Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part IV, Appendix to diplomatic correspondence of 1865; the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, late president of the United States of America, and the attempted assassination of William H. Seward, Secretary of State, and Frederick W. Seward, Assistant Secretary, on the evening of the 14th of April, 1865; expressions of condolence and sympathy inspired by these events

Inhabitantas of Cape Coast, Africa

Cape Coast Castle
Salt Pond Road No. 3, July 12, 1865.

Sir: I am convinced that you will not refuse to accept the expression of African feeling to which the enclosed letter bears witness, and which I am charged to convey to you in behalf of my countrymen.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

S. M. GOOD.

Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.

Cape Coast, Gold Coast of Africa,
July 10, 1865.

To Mr. Seward.—Letter from Africa.

Sir: We, the undersigned, representing the natives of this part of Africa, as well as persons of African race resident here, desire to show, by the expression of our sorrow for the death of President Lincoln and our hearty abhorrence of the manner in which that death was brought about, that we are able to appreciate the benefits that our race has derived from the results of events that have occurred during the administration of that great and good man.

During this administration it has pleased God to bring about the emancipation of millions of unfortunate persons of our race and color held in bondage. We rejoice in this, we are thankful to Providence, we bless those who achieved such a result, and we hope for better days for Africa.

We beg to assure the American people that all true sons of Africa will mourn for the cruel and untimely fate of President Lincoln, whose destiny it was to be ruler over your mighty nation at a time when events took place having such immense importance for the children of our country.

We most respectfully and sincerely sympathize with the bereaved widow of the late President, and we cannot sufficiently express our detestation of those cowardly and atrocious attempts which had nearly deprived America of the services of the eminent statesman whom we now have the honor to address, and in whose return to health and strength all Africans are deeply interested, as being essentially necessary to the final accomplishment of that great work which has, under God’s providence, been hitherto so successfully carried on.

We are, sir, your obedient servants and well wishers,

• JOHN AGGERY,
  King of Cape Coast.
• QUOW ATTAH,
  Chief of Donasie.
• CHIEF MAYAN.
• SAMUEL WOOD, Sr.,
  Intrepeter to the Governor.
• CHAS. BANNESMAN,
  On behalf of the People of the Eastern Districts of the Gold Coast of Africa.
• GEORGE SLANKSON.
• GEO. SLANKSON, Jr.,
  On behalf of the People of Anamaboe District.
• KOFFEE AFFADIE,
  King of Anamaboe.
• HENRY ARQUAH,
  King of Winnebah.
• CHAS. H. GARDNER,
  Colonial Schoolmaster of Massachusetts, U. S. A.
• JOSIAH M. ABADOO,
  On behalf of the People.