Office of the Historian

Mr. Bayard to the Chevalier de Tavera.

Department of State,
Washington, January 30, 1889.

Sir: It is my sad office to inform you that upon the receipt of telegraphic dispatch, dated this day, from our minister at Vienna, announcing the sudden death early this morning of His Imperial Highness the Archduke Rudolph, Crown Prince of Austria, I at once sent a cable instruction,* a copy of which I inclose, to the United States minister at Vienna, instructing him to express the condolence of the President and people of the United States in this sudden bereavement of His Majesty the Emperor and the nation of Austria-Hungary.

I hasten to reiterate to you, as their representative, the official and personal sympathy which is felt here for the imperial family in this sudden and severe loss of the heir to the throne, whose many noble qualities of mind and heart gave promise of so brilliant a future, and who will long be lamented.

Accept, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.
  1. For inclosure see dispatch No. 114 from United States minister at Vienna.↩