No. 418.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation, Japan,
Yokohama, January 12, 1874.
(Received February 21.)
No. 41.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy
of the speech of felicitation addressed to the Tenno by the diplomatic body,
through their dean, Sir Harry S. Parkes, at the audience granted them by His
Majesty on New Year’s day, and also a copy of the Tenno’s reply.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 41.]
Address of the foreign
representatives to the Mikado on the
new year, 1874.
Sire: In the name of the foreign
representatives accredited to Your Majesty’s court, I beg to convey to
Your Majesty our united congratulations on the occasion of the year now
commencing, and to express our sincere hope that it may be marked
throughout its course by much personal happiness to Your Majesty and by
increasing prosperity to your country.
Your Majesty will doubtless have learned with satisfaction from your
embassadors, who have lately returned to Japan, how friendly are the
sentiments which are entertained toward Your Majesty by our respective
sovereigns and rulers, and how cordially
[Page 660]
they desire that, by the removal of all barriers
to free intercourse in the interior of your country between their
respective subjects and citizens and those of Your Majesty, the fullest
advantage may be derived from the happy relations which already exist
between Japan and their respective states. We feel satisfied that these
wishes are reciprocated by Your Majesty, and we therefore trust that the
efforts of Your Majesty’s government will be entirely directed to the
advancement of measures which are calculated to promote so desirable an
object, and to permit the natural expansion of those material interests
which form the closest bond of union between states.
[Inclosure 52 in No.
41.—Translation.]
Reply of the Tenno to the
address of the foreign
representatives.
I am highly rejoiced at the felicitations which, on the occasion of this
new year, have been made to me by the representatives of the friendly
powers on my own happiness and the prosperity of my country. I
felicitate the sovereigns and presidents of the freindly powers on their
happiness and the prosperity of their respective countries. I trust that
the amicable relations of my country and the friendly powers will be
rendered closer by the public law of mutual intercourse.
