By a unanimous vote of Congress the embassy was declared the guests of the United States and an appropriation for its entertainment was made. On its arrival in Washington it was received at the executive mansion by President Grant, in the presence of all the heads of departments and bureaus and a numerous company of prominent citizens. An official reception was tendered by Congress in the hall of the House of Representatives, with eloquent addresses by the Speaker, Mr. Blaine, and Prince Iwakura. Public and private courtesies were likewise shown them in the other cities which they visited before their departure for Europe.
The ambassadors had several conferences with the Secretary of State, Mr. Fish, on the subject of the revision of the treaties, and received from him the assurance that the government of the United States was prepared to take up the subject in the most liberal spirit towards Japan. But it was found that the Japanese representatives were not clothed with power to sign a treaty, and definite action was postponed till the embassy had conferred with the European treaty powers.
During their stay in the United States the ambassadors and commissioners were busy in studying its institutions and customs, and their reports thereon constitute a large volume in the publications of the embassy. Prince Iwakura, who had been the main support of the imperial cause during the struggle which resulted in the reinstallment of the emperor, was a devoted monarchist, and found little in the American democratic system to pattern after; but he was much impressed with the strength of the central government. The reports give
