Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part IV, Appendix to diplomatic correspondence of 1865; the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, late president of the United States of America, and the attempted assassination of William H. Seward, Secretary of State, and Frederick W. Seward, Assistant Secretary, on the evening of the 14th of April, 1865; expressions of condolence and sympathy inspired by these events

Inhabitants of Edinburgh

Edinburgh, May 3, 1865

Copy of resolutions unanimously adopted by public meeting of the inhabitants of the city of Edinburgh, held Wednesday, 3d May, 1865, the Right Honorable Charles Lawson, lord provost of the city of Edinburgh, in the chair.

1. Moved by John Thomson Gordon, esquire, sheriff of the county of Edinburgh, seconded by Duncan McLaren, esquire, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce—

That the inhabitant’s of Edinburgh have learned with the deepest sorrow and indignation of the assassination of the President of the United States of America.

2. Moved by the Very Reverend Doctor Candlish, principal of the Free Church College at Edinburgh, seconded by Sir John McNeills, G. C. B.—

That the inhabitants of Edinburgh desire to express their most sincere sympathy with the government and people of the United States under their terrible national calamity.

3. Moved by the Right Reverend Doctor Merrill, bishop coadjutor, seconded by the Reverend William Arnot, one of the ministers of Free Church, Edinburg—

That the inhabitants of Edinburgh having heard with similar feelings of the infamous attempt on the life of Mr. Seward, Secretary of State, warmly congratulate the people of the United States on the failure of that attempt, and pray that his life may long be spared for the benefit of his country.

4. Moved by James Y. Simpson, esq., M. D., one of the professors of the University of Edinburgh, seconded by the Reverend W. H. Gray, one of the ministers of Edinburgh—

That an address prepared in accordance with these resolutions be transmitted by the lord provost of Edinburgh to the American minister in London, and that his lordship be also requested specially to transmit along with the expression of the warmest sympathies of the inhabitants of Edinburgh a copy of the foregoing resolutions to Mrs. Lincoln.

5. Moved by James Richardson, esq., seconded by Admiral Sir William Hope Johnston, K. C. B.—

That a vote of thanks be given to the lord provost for calling the meeting and for his conduct in the chair.