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

Baron Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward

[Translation.]

New York, June 14, 1865.

Sir: I have received by the European mail of yesterday a despatch from my government, dated 18th May, which charges me to express to his Excellency President Johnson, the felicitations of my august court on the occasion of his advent to the presidency of the United States.

Finding myself still not in condition, in consequence of the breaking of my arm, to go to Washington to acquit myself of these orders of my court, I take the liberty to send to you, Mr. Secretary of State, the above-mentioned despatch, in the original, begging you to place it before his Excellency the President. Let me be allowed to add, that I participate in the most lively manner in the sentiments of which I am charged by Count de Mensdorff, to be the interpreter in respect to yourself, and that I offer the most sincere wishes for the complete restoration of that health so precious in so many aspects.

Begging you, Mr. Secretary of State, to return to me, after using it, the aforesaid despatch, I seize this occasion to reiterate to you the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.

WYDENBRUCK.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.