No. 12.
The Emperor of
Austria to the President.
Highly Esteemed and Much-Beloved Friend: On the 4th day of July of the present year, the one hundredth anniversary of the existence of the Republic of the United States of North America is celebrated.
Accept on the occasion of this joyful centennial jubilee my most sincere congratulations for the people who are united as a powerful nation under the stars and stripes. A more welcome opportunity could not offer itself to me of looking back upon the fact that, by wise laws and continuous struggles to advance the welfare of the people, the United States have succeeded, in a comparatively short period, in making the most satisfactory progress in every respect.
In the expectation that the United States will advance in the same manner as heretofore, I express the hope that the intimate relations, based upon mutual confidence and warm sympathy, which exist between the states of my empire and the North American Union may continue without interruption. This, my heartfelt wish, Count Hoyos, my envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, is instructed to repeat to you verbally, when delivering this letter, and, at the same time, to assure you of my highest consideration.