The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-07
THE JAPANESE EMBASSY.
Their Reception by the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES.,

WASHINGTON, March GAN immensl
assemblage was present In the House o
Representatives TO witness the reception
Of the japanese Embassy. The Speaker
called the House TO order at II o'clock
when on motion Of Mr.. Cox, the ladies
who were unable to find a place in the
galleries were admitted to the floor. The
visitors were announced at the main door
where they came into the hall escorted By
Gen. Banks and other members of thC
Committee on Foreign Affairs, accompa
MED by Minister DcLong and Consul
Brooks, The ambassadors occupied the
centre ol the group, and the other Japan.
csc were arranged in an outer line immc,
diately in their rear. Gen. Banks formal.
ly presented the Embassy to the House.
The Speaker addressed the visitors rs fol.
lows:
"YoUR EXcELLENCGEs-0n behalf Of the
House Of Representatives welcome your
Imperial Embassy to this hall. The re.
ceptIon which is thus extended to you SO
unanimously, So cordially, by the men,
bers Of this body, is significant Of the in.
terest which our whole people feel In
rapidly developing the relations be.
tween tue Japanese Empire and
the American Republic. The course of
emigration for the human race has for
many centuries been steadily westward,
the course always marked by conquest,
and too often by rapine. Reaching the
boundary of our continent, We encounter
the returning tide from your country set.
tling eastward, seeking moi the trophies
of war, but the more shining victories of
peace. These two currents Of population
appropriately meet and minglc on the
shores Of the great Pacific. 1t will be my
pleasure to present TO you personally the
representatives of the people. l beg to
assure you for them and for myself that
during your stay at our Capital you will
be at all times welcome to the privileges
and Courtesies OF thetloor."
1wakura proceeded to read, as If chant.
ing. the response in his own language.
When he had finished, Mr.. Banks read
the translation, which he asked leave to
have entered on the journal. The re.
sponse thanks the House Of Representa-
tives for the honor Of its courtesies, and
says:
Governments are strong when built
upon the hearts OF an enlightened people.
We came for enlightenment, and gladly
find it here. Journeying eastward from
the empire of sunrise toward sunrising,
wedaily behold new sunrise beyond the
one we before enjoyed. New knowledge
rises daily before lis. When we have
completed our trip, and shall have
passed the environs OF the globe, we
shall gather together our treasures of
knowledge, remembering that however
we have advanced towards the sources of
light, each onward move has revealed q
further step beyond. The Government OF
Japan already appreciates the value Of
the enlightened policy towards itself of
all nations, but our united assurances on
our return will confirm 10 the people at
large the friendliness of feeling so ire
quently expressed heretofore, but now so
generally exhibited to the Embassy. In
future on extended commerce will unite
our national interests in thousand forms,
as the drops ofwater commingle, flowing
from our several rivers, into that common
ocean that divides our countries. Let US
US express the hope that our national
friendship may be as difficult TO sunder
or estrange as to divide even the blended
drops of the ocean,"
The address was received with ap-
plause. Inlroductions were then pro.
cecded with, after which the visitors re-
paired TO the sentate and remained there
a few minutes. They came and leA with
out ceremony.