Mr. Bingham to Mr. Frelinghuysen .
Tokio, Japan , January 19, 1885. (Received February 16.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegraphic instruction, of which the following is a copy:
Washington, January 12, 1885.
Bingham, Minister Tokiio: Property gift of Japan submitted to Congress by President, with recommendation be accepted and appropriation be made to erect public buildings.
FRELINGHUYSEN.
I beg to tender my sincere thanks to the President and to you for the prompt and considerate action thus taken in relation to the generous offer of this Government, which I had the honor to communicate to you in my telegraphic dispatch dated the 22d ultimo, and of which I made report in my No. 1975, dated the 23d of December last. I would invite your attention to my No. 1978, dated the 2d instant, wherein I expressed the hope, for reasons therein stated, that you would instruct me by telegram as soon as you were authorized to do so that our Government will [Page 556] accept the proposed gift, to the end that his Imperial Japanese Majesty’s Government might without delay, and with assurance that the gift would be accepted by our Government, proceed to buy in the titles now held by private individuals near to the Imperial Gardens, where the new palace of the Emperor is being erected, near to which it is intended the land offered as a gift shall be. It is understood that lands in the vicinity of the new palace garden are appreciating in value and are now being sought after. Should Congress consent to the acceptance of the gift, I think it important that I should, for the reasons above indicated, be directed by telegram to acquaint this Government that the gift will be accepted.
I have, &c.,