The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-08-05
Emperor Williams Letter.

Emperor William of Germany performed a grace
full and seasonable courtesy in sending that autograph
letter of congratulation to President Grant, to be
read ON the Centennial Fourth of July. Such acts
(ssys the Sacramento Union) though they may ap-
pear trifing to superficial observers. go far to cement
international friendships. Doubtless the German
Emperor had in his mind. as a subsidiary thought,
the millions of his compatriots who now owe al
legiance to the stars and stripes, and doubtless these
will be no less gratifed than the rest of the American
people. 1t is perfectly true that we have always
been on good terms with Prussia, thought perhaps it
would be taking too wide a sweep to say that we
have always been on the best terms with all Germany,
for there was a time when, had we had the power,
one Continental hirer-out Of fighting men would
have felt the weight of our indignation. But the
German element is very assimilative, and has done
wonders in and for this country, and there is perhaps
no other European nationality for which a heartier
feeling of friendship is experienced here. During
the late war there can be no question that the
sympathies of the majority of American citizens
were with the Germans, and many substantial
testimonials to the warmth of that regard were dis
patched to Europe during the contest. 1t was not of
course from any such consideration that Emperor
William sent his letter, but the congratulations of an
almost absolute monarch upon the defeat of abso-
lutism in the new world are so unusual a phenom-
enon as to excite peculiar interest, and to demand
special recognition at our hands.
A Washington telegram of July 5, says:
To-day Mr.. Cadwalader, Acting Secretary of
State, presented Mr.. Schloezer, German Minister, to
the President, for the purpose of delivering an
autograph letter of congratulation from the Emperor
or Germany. Mr.. S~chlezer, in presenting the letter,
stated that he was instructed by His Majesty to
deliver, upon the fourth day of July, an autograph
letter of congratulation upon the centennial an
niversary, and wished to add his personal good
wishes for the United States. The President briefly
replied, assuring him of his satisfaction in receiving
this evidence on the part of His Majesty; that his
kind expressions for the United States were fully ap-
preciated, and that the letter should be properly
acknowledged. A translation of the letter is as
follows
By the grace Of God, Emperor of Germany. King
of Prussia, etc., to the President of the United States
of America-Great and good friend 1t has been
vouchsafed to you to celebrate the centennial festival
of the day upon which the great Republic over which
you preside entered the rank of independent nations.
The purposes of its founders have, by a wise ap-
plication of exchanges of history of the foundation
of nations and with insight into the distant future,
been realized by a development without a parallel.
TIE congratulate you and the American people upon
this occasion affords me much the greater pleasure
because since the treaty of friendship which my
ancestor of glorious memory, King Frederick, who
now rests with God, concluded with the United
States, undisturbedf friendship has continually existed
between Germany and America and has been
developed and strengthened by the ever increasing i'm
portance of their mutual relations and by inter-
course becoming more and more fruitful in every
domain Of commerce and science. That the welfare OF
the United States and friendship of the two countries
may continue to increase is my confident hope. Ao-
eept the renewed assurance OF my unqualified esteem.
Berlin. June 8, 1875. WILLIAM.
COuntersigned YoS BISMARCK.