conference as the interpreter of his sincere thanks and of his most cordial wishes. My August Master directs me to assure Your Excellency how much His Majesty appreciates the telegram which you have sent to him. (Signed) "COUNT MOURAVIEFF." The President stated that at the moment of beginning the labors of the Conference, he considered it useful to summarize its objects and general tendencies, and he expressed himself as follows: "To seek the most efficacious means to assure to all peoples the blessings of a real and durable peace, this, according to the circular of the 12th - 24th -of August, is the principal object of our deliberations. The name of Peace Conference, which the instincts of the people, anticipating a decision on this point by the Governments, has given to our assemblage, indicates accurately the essential object Chapter II of our labors. The Peace Conference must not fail in the mission which devolves upon it; it must offer a result of its deliberations which shall be tangible, and which all humanity awaits with confidence. The eagerness which the Powers have shown in accepting the proposition contained in the Russian circular is the most eloquent testimony of the unanimity which peaceful ideas have attained. It is, therefore, for me an agreeable duty to ask the delegates of all the States represented here to transmit to their respective Governments the repeated expressions of thanks of the Russian Government. The very membership of this assemblage is a certain guarantee of the spirit in which we approach the labor which has been confided to us. The Governments are represented here by statesmen who have taken part in shaping the destiny of their own countries; by eminent diplomats who have been concerned in great negotiations, and who all know that the first need of peoples is the maintenance of peace. Besides these, there will be found here savants who in the domain of international law enjoy a justly merited renown. The general and superior officers of the armies and navies. who will help us in our labors will bring to us the assistance of their high competence. Diplomacy, as we all know, has for its object the prevention and the appeasement of conflicts between States; the softening of rivalries, the conciliation of interests, the clearing up of misunderstandings, and the substitution of harmony for discord. I may be permitted |