Mr. Pike to Mr. Hunter
Sir: Yesterday the second chamber of the national legislature, the only branch now in session, passed resolutions instructing the ministers of foreign affairs to communicate to the cabinet at Washington their sense of the great loss sustained by the United States in the death of the President, to tender them the sympathy of the chamber, and to express their horror and detestation of the foul crimes by which the President’s life has been terminated and that of the Secretary of State endangered.
These resolutions were supported in debate by the minister of foreign affairs on the part of the government, and by M. Van Zuylen on the part of the opposition, and were unanimously carried.
To-day the minister of foreign affairs has called and communicated to me this action on the part of the second chamber, and requested me to transmit it to the government at Washington; and to add that nowhere in Europe has there been a profounder emotion felt than in Holland over the awful tragedy enacted in the United States, and nowhere can its condemnation be more heartfelt and unanimous.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
Hon. W. Hunter, Acting Secretary of State, Washington.