The Portland daily press., 1889-05-28
KING OSCAR RECEIVES MR.. THOMAS.
The American Minister at the Court
OF Norway and Sweden.
An Imposing Ceremony In the Pal
ace OF the Northland.
Mr.. Thomas's Address and the Re-
sponse Of the King.

AhoAhdot OAss ChVOJ CAtAaOAuAuhAJ oLN
lister plenipotentiary TO Sweden aud Nor
way today received official audience Of the
King.
Shortly after noon Mr.. Thomas was waited
on at his apartments in the Grand Hotel by
Count Horn, master of ceremonies Of the
Swedish Court and conveyed in royal car
riage to the palace.
The equipage was drawn by four richly
caparisoned horses from the Kings stables.
and was preceded by two outriders In bril-
liant uni form. A large crowd had gathered
in front Of the hotel and along the line Of
route. The outriders galloped in advance
clearing the way. and the American minister
was driven at brisk trot across the broad
North bridge and up the steep height on
which stands the vast stone quadrangle Of
Stockholm's royal residence proudly over
looking the Malar lake and the Baltic Sea.
Outside the portal company Of soldiers
were drawn up In line and presented arms.
The minister alighted at the western en-
trance, and escorted by the master of cere-
monies, proceeded up the grand stone stair
case between files Of the palace servants In
blue livery to the hall of the guard, where
the royal body guard, one hundred strong
clad in the time honored uniform Of the sat
elites of Charles XII. were drawn up in
honor of the occasion. Passing between the
lines of this flower OF Swedish soldiery, Mr..
Thomas was received by two royal chamber
lains and conducted through large suite of
State apartments between lines of high
officers OF the realm, respondent in uniform
and glittering with decorations. to the grand
marshal of the court, Count Rosen, by whom
ho frxtn Ahn xaI audi
chamber. where the King was standing to
receive him.
His Majesty was clad in the uniform of
the general of the Swedish army, and bore
on his breast the star and Gordon of the
Seraphim. the highest order of Sweden, and
the star and Gordon Of st. oiof, the highest
order Of Norway. The King was uncovered,
his white plumed chapeau resting upon his
left arm
Mr.. Thomas presented his letter Of Gre
dence from President Harrison aud adj
dressed the King as follows:
MR.. THoMAs's ADDRESS.
Your MdJesty:-I have the honor to place
inyour hand letter from the President of
the United States Of America, accrediting
me as its envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary to Sweden and Norway.
Il Is also my distinguished privilege to
bear with me from over the ocean the assur-
ances of the high regard and sincere friend
ship Of the President and people Of the Uni
ted States for Your Majesty and the brother
peoples Of the United Kingdoms.
1t Is not the first time this pleasant duty
has been entrusted to me. Once before Your
Majesty graeiously received me as the min
lister of my country. then represented 3S
states and 100000 of people. Six years
have flown by. I return the representative
of the same country, but AZ stars shine from
the blue of our flag, and beneath its folds
81, ,000, 900 citizens march onward to the peace
full conquests Of industry.
In this grand advance America gratefully
acknowledges her indebtedness to Scandlna-
via No people in this world receive a
warmer welcome on our shores. None
make better citizens of our Republic than
the sons and daughters of the lofty North.
They bring with them the honesty and in
dustry. the patience and fortitude, the hope
and valor, the love OF truth and fear Of God,
that have ever distinguished the Scandina
Wan race. and illumined the pages OF its
history
Three millions of Americans are proud to
trace their origin to the Scandinavian penin-
sula. True and loyal citizens of the Republic,
they yet preserve warm place in their
memories and hearts for Your Majesty's
person and for their old home and kinsfolk
in the N0rthland. Their kindest, tenderest
greetings bring from my own native land
to theirs.
In coming to Scandinavia | cannot feel
that / come TO foreign shore; return
rather to my second home-to gallant land,
whose monarch l have learned to
venerate. whose people / respect and love,
and among whom / have found Heavens
best gift to man. Diplomacy between the
two countries can never be to me matter of
indifference, or cold, dry and uninteresting
formallty.. 1t Is my sincere desire to do
whatever in me lies to advance the prosperi-
ty Of Your Majesty's government and peo
pie, as well as that of the United States;
and so long as represent my country here
pledge my best efforts to maintain the good
understanding and to draw yet more closely
two peoples in the early infancy Of the Re-
public before Washington was President, or
ever our Constitution was adopted, have
held unbroken through the lapse Of more
than enc hundred eventful years down to
this day, and which, God grant, may endure
forever.
HIS MAJEsrY's RESPONSE.
King Oscar, in reply, welcomed Mr.. Thom-
as for second time as minister, and said he
was gratifed to receive assurances Of the
friendship Of the President and people Of
the United States. He was especially moved
by the kindly greetings sent him by the sons
and daughters of Scandinavia now in Ameri-
ca. His earnest desire was that the good
understanding which had ever existed be-
tween the United Kingdoms and the United
States might be perpetual. He was conf
dent that Mr.. Thomas, who returned with
a friendship for the brother peoples, formed
by old acquaintance and cemented now by
an even stronger tie, would we'll and worthi-
ly fulfill his mission in the Northland. Up
on his own cooperation to this end. Mr.
Thomas could ever rely.