Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward
No. 262.]
Legation of the United States,
Brussels,
May 1, 1865.
Sir: The Moniteur of yesterday contains a note
touching the expression of the sentiments of the King, of the Count de
Flanders, of the minister of foreign
[Page 86]
affairs, and the cabinet, as well as the House of
Representatives, with respect to the murderous attacks upon the life of
the President and the Secretary of State. I enclose it herewith.
I have this day called upon the minister of foreign affairs to express my
gratitude for the condolences of the King, and of the Count de Flanders,
and to ask him to convey to his Majesty, and to his royal highness, the
expression of it; I took occasion at the same time to offer my thanks to
him and his colleagues for the evidence they had given for their
sympathy on this occasion.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient
servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.
(For enclosures see Appendix, separate volume.)
[Note from the Moniteur of the 30th April,
1865.—Translation.]
[Untitled]
The King ordered one of his aides-de-camp to go to Mr. Sanford’s and
express to him the sorrow his Majesty felt at the news of the
attacks on the President and Secretary of State of the United States
of America. His highness the Count of Flanders also sends one of his
aids to the minister, on the same mission. The minister of foreign
affairs and other members of the cabinet, on their part, hastened to
call on Mr. Sanford, and instructions were sent to the Belgium
legation in Washington to express to the American government the
sentiments of regret and condemnation excited by such odious
acts.
In. the House session of yesterday Mr. Hardy de Beaulieu spoke in the
most moving terms of the emotion produced in Belgium by the news of
the tragic event which has just occurred in the United States. He
called general attention to all the eminent virtues of President
Lincoln.
Mr. de Hearne joined Mr. de Beaulieu in a eulogy of much beauty upon
the character of the lamented President.
The minister of foreign affairs added, that the government
sympathized sincerely in the sentiments just expressed by the
honorable members, and that he had already despatched a
communication of that effect to the government of the United States,
and to their honorable representative in Brussels. He expressed the
most fervent wishes for the recovery of the distinguished statesman,
Mr. Seward, whose life was necessary to the final pacification of a
country that had been so long ravaged by the desolation of war, and
the prosperity of which was greatly desired by all friends of
liberty.
