Office of the Historian

Mr. Hay to Mr. Storer.

Department of State,
Washington, April 18, 1899.
No. 1.]

Sir: The relations of peace and friendship between the United States and Spain, which have for some time past been interrupted, having been restored by the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty of peace between the two countries, signed at Paris on December 10, 1898, a copy of which I inclose for the files of your legation, the President has been pleased to appoint you to be envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States to Spain.

I send herewith:

1.
Your commission in such capacity.
2.
A letter addressed to Her Majesty the Queen Regent of Spain, with an office copy thereof.
3.
A copy of the printed instructions to the diplomatic officers of the United States.
4.
A diplomatic and consular list.

You will send the copy of the President’s letter to the foreign office at the time you ask for your audience for the delivery of the original to Her Majesty in person.

I also inclose an original and duplicate letter of credit on the bankers of the United States at London, authorizing them to pay your drafts for salary quarterly, as it becomes due, and for the contingent expenses of the legation actually incurred, not to exceed annually the sum of $3,100; and for clerk hire the sum of $1,200 annually. You will affix your signature to both letters and return the original to this Department.

Your salary as fixed by law will be at the rate of $12,000 per annum. You are referred to the printed instructions to the diplomatic officers of the United States for directions as to the mode of drawing your salary and rendering your accounts, as well as for the regulations relative to the expenditures of your legation.

The archives of your legation will afford information of the questions which have engaged the attention of the two Governments, and further instructions will be sent as required.

Entire confidence is entertained that the affairs of the legation at Madrid will prosper in your hands, and that you will, during your continuance in the mission, contribute in all possible ways toward the building up anew of most cordial relations between the two Governments and peoples.

I am, etc.,

John Hay.
[Inclosure.]

William McKinley, President of the United States of America.

To Her Majesty Dona Maria Cristina,
Queen Regent of Spain.

Great and Good Friend: I have made choice of Bellamy Storer, one of our distinguished citizens, to reside near the Government of Your Majesty in the [Page 680] quality of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America. He is well informed of the relative interests of the two countries and of our sincere desire to restore and to cultivate to the fullest extent the friendship which since the independence of the United States has remained almost continually unbroken between the United States and Spain. My knowledge of his high character and ability gives me entire confidence that he will constantly endeavor to advance the interests and prosperity of both Governments, and so render himself acceptable to Your Majesty.

I therefore request Your Majesty to receive him favorably and to give full credence to what he shall say on the part of the United States and to the assurance which I have charged him to convey to you of the best wishes of this Government for the prosperity of Spain and of its sincere trust that with the renewal of friendly intercourse the good will of the two peoples may have firm root and bring forth abundant increase, to their mutual advantage.

May God have Your Majesty in His wise keeping.

Written at Washington this 18th day of April, in the year 1899.

William McKinley.

By the President:
John Hay,
Secretary of State.