Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-03-17
MIscELLkNEous.
PHILADELPHIA!UENTBNNIAL
.Soecrci!yn Responses to the Presidents Mvi,
tuHO8S

L
tutiO8s.
The following letters, purporting to be the
replies of various foreign sovereigns to the in>
vitatiOn of President Grant to visit him
and the Philadelphia Exposition on the 4th
of July, 1876, have been handed to the New
York E0eniny Post for publication:
FROM QUEEN VICTORIA.
ar. President. Since the decease of my
beloved husband | have made il u rule never
to quit my kingdom except to visit the scenes
associated with his early youth at Coburg. 1
pray your ExcelleDcy therefore to excuse me
from accepting the inVi ;aton which you have
been pleased to send NE. To give your Ex-
ceIIency, however, some idea of the estimate
in which the American people and its Govern
ment are held by my court, l shall allow
myself the satisfaction of sending to your
Philadelphia Bazaar fuli> o rgth portrait of
my lanentec grandfather, George III, Of
blessed memory, and bust Of Brigader-
General Benedict Arnold, who, of all your
American heroes, enjoyed, and, SO far as l
know, merited, the most OF my grand
fathers respect.
Though l may not be with you in person,
l trust the sight of these memorials of affec-
ton will convince your Exccilency that the
lapse of a century, with all its curious vicis-
6itndcs, has not in the slightest degree d.
ninished those feelings towards Americans
which the event you are about to commem-
crate was calculated to inspire in the breast
OF every loyal Engilshmnu
Kiss my hand. VICrORIA.
Given at my Palace at Windsor April ], 1874,
FuoM THE EMPEmon Oh AUSTRIA.
-nr. J'rcsidr"i: In declining your Ex-
cel!eucy's prince!y invitation, as | am con-
strained to DO | beg you viii not infer that
l nm uumindfui Of the more than paternal
interest your government has always taken in
protecting the rights aud liberties of my sub.
jects Who have needed the shelter of your
flag, or the tender solicitude manifested by
one Of your predecessors for the subjects of
my imperial brother the late Emperor of
Mexico. assure you ExceileDcy that these
are incidents that never be for gotten by
me pEi By my descendants.
There is. however, a tradition in my FAM
ily which have been cdIc. TO aspect, and
which hope will satisfy your ExcelIency
that 10 denying myselfthe pleasure of psrtic>
ipating in your national fcie do not under
value the honor Of your Invitation. When
my august predecessor, joseph II. Of blessed
L
an artfui old printer named Franklin, or as
he was sometime more properly called, Franc.
Calm, trying to wheedle Louis into the sup
port of his couutryncn 10 their revolt against
England. He was unhappily but too success
iui, and the king urged Joseph, whose sister
he had married, to join him. '' No, sire,"
was my august ancestors reply: Z" it is my
trade to reign"
You will not take it anriss, hope, Mr.
President, if assign as my reason for de-
clining your invitation that reigning is nv
trade also, and purpose to continue in it.
May the Lord have your ExceIency in His
holy keeping. JOSEPH.
Given at the Palace of Schcnbruu, April !,
1874
FROM THE KISG AND EMpERon WILHELM.
-Mr. President: l am Old a poor sailor,
and so much occupied in counteractiug the
mannsuVres of my neighbors, as veil the fall
lible as the infaI!ible, that have no expec-
tation of ever again quitting my pire uutil
| am obliged to 50, unless, perhaps, public
duty should require to revisit Paris. 1
shall not fail, however, to be represented at
Philadelphia. Besides the two or three mil
lions of my subjects. who under the influence
of a patriotism which only republican iDsti-
tutions seem capable of inspiring, have left
their country for their country's good, and
who will take an active part in your Centen-
nial, propose further TO signalizs that occa-
sion by a general Jail delivery of my whole
empire. In order the better to testify to
your ExcelleDcy my high appreciation oftLe
true mission of republicanisw, 1 propose to
provide each of these objects of my unpre>
cedented cIemency with free passage to your
country aud orders never to return under
the penalty of Imprisonment for life feel
that in no more suitable way than this can d.
interpret the sentiments of my government
for the institutions of which you are the Of
fetal representative, and accumulated fruits
of WHICH you invite me to wituess.
May the Lord have your Exeellency in his
holy keeping.
Given at my Palace at BaboIsburg, April 1,
1874. WILHELM.