No. 185.
Mr. Francis to Mr. Fish.
Athens, November 11, 1871. (Received December 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that, on the 10th instant, Mr. Zaitnis, the Greek minister of foreign affairs, returning my call upon him of the 9th instant, visited this legation in person, and informed me that His Majesty the King had designated this day, (the 11th,) at 12 o’clock meridian, for the purpose of an interview with me.
Subsequently he transmitted to the legation an official note to the same effect, which I herewith inclose.
Promptly at the time appointed I repaired to the palace, and, accompanied by Mr. Zaïmis, was introduced by the latter to His Majesty. Handing to the King my letter of credence from the President of the United States, I addressed His Majesty as follows:
I have the distinguished honor of presenting to Your Majesty a letter from the President of the United States, accrediting me as minister-resident near the Government of Your Majesty. And I embrace this opportunity to make renewed assurances of the sincere friendship entertained for Your Majesty by the President and people of the United States.
Our political institutions have many points of resemblance to those of this classic and venerated land. Both are intended to promote the education, the industry, and the highest welfare of the people.
In the peaceful conflicts of opinion, the popular verdict is respected and obeyed. Therefore it is that the President and people of the United States feel a warm and deep solicitude in behalf of Greece, that her prosperity may be permanent, and that she may advance steadily onward in a national career fully reflecting all that is grand in her ancient history.
It shall be my earnest effort, while representing the Government of the United States near Your Majesty’s government, to contribute whatever I may toward sustaining and strengthening the friendly relations subsisting between these powers.
To which the King replied:
Mr. Minister: It is with a lively satisfaction that I see near me the representative of the United States, and hear the words which you have just spoken.
The sympathy which the Government of the United States has always manifested in favor of the Greek nation, your personal qualities and sentiments, Mr. Minister, finally the feelings of sympathy and gratitude with which the Greek people are animated in favor of the United States, render it an easy task to cultivate and develop the excellent relations which fortunately exist between my government and the Greek people and those of the United States.
I am happy to see that you so thoroughly appreciate the sentiment of this country, and its efforts to sustain the principles of liberty which it has inherited from its ancestors, united to those of order, which alone can make them fruitful of good.
I desire that you will be the interpreter of my sentiments of high esteem for the President of the United States.
The King received me with much cordiality, and, after the reading of his response to my address, entered into general conversation, which [Page 225] was continued some minutes. In the course of the interview His Majesty remarked that from his earliest recollection he had heard only the most friendly expressions toward the United States, “for you know,” said he, “Denmark and your country have always been the best of friends.” To my remark that the people of the United States had felt a great interest in Greece from the beginning of its new career as a nation, bearing in mind its heroic struggle for independence, as well as the fact that its ancient grandeur had largely contributed toward the elements of our common civilization, the King replied: “Yes, we know it and feel it; the people of the United States helped Greece when she most needed help; and in the Cretan rebellion they extended their sympathies to the oppressed. But it was ancient Greece that did so much for civilization, though we hope to do our duty now and go for-, ward steadily in improvement.” Social topics were then introduced, and after saying I would meet only friends among his people, and that he trusted my residence at Athens would be altogether pleasant and happy, with a hearty shake of the hand he bade me good day. The King is a young man of intelligence, and converses in English with vivacity and ease.
He looks and speaks like one who is earnest and sincere, already possessed of a fair degree of knowledge of the world, and determined to qualify himself for increasing usefulness as a ruler. His manner certainly does not indicate the weakness and frivolity that have been attributed to him. It is dignified and altogether becoming his station. He appears quite mature for one of twenty-six years. I should say that he only needs the discipline of study and experience to give him the qualifications of firm and steady statesmanship.
I was next introduced to Her Majesty the Queen in another apartment of the palace. She welcomed me to Athens quite as cordially as the King had done. She said that her cousin, the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, was gratifying a desire he had often expressed in his present visit to the United States, and she, too, would like to see that great country, if it were possible, but that wish could not now be realized. The great American country and its people she had always been taught to respect, and she esteemed them all the more as study and acquaintance gave her more knowledge of the American character. My interview with the Queen, who is a beautiful and accomplished lady, was exceedingly agreeable.
The Queen of Denmark and her daughter, Princess Thyra, the mother and sister of the King, were present on this occasion.
I am, &c,