No. 497.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Evarts.
Berne , September 25, 1878. (Received October 9.)
Sir: Referring to your unnumbered instruction of May 23, 1877, to the diplomatic and consular officers of the United States, I have the honor to state that I went to Zurich on the 23d instant to meet General Grant.
His receeption there was a most hearty one, and many of the buildings were decorated with nags in his honor. Both the consul and vice-consul did everything in their power to make his visit to Zurich pleasant, and to do honor to the distinguished character of the late President of the United States.
On Monday evening Mr. Byers gave a very handsome dinner to General Grant, at which were present distinguished citizens of Zurich, representing the government, both federal and local, the sciences, the arts, the learned professions, the press, the army, and the manufacturers, as well as the old aristocracy of Zurich.
Mr. Byers invited his guests to drink to the health of General Grant, remarking that a man who, after leading half a million men to victory against a stubborn foe, had successfully conducted the government of a nation of more than forty millions of free and intelligent people, needed no praise from him. The toast was drunk with all honors.
[Page 840]Mr. Roemer, the President of Zurich, in a neat speech, which he delivered in English, spoke of the sympathy with which the Swiss people had followed General Grant’s course, both as a soldier and as President; and stated that the old Republic of Zurich had much pleasure and honor in having so distinguished a citizen of the United States within its borders; and that it was the hearty wish of the people of Zurich that General Grant might live long and happily to witness the good fruits of the noble deeds he had done in the field, and in the executive chair.
General Grant expressed his thanks for the cordial reception given him by so distinguished a body of Zurich’s leading men. It was to him a most agreeable honor to be the recipient of such a flattering exhibition of the good feeling existing between the two republics, and he took pleasure in proposing the health of the President and Council of the Swiss Confederation, and of those of the canton and city of Zurich, and the happiness and welfare of their people.
Mr. Feer-Herzog, of the National Council, then made in English an eloquent allusion to the sympathy and friendship characterizing the intercourse of the two republics, and drank to the health of the President of the United States.
I replied, thanking the company for the cordial manner in which they had drunk to the President’s health, and that I felt sure that I was but carrying out his wishes when I stated that the people and government of the United States considered the friendship of Switzerland, which had been pure and unselfish from the earliest days of our republic, as second to none in our estimation. Its sincerity had been evinced by the numbers of Swiss who had battled for the preservation of our Union and shed their blood in our cause $ that we were not unmindful of that friendship, and of its sincerity. I cited the deliberate judgment of the great statesman, Mr. Seward, who had, under the administration of the immortal Lincoln, while General Grant was, I might say, carrying on our home policy, conducted successfully our foreign policy. His verdict, formed three years after the close of the war, was, that of all the nations of Europe the Republic of Switzerland had in our hour of need shown us the most sincere and unbiased sympathy and friendship. I added that this verdict of Mr. Seward was the verdict of the American people and of the American Government, and that so long as I have the honor of representing them it would be my duty and pleasure to show our appreciation of Switzerland’s friendship, and to cultivate it to my utmost power.
Other speeches were made, among which was one by Colonel Fogli, commanding a division of the Swiss army, who, as a soldier, paid a high tribute to Grant’s military genius, and to the patriotism of our Army in returning to the paths of peace when they had accomplished their arduous task. He also spoke in the highest terms of Grant’s abilities as a statesman.
On the whole, I may say that General Grant’s reception at Zurich was one of the heartiest he has met with, and many expressions of a desire to see him again were extended to him.
Yesterday morning the President of Zurich and many prominent citizens were present at the railway station to say good-by to the General.
I accompanied the General to Basle (the last station on Swiss soil), on his way to Paris. There Consul Campbell, accompanied by Mr. Doerr, the consular agent at Olten, were at the railway station to welcome him. Owing to the shortness of his stay at Basle there was no public demonstration in his honor.
I am happy to say that I believe everything was done in the most [Page 841] cheerful and patriotic manner to carry out your wishes, and that the General himself carried with him none but the pleasantest recollections of his very short visit to Switzerland. You will be glad to learn that the General’s health has been much improved by his trip, and the relaxation which it has afforded him after his former arduous duties. It was surprising and agreeable to observe the enthusiasm which he inspired among the sedate men of German Switzerland, renowned for the phlegmatic character of its citizens.
I returned last evening to Berne, having been absent less than forty-eight hours.
I have, & c.,