Mr. Clay to Mr.
Seward
No. 79.]
Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, Russia,
May 4, 1865.
Sir: I know not how to express my grief for the
loss of our great and good President Lincoln, and my indignation at the
crime of which he is a victim.
I thank God that you are spared to us, and I trust that our country and
the nations will still continue to reap the fruit of your patriotic
labors and pacific sentiments. I enclose you copies of the
correspondence between Prince Gortchacow and myself, and also of the
letters of condolence from the diplomatic corps. The ambassadors of
France and England called in person, and those who did not do so wrote
letters full of admiration for the virtues of the late President, and
horror at the crime of his assassination. His Imperial Highness the
Grand Duke Constantine sent his aide-de-camp, General Greigg; her
Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Helen sent Baron Rosen, and his
Imperial Highness the Prince d’Oldenburgh called in person, all to utter
sentiments of sorrow and sympathy with the American government and
people. A great many distinguished Russians also expressed their grief
at our loss in words and
[Page 378]
through the press. Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Helen, who is
well versed in the politics and history of our country, has invited me
to call upon her informally on Saturday, with a view of giving us
further evidence of her kind feelings for our nation and its progressive
cause, of which she is an admirer.
These sentiments of esteem and sadness are gratifying to me, and such as
lead me to the hope that the martyrdom of our noble friend will at home
and abroad consecrate in the hearts of all men the principles of liberty
and self-government for which Lincoln lived and died.
President Johnson enters upon the duties of his office under great
difficulties. I like the words of humility and calm devotion which
characterize the partial revelation of his views at his accession to
office.
That which won for Mr. Lincoln most admiration in Europe was his
moderation in expression and firmness in action.
The new President, we are told, proposes to retain the old cabinet, and
we trust the old policy of peace with foreign nations, and magnanimity
in all things at home, consistent with the destruction
of slavery and the restoration of the
Union.
The prayers of the good of all the world follow him in his responsible
task.
I beg you will lay this paper before the President.
Hoping to hear of your and your son Frederick Seward’s speedy recovery, I
remain your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. G,
[Translation.]
Prince Gortchacow to Mr. Clay
St. Petersburg,
April 16, 1865.
Although the absence of his Majesty the Emperor makes it impossible
for me to obtain and communicate to you the expression of the
sentiments which my august master would have felt at the news of the
foul crime to which the President of the United States has just
fallen a victim, and which Mr. Seward has barely escaped, I did not
wish to delay in testifying the lively and profound sympathy of the
imperial cabinet for the federal government in this new trial which
Providence had reserved for it. I have asked our minister at
Washington to communicate it to the Vice-President, Mr. Johnson.
Will your excellency transmit it to him, together with our sincere
wishes that this abominable crime will not hinder the progress of
the American nation toward the establishment of the Union and of
peace, which are the pledges of its power and its prosperity.
Will your excellency be pleased to accept the assurances of my most
distinguished consideration.
C. M. Clay, Esq., &c., &c.,&c.
Mr. Clay to Prince Gortchacow
No. 68.]
Legation of the United
States,
St. Petersburg, Russia,
April 15-27, 1865.
The American minister has the melancholy duty to inform Prince
Gortchacow, vice-chancellor and minister of foreign affairs to his
Imperial Majesty, &c., &c. (by telegram from C F. Adams,
esq., American minister at London, received last night,) that
Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, died on
the 3-15th, day of April, instant, from a wound received from the
hand of an assassin, whilst in his “loge” at the theatre. Secretary
Wm. H. Seward was thought to have been mortally wounded, in his own
house, the same night. By the Constitution of the United States the
Vice-President, by the death of the President, becomes at once his
successor. Vice-President Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, being in
Washington, immediately entered upon the duties of his responsible
trust. The undersigned will inform the Russian foreign department,
at the earliest day, more authoritatively of Mr. A. Johnson’s
succession to the presidency.
