Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 22d of June last, No. 996, which was addressed to William Hunter, esq., acting Secretary of State.
It presented to us the resolution which was adopted by the citizens of Cardiff on the occasion of the lamented death of President Lincoln.
The President of the United States desires you to assure those citizens that he appreciates the noble and generous sentiments which they have expressed.
I think it is almost unnecessary to say, once for all occasions, that in all proceedings of this sort, it is expected that the communications of this government to unofficial persons in Great Britain will be made ih a manner understood and acceptable to her Britannic Majesty’s government. There is, perhaps, more need of saying that, so far as shall seem necessary and be conveniently possible, it will be proper to excuse the delay of replies like the one now sent, upon the too manifest grounds of the change which has occurred in the chief magistracy of the government, the gravity of duties resulting from the transition of the country from civil war to a condition of internal peace, and, especially, the fact that the only persons in the department of foreign relations to whom the conduct of international questions is confided, have been in a large degree disabled by casualties from the performance of effective duties.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c., London.