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

Municipal Council of Chieti

Chieti , May 11, 1865.

[Translation.]

Common Council of Chieti to the people of the republic of the United States of America.

At a time when the whole civilized world was hailing the triumph of the abolition of slavery in your free country, the sad news of the violent death of Abraham Lincoln, the fearless pilot of liberty, changed the universal joy to mourning, and all humanity has raised a single united cry of malediction upon the authors of the horrid deed.

Let our expressions of condolence be joined to the many manifestations of sorrow that come to you from every part of the world; and accept the fraternal greeting of the common council of Chieti, with its wishes for your future prosperity.

Your sacrifice was immense in the four years of gigantic war for the great principles of brotherly love between black and white, and for the murder of John Brown, on the 14th of April; but you may be proud of it now, for a holy cause was never more bravely sustained with greater abnegation in the paths pointed out by Washington, Franklin, and Lincoln, and you may be sure it will not fail to reach the glorious bourne.

For the common council:

• VINCENZO VERO, President.
• CAMILLO JULIANI,
• GIUSEPPE DE SIPIO,
• GABRIELE DE SANCTIS,
  Committee.

Francesco Sancuore, Secretary.