Mr. Perry to Mr. Seward
Sir: After my despatch No. 190 was written, on the 29th ultimo, I received an official visit from the Duke of Valencia, president of the cabinet of ministers, attended by his aids, who came to say to me, in the name, and by special order of the Queen, how great was the horror and the grief with which her Majesty had learned the news of the assassination of President Lincoln, and her Majesty begged me to be pleased to make known to President Johnson her profound and sincere sympathy with him and with the American nation for the loss we had sustained in the person of our late most worthy and illustrious President.
I thanked the duke, and begged him to convey provisionally to her Majesty the expression of my own gratitude for her Majesty’s warm manifestation of sympathy in the grief of my government and nation, which I would not fail to sransmit immediately to Washington.
Yesterday I received the official note from the minister of state ad, interim, Sr. Arrazola, dated on the 27th instant, and which the Duke of Valencia had also announced in his visit on the 29th instant was being prepared to be sent to me. Sr. Arrazola is ill and confined to his chamber, and Sr. Banuelos, assistant secretary of state, informed me this was the only paper he had signed for a number of days past.
The duke also informed me that Mr. Tassara, Spanish minister at Washington, would be instructed to make a similar manifestation to you personally in Washington
[Page 530]To-day the congress of deputies, now in session, has also taken action upon the same subject. The deputy Lasala, of the opposition, inquired of the government if anything had been done to manifest the sentiment of this nation at the horrible events in Washington.
The Duke of Valencia, in the name of the government, recited to the chamber the steps taken by the Queen and by the ministers.
The deputy Clavos, ministerial, also made a remarkable speech, which was saluted by the whole house with marks of applause.
Then the president of the congress, from his chair, said:
Señores Deputies: I consider it my privilege as well as duty to interpret on this occasion the sentiments of you all, of the whole congress, and of the nation, declaring that this house associates itself to the profound affliction which has fallen upon the United States, in the horrible crime committed upon the person of the President of that republic, and which has occupied the attention of the house at this moment.
The question being then put, whether the house adheres to the declaration just made by the president, it was voted without a dissenting voice, and on motion of Deputies Jove and Hevia, it was ordered to be entered on the record with the adhesion of the house by an unanimous vote.
This debate is worthy to be transmitted to you entire, and I shall send it, translated from the official journal of the chambergas soon as it can be prepared.
With sentiments of the highest respect, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington.