No. 410.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation, Japan,
Yokohama, October 21, 1873.
(Received November 20.)
No. 8.]
Sir: On the 14th instant His Majesty the Tenno
granted an audience to Mr. C. W. Brooks, an account of which is herewith
inclosed.
This manifestation of regard to an American citizen I think it proper to make
a matter of record.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Speech addressed by His Imperial Majesty the Tenno
of Japan, at a special audience given to Charles Walcott Brooks, at
his palace, on Tuesday, October 14, 1873.
I am gratified to meet you here for the first time. You have performed
your duties faithfully and zealously for many years as consul at San
Francisco. You have extended all necessary assistance to my people in
the kindest and most watchful manner, doing all things for the best, and
I express my entire satisfaction with your conduct, and with the able
services you have rendered my embassadors extraordinary to whom you have
been attached, and whom you have accompanied around the world in their
mission to the various treaty powers.
Answer by Charles Walcott
Brooks.
Before returning to America I am gratified to have the opportunity of
personally expressing to Your Majesty the deep sense of respect and
appreciation with which I
[Page 653]
have
received and enjoyed the commission which it was the pleasure of Your
Majesty to confer upon me.
I deem myself fortunate that Your Majesty has deigned to observe the
devotion with which I have constantly labored to merit Your Majesty’s
high appreciation.
I beg to offer the expression of my acknowledgments for Your Majesty’s
gracious allusion to my services, and to hope that Your Majesty will be
well persuaded that the remembrance of this occasion will always be
precious to me. May Your Majesty’s reign he long, peaceful, and
happy.
After the audience the Emperor presented his full-length portrait in a
frame to Mr. Brooks.
