parliament for our people, and of our toleration, enforced by treaty, of all religious beliefs, notwithstanding forty millions of Japanese still worship in the old temples of our ancestors.

"Other Treaty Powers have been and are our friends; but without unjust or invidious reflection, Japan acknowledges a deeper national obligation to the great country you represent than to any other of the Powers. In this spirit we welcome you to our court, trusting that your administration will make yet stronger the chain of friendship and commercial interest which has so long united us together."

The foregoing is, in substance, the free translated reply of the Emperor. The remarkable feature of this speech from the throne, was its lack of policy and diplomacy, in placing the United States on a higher plane of confidence and love than was accorded to any other Power. We cannot, in justice to our American countrywomen, permit this opportunity to pass without also recording the brief but gentle and womanly response of the Empress to the lady

of the American Minister on her presentation

at court.

That beautiful and cultured woman, the lineal successor to a long line of kings and queens, spoke feelingly and earnestly, these words to her American sister:

"The Empress joins His Majesty in rejoicing at your rescue from the wreck of the "Tokio." In behalf of the women of Japan, I bid you, Madame, a most affectionate welcome to our court and country. Many years ago, and before our day, your mothers and sisters came to this old land of ours, bearing with their husbands and kindred and friends, to us new and strange messages of love and peace, but they came with gentleness and sincere entreaty. They brought with them a desire. and resolution to teach to our women-subjects the higher and the truer mission and dignity of womanhood. American women, aided by their European sisters, but American women especially, have taught our sisters and daughters the learning of the schools of the West, and that in their home. and social life they deserve to occupy the same plane with their brothers in Japan. So that to-day Japan points with pride and gratitude to

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.

her imperial and public free schools and colleges for the education of our daughters, whether of the nobles or of the coolies, and we owe it more largely to American womanhood than to any other cause on the earth; and for all this we welcome you and yours to our court, with the warmth that we can feel but cannot fully express."

That scene was to an American, standing as we did in the palace of an Empire older than Roman or Grecian dynasties, an inspiring and thrilling one, exciting afresh our love for our native land and our prayers for the future of Japan. No citizen of the Republic can ever realize how deep in his heart of hearts is his love for his native land until he leaves her shores and compares her free and majestic institutions and constitutional liberties with the king-craft and despotic rule of the dynasties of the Old World.