The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-27
THE JAPANESE EMBASSY.
Their Arrival and Reception In
ChleagO. d

CHICAGO, February 28.-The Imperia
japanese Embassy reached this city thi!
afternoon at a:20' o'clock, and were i'm
medlately escorted to their quarters at thI
fremont House and Grand Central Hote
by committee OF the Common Council
who met them at Aurora, forty miles wes
Of this city, In the parior Of the Tremon,
House the leading members Of the EN-.
bassy were met by Mayor Medill and Q
large number ofscity officials and leading
citizens, and cordially greeted.
! After formal introduction Mayor Ne
dill welcomed the 0rientals as follows
"Prince 1wakura, o few weeks ago l had
the honor Of exchanging salutations with
your Excellency in San Francisco by tele.
graph, but while science through the in.
ventive genius OF an American has
enabled US to transmit messages across
q continent and over mountains
in defiance Of the elements it has has NOT
been able to transport trains without
detention when the Snow King holds his
revels among the Rocky Mountains, but
It Is q pleasurelto know that you were in
the society of the saints while you prac.
tice the virtue Of patience. Bat fAll's well
that ends well, and now that your EN-.
bassy have arrived in safety after the long
and wearisome delay, we extend both our
sympathy and welcome, and trust that in
your future travels in this country the
elements may be more propitious. We
are heartily glad to meet your Excellency
believing that it will prepare the way 10
q more intimate acquaintance and larger
intercourse between the people Of Japan
and America. We have been informed
OF your high rank, able craftsmanship and
great influence in the government Of
the Japanese Empire, and the purpose
and dignity Of the mission of which you
are the Chief Envoy; and we have also
heard with exceeding pleasure of the lib.
erality OF your views and those of the
Emperor OF Japan, in regard to inter
conrse with foreign powers. The people
ofthis country entertain sentiments OF
respect and the kindlicst feelings for your
countrymen, and wish TO foster trade and
commerce, and travel and social inter.
course. Japan will always find a sympa.
thi2ing friend in America. Your country
il the nearest TO ours of the Asiatic
nations. Steam navigation has reduced
the distance and made them neigh.
bors. Before long they will be connected
by a telegraphic cable, and thus brought
into hourly communication. We watch
with deep interest the rapid progress
your countrymen are making in modern
ideas, arts and cultures, and with admira-
ton the spirit of federation and liberty
under the encouragement OF your govern.
ment, which is supplanting the old habits
OF nOn.iEtercourse and seclusion. The
ancient barriers Of prejudice against for.
eigners appear to be melting quickly
away, and with them the suspicious and
antipathies which isolation always en-.
gender. The great civilizing agency OF
our times is commerce, which not only
exchanges commodities and supplies the
wants, but exchanges ideas and knowl.
edge, teaching each nation what all the
others know, stimulates curiosity, quick
ems Thought, liberalizes opinions, dispels
prejudice, and improves the government.
Under the wise and sagacious rulership
OF the present Emperor, Japan has taken
the lead of all the oriental nations, and is
leaving them far behind in the march OF
improvement. She is showing herself to
be not too proud to learn from 9TH
er nations, and prefers the genial
sunlight of modern civilization to
the cold and darkness of non.inter.
course, we are rejoiced TO hear that
she has naturalized and adopted the two
great motives of modern progress, steam
and electricity, and is now actively en-
gagged in building steamships and lines of
telegraphs and railways, and Is introduc-
ing steam power for general manufactur-
ing purposes, labor saving agricultural
implements, and our methods ofsmelting
ores and making iron and steel. The
power Of nation is measured by the ex-
tent of its use Of these metals. We feel
tlattered by the partiality Japan has shown
for Americans and their inventions. Your
government has recently selected our
Commissioner Of Agriculture, Gen. Cap.
ron, q citizen Of Illinois, TO instruct its
farmers in the use Of American imple-
ments Of hushandry and the methods
Of cultivation. We learn that your
government has also adopted our deci.
NAL monetary notation and our green
back system Of currency, procuring the
engraved plates and the bills from the
American Banknote Company, and the
best news we learn is that your Govern.
ment is seriously contemplating the adop.
tion Of the beautiful and simple Roman
alphabet, with an photography as nearly
phonetic as possible. l doubt not in this
last respect it will be mora successful than
were the Anglo:Saxons. The increasing
number OF japanese students in American
and European colleges is another sure
sign OF real progress, for those young men
will carry back with them the literature
and science ofour universities and become
teachers Of the same in their own country
| Weteel It compliment that among the
students in our schools are your own
sons, and our pleasure is heightened by
the information that you have brought
the first delegation Of young ladies 10 lin.
ish their education in our female semi
naries. We assure you they will be ten,
derly treated and their stay in our coun.
try made agreeable and useful. All these
proofs of progress and, improvement arc
hailed byAmcricans with unieighed pleas.
ure. Every step forward will receive The
sympathy and encouragement OF our peo
pie. Americans feel no jealousy Of Other
nations They are best pleased when
other people are making rapid advance.
ment in arts, science and government
Their highest ambition is to contest ioI
the prize OF excellence in the information.
al race Of civilization and good works. :
To this address Prince Iwakura re-
sponded in cordial and feeling manner
Minister DeLong and the japanese
young ladies arc quartercd at the private
residence ot one OF our citizens. To
morrow the Embassy will be taken In
carriages and shown the city. ...
Weather Report.
.-..... WAR DEPARTMENT.,
OPPfcE oPTHI CHrEP SIGNAL OFFICER,
WABHTE0TON, ID. c., Feb. B-7:30 r, n,