Mr. Eustis to Mr.
Gresham.
Embassy
of the United States,
Paris
,
June 29,
1894
. (Received July 9.)
No. 180.]
Sir: I cabled on the 25th instant the substance
of a telegram from the minister of foreign affairs informing me
officially of the assassination of President Carnot. The press agencies
had already, I have no doubt, furnished you with full reports of the sad
event, and through the same channel you must have been made aware of all
the circumstances which followed this tragic event. To complete our
record I shall therefore simply inclose copies of the correspondence
with the French Government on this occasion and such extracts from the
Paris papers which it might be of interest to keep on file.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
180.—Translation.]
Mr. Hanotaux to
Mr. Eustis.
Paris
,
June 25—1:55
a.m.
It is with profound sorrow that I convey to your knowledge that the
President of the Republic has just died at Lyons from the effects of
an attempt against his life.
The assassin was immediately arrested.
I did not fail to direct, by telegraph, the representatives of France
abroad to convey this fatal news to the knowledge of the governments
to which they are accredited.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
180.]
Mr. Eustis to
Mr. Hanotaux.
Embassy of the United States,
Paris
,
June 25, 1894
.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your excellency’s dispatch of this morning informing me
of the assassination of the President of the Republic. Without
awaiting the instructions of my Government, I hasten to give you the
assurance that the dreadful misfortune which, in the person of its
first magistrate, befalls the old and faithful ally of the United
States will awaken in all American hearts a feeling of profound
emotion.
[Page 222]
I beg you, Mr. Minister, to convey to Madame Carnot the expression of
my respectful condolence, and to rest assured that in the painful
trial through which France is now passing and with her the
democratic institutions she so worthily represents in the old world,
the sympathies of my fellow citizens, as well as those of my
Government, will not cease to accompany her.
I take, etc.,
[Inclosure 3 in No.
180.]
Mr. Eustis to
Mr. Hanotaux.
Embassy of the United States,
Paris
,
June 26, 1894
.
Sir: Upon receipt of your excellency’s sad
communication of yesterday, I hastened to give an expression of my
feelings in respect to the assassination of the President of the
Republic.
By direct instruction from the honorable Secretary of State, Mr.
Gresham, I have now to express to your excellency the profound
sorrow with which the President and the American people have heard
of the atrocious crime which has robbed a sister Republic of its
wise, humane, and patriotic Chief Magistrate.
I am further directed, through you, to communicate to the Government
of France and to Madame Carnot the following resolutions at once
adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States, expressing condolence with the French nation in the loss it
has sustained and their abhorrence of the assassination.
The Secretary of State informs me also that immediately upon the
passage of these resolutions, the Senate and House of
Representatives adjourned as a tribute of respect to President
Carnot’s memory.
I take, etc.,
[Inclosure 4 in No.
180.]
Mr. Eustis to
Mr. Hanotaux.
Embassy of the United States,
Paris
,
June 27, 1894
.
Sir: At a meeting of Americans now present
at Paris, which was held yesterday for the purpose of offering an
expression of their feelings on the occasion of the assassination of
the President of the Republic, the resolutions of which a copy is
herewith inclosed were unanimously adopted, and I was requested to
have them properly presented.
I shall feel obliged if your excellency will kindly communicate them
to the members of the Government and to Madame Carnot.
I avail, etc.,
[Page 223]
[Inclosure.]
Copy of resolutions.
Whereas the President of the French Republic has just been mortally
stricken down by a heinous crime, and whereas we Americans, having
in our own country twice experienced a similar great grief, are only
the more impelled to mingle our tears with those of the sorrowing
people of fair France: Therefore, be it
Resolved, That, while denouncing the
abominable act which has so suddenly removed President Carnot from
our midst, it is with more than pain of mind that we Americans in
Paris have assembled to offer our expressions of warmest sympathy to
the French nation who are now undergoing the same emotions of pity
and tenderness which we experienced when murderous hands struck down
two of our venerated Presidents.
Resolved, That there is no divergence of
opinion among us as to the high values of this lovable man whom a
great nation has called to be its Chief Magistrate, and to us
Americans it is a consolation of deepest significance that this the
first citizen of our sister Republic was so universally respected
throughout the world. We knew that his heart was good, his domestic
virtues unbounded, his charities as broad and liberal as his
character was beyond reproach.
Resolved, That while the unanimity of the
national sentiment which is hourly showing itself cannot but soften
the awful sorrow that now afflicts the noblewoman who so dignifiedly
shared the companionship of Mr. Carnot’s life, we, too, as
Americans, would lay at her feet the expression of our most
respectful and devoted affection.
We beg Madame Carnot and her sorrowing family to receive the
assurance of our sincerest condolences and sympathy, the homage of
our profound esteem.
Paris, June 26,
1894.
John H. Hayes,
Chairman of the Meeting of American
Citizens.
[Inclosure 5 in No.
180.]
Mr. Eustis to
Mr. Hanotaux.
Embassy of the United States,
Paris
,
June 28, 1894
.
Sir: As an additional mark of the heartfelt
sympathy of my countrymen for France in her grief caused by the
assassination of the President of the Republic, I send copies of two
telegrams received, one from Gen. Horace Porter, president of the
Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the other from Mr.
John W. Mackay, president of the Commercial Cable Company.
I avail, etc.,