[Page 379]
The American minister will be pardoned for expressing his deep
abhorrence of assassination, which, with rightly thinking men, no
political or personal motive can ever justify, and his firm
conviction that such an ill-timed blow never struck down a better
patriot or a more noble, generous, and humane man than Abraham
Lincoln.
The American minister avails himself of this note to say how deeply
he sympathizes with their Imperial Majesties and the Russian people
in the afflicting and irreparable loss of their late amiable and
accomplished Prince, the Grand Duke Heretier; whilst he trusts he
will be allowed to mingle his personal condolence with a nation’s
grief for one whom he was proud to have known, to have respected for
his high position, and yet more to have loved for his many
virtues.
The minister of the United States has the honor to renew to Prince
Gortchacow assurances of his most distinguished consideration.
[Translation.]
The Minister of Sweden and Norway
to Mr. Clay
St. Petersburg,
April 16-28, 1865.
Your Excellency: In hastening to
acknowledge the sad communication by which your excellency has just
informed me of the assassination of Mr. Lincoln, President of the
United States of America, I beg you to accept my most profound
expressions of sympathy, and also, of horror for the foul deed which
has deprived your country and your government of their worthy and
illustrious chief.
I seize the present occasion to offer to your excellency repeated
assurances of my high consideration.
WEDEL YARLSBERG, Minister of Sweden and
Norway.
Mr. C. M. Clay, Minister of the United States of America.
C.
Sir Andrew Buchanan to Mr. Clay
Her Britannic Majesty’s
Embassy,
St. Petersburg,
April 28, 1865.
Sir Andrew Buchanan, her Britannic Majesty’s ambassador, has had the
honor to receive the note by which his excellency General C. M.
Clay, the minister of the United States, has acquainted him with the
assassination of Mr. Lincoln, the President of the United States,
and with the attempt which was made at the same time to murder Mr.
William H. Seward, the Secretary of State; and further informing him
that, in consequence of the former of these distressing events, Mr.
A. Johnson has succeeded to the presidency of the Union.
In thanking General Clay for this communication, Sir Andrew Buchanan
begs leave to express his sympathy with his excellency and the
people of the United States on the great national calamity which
they have sustained, while he participates in the abhorrence of its
authors, which their atrocious crime must excite throughout America
and the civilized world.
Sir Andrew Buchanan avails himself of this opportunity to offer to
General Clay the assurance of his high consideration.
E.
[Translation.]
The Minister of Italy to
Mr. Clay
St. Petersburg,
April 29, 1865.
My Dear Colleague: I had desired to offer
you, in person, my heartfelt sympathy, but on account of
indisposition I am obliged to defer my visit.
In the meanwhile I know not how I can better interpret the sentiments
of my government than in joining in the sorrow with which your
country has been so cruelly stricken by the loss of her greatest
citizen and most eminent statesman.
The blood of a martyr in so noble a cause will strengthen the
American Union, whose power and prosperity have every good wish of
Italy. In renewing to you, my colleague, my expressions of sorrowful
sympathy, and in thanking you for your communication, I have the
honor to tender you the assurance of my high consideration.
[Page 380]
F.
[Translation.]
The Minister of Belgium to
Mr. Clay
St. Petersburg,
April 16-28, 1865.
The minister of Belgium has had the honor of receiving the note which
his excellency the minister of the United States has had the
kindness to address him, in order to inform him of the death of the
President of the United States, A. Lincoln, who was assassinated in
his box at the theatre, in Washington, on 3-15th instant, as well as
of the dangerous wound which menaces the life of the Secretary of
State, Mr. William H. Seward.
It is with an unmingled feeling of horror that the undersigned has
heard of these cowardly and foul attacks, which will cause an
outburst of sorrow, not only in America, but in Europe and the whole
world, and he joins in the grief which cannot fail to be caused by
the loss of an eminent statesman called by his fellow-citizens to
direct the destinies of his country.
