Mr. Blaine to Mr. Stevens.
Washington, November 27, 1891.
Sir: On the 1st instant the Department received the sad tidings of the death of Mr. H. A. P. Carter, the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary accredited by Her Hawaiian Majesty near the Government of the United States.
The President was immediately acquainted with this melancholy event, and directed me to express to his son, Mr. George R. Carter, and through him to the family of the deceased, his sincere sorrow for the loss of one who, as the representative of a friendly nation, had long and acceptably fulfilled the duties of his high office and done so much to consolidate the friendship of the two countries; and who, in his personal relations with the officers of this Government, had so deservedly won the esteem and confidence of all with whom he was brought into association.
For myself I gave expression to the feeling of personal loss that comes from the death of one with whom my intercourse had ever been especially intimate, and whom I had always been delighted to call a friend.
I also directed Mr. Sevellon A. Brown, the chief clerk of this Department, to repair to New York and attend the funeral of the deceased as my representative. Instructions had also been given by the Secretaries of War and of the Navy to the commanders of the military post at Governors Island and of the Brooklyn Navy yard to detail an escort of soldiers and marines under their respective commands to attend the funeral, but in deference to the wishes of the family of the deceased, who desired the services to be as simple as possible, such instructions were revoked.
You will make suitable communication of these instructions to the minister of foreign affairs.
I am, etc.,