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

Government of the Canton of Lucerne

[Translation.]

Lucerne, May 4, 1865.

The state council of the canton of Lucerne to the honorable Swiss Union council in Berne.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Council:

You have resolved to send the expression of your sympathies for the loss of the President of the United States of North America, by assassination, to the legation of that country near the Swiss Confederation.

We participate in your feelings of detestation and horror at that awful deed, but as your officers are the constitutional organs of communicating with foreign, powers, we have refrained from sending our letter of condolence to that legation, and we now thank you for proposing the signing of the circular sent to us in the name of the Confederation, to which we most cordially assent.

At the same time we embrace the occasion to express our distinguished consideration.

In the name of the government council:

• T. WEISS, Chief Justice.
• DR. WILLI, State Secretary.