Mr. F. W. Seward to Mr. Adams
No. 1348.]
Department of State,
Washington,
April 10, 1865.
Sir: I transmit to you a letter from the
President of the United States to Queen Victoria, in answer to one just
received from her Majesty, notifying the President of the resignation of
Lord Lyons as minister to this country from
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Great Britain. An office copy of the President’s
letter is also sent, which you will communicate to the minister for
foreign affairs, with a request that he will indicate to you in what
manner it will be most agreeable to her Majesty to receive the
original.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
F. W. SEWARD, Acting
Secretary.
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Untitled]
Abraham Lincoln,
President of the United States of America, to her
Majesty
Victoria, Queen of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c., &c.,
&c. sendeth greeting:
Great and good Friend: I have received the
letter which your Majesty was pleased to address to me on the 28th
ultimo, informing me that the right honorable the Lord Lyons, who
has for some time been accredited to this government in the
character of your Majesty’s envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary, having represented to your Majesty that the state
of his health will not allow him to resume his duties in that
character, and having requested your Majesty to accept his
resignation, your Majesty has with great regret acceded to his
lordship’s wish and recalled him.
I consider it but justice to Lord Lyons to state to your Majesty,
that during his residence here his language and conduct have been
well calculated to promote harmony and good understanding between
the two countries, and have deserved the approbation of this
government, and I share your Majesty’s regret at the cause of his
resignation. He has, I do not doubt, since his return to London,
assured your Majesty of the invariable friendship of the United
States, and of their cordial good wishes for the prosperity and
happiness of your Majesty’s realm. I derive much satisfaction from
the assurance contained in your letter of the interest your Majesty
takes in all that concerns the welfare and prosperity of the United
States, which is fully reciprocated on my part and by the government
and people of the United States; and so I recommend your Majesty to
the protection of the Almighty.
Written at Washington, the twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and of the
independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.
Your good friend,
By the President:
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.
