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

Municipal Council of Patrick

Patrick, May 8, 1865

Excerpt from minute of the meeting of the magistrates and commissioners of the burgh of Patrick, near Glasgow, Scotland, held upon the 8th day of May, in the year 1865.

Inter alia, it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Allan Arthur, senior magistrate of the burgh—

That this meeting desires to express their grief and abhorrence at the crime by which, in an eventful crisis, the United States of America have been deprived of a wise and good President, and the life of one of their Secretaries of State has been endangered; their sympathy with the people of the United States in the trying circumstances; respectful condolence with the widow and family of the late lamented President, Abraham Lincoln; and the hope that the life of Mr. Seward may be spared to his country and to his family.

And, further, this meeting desires to express the fond trust that under the favor of Almighty God the blessing of peace may soon be restored to those States, so long suffering the horrors of war.

That a copy of the foregoing resolution be excerpted from the minutes by the clerk to the commissioners, signed by the senior magistrate in the name of the meeting, and sent to his excellency the minister of the United States in London.

• ALLAN ARTHUR,
  Senior Magistrate of the Burgh of Patrick.
• MAT. WALKER, Clerk.