The announcement of the assassination of the President, the news of which reached here last week, fills me with profound emotion. The dreadful suspense we were in, for many days, in regard to the Secretary of State and the Assistant Secretary, is happily removed by this mail. The tenor of our first advices was such that we had not dared to hope for the recovery of Mr. Seward, while we had taken for granted that the Assistant Secretary was no longer among the living. It is an inexpressible relief to receive the assurance that the lives of both are saved. I have forwarded to the department a copy of Galignani's Messenger, containing one day's summary of the public commentary upon the hideous crimes committed by the assassins, which is but one of a series of the same character. By this record you may, in some measure, judge of the violent shock these monstrous assassinations have given to the European public. It would be difficult for me to exaggerate it by any description I could give. I have been called upon by numerous gentlemen of high political distinction, among them the ministers of foreign affairs, who have desired to manifest their sympathy with the government in its distress; to bear their testimony to the pure and lofty character of the deceased President, and to express the universal horror and indignation at the foul deeds which have at once robbed the nation of its head and daringly put in imminent peril the life of his first cabinet officer. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, SIR: Yesterday the second chamber of the national legislature, the only branch now in session, passed resolutions instructing the ministers of foreign affairs to communicate to the cabinet at Washington their sense of the great loss sustained by the United States in the death of the President, to tender them the sympathy of the chamber, and to express their horror and detestation of the foul crimes by which the President's life has been terminated and that of the Secretary of State endangered. These resolutions were supported in debate by the minister of foreign affairs on the part of the government, and by M. Van Zuylen on the part of the opposition, and were unanimously carried. To-day the minister of foreign affairs has called and communicated to me this action on the part of the second chamber, and requested me to transmit it to the government at Washington; and to add that nowhere in Europe has there been a profounder emotion felt than in Holland over the awful tragedy enacted in the United States, and nowhere can its condemnation be more heartfelt and unanimous. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE. Hon. W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary of State, Washington. No. 236.] Mr. Hunter to Mr. Pike. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 16, 1865. SIR: I have received your despatch of the 27th ultimo, No. 163, and felicitate myself upon being able to inform you of the improved health of both the Secretary of State and his son, the Assistant Secretary. I am, sir, your obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE, Esq., &c., &c., &c. No. 166.] W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary. Mr. Pike to Mr. Hunter. UNITED STATES LEGATION, The Hague, May 17, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of the 21st, 22d, 24th, and 28th of April, Nos. 228, 229, 230, and one not numbered; also your two despatches of May 2, Nos. 230 and 231, (also No. 232,) the latter containing the gratifying intelligence of the continued improvement in the condition of the Secretary of State and the Assistant Secretary. The rapid progress of military events during the month of April has taken everybody by surprise for their remarkable completeness. Europe views our final triumphant successes with the liveliest interest. They have alike disappointed the hopes and falsified the confident predictions of the ruling classes here, with few exceptions. The question now uppermost with all is, “What will become of the intrusive emperor of Mexico?" On the reception of the news of the surrender of Johnston with the remaining forces of the rebellion I addressed a note to the minister of foreign affairs, of which I enclose a copy. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, Acting Secretary of State, Washington. JAMES S. PIKE. Mr. Pike to Mr. Cremers. UNITED STATES LEGATION, The Hague, May 15, 1865. SIR: I beg to call your attention to the fact that the insurrection which has for some time past existed in the southern States of the Union has been finally quelled, and that the socalled confederate government has ceased to exercise or possess any controlling authority in any part of the United States. Its seat of government has been seized, its armies have been destroyed or captured, its military and civil officers are prisoners or fugitives. It is under these circumstances that I beg to suggest to your excellency the revocation of the orders heretofore given to the Netherland colonial authorities to grant certain privileges to vessels sailing under the so-called confederate flag, and the usefulness of instructing those authorities to regard all vessels making use of this flag in future as pirates. You will allow me to observe that this suggestion has a direct practical bearing upon the interests of the United States at this moment, inasmuch as an iron-clad steamer called the Stonewall lately left Europe on a tour of depredation upon American commerce, and is supposed to be now in the West India seas, under the confederate flag. I beg, at the same time, to call your excellency's attention to the proclamation of the late President Lincoln, issued on the 11th of April last, in which he gave notice that the United States considered the time had arrived when they were entitled to claim the same friendly rights and hospitalities for their naval vessels in foreign ports which they themselves are willing to concede to those of all maritime nations, but which have been refused in many cases during the progress of the slaveholders' rebellion. I avail myself of the occasion to renew to your excellency the assurances of my high consideration. J. S. PIKE. DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. No. 237.] Mr. Hunter to Mr. Pike. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Your despatch of the 4th instant, No. 165, was received yesterday. Almost Washington, May 19, 1865. simultaneously came a note from Mr. Van Limburg, in which, pursuant to instructions from the King, he informed me of the action and sentiments of his gov ernment in regard to the assassination of the President and the attempt upon Mr. Seward's life; and I have, in reply, requested him to make known to his Majesty and the government of the Netherlands the grateful sense entertained here of the significant manifestations of sympathy and friendship to which your despatch relates. I am, sir, your obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE, Esq., &c., &c., &c. W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary. No. 167.J Mr. Pike to Mr. Hunter. UNITED STATES LEGATION, The Hague, May 25, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to lay before you the reply of this government to the request made by me on the 15th instant, of which I have already in furnished you a copy, by which you will perceive that this government, if one of my last the first to grant hospitality to the cruisers of the insurgent States, is now prompt to withdraw the belligerent rights accorded by it to the rebels in 1861. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your two despatches of May 8, Nos. 233 and 234, with the enclosures, which will receive the proper attention. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, Hon. W. HUNter, Acting Secretary of State, Washington. Mr. Cremers to Mr. Pike. THE HAGUE. May 24, 1865. SIR: By your official note of the 15th of this month you have requested in the name of your government, that that of the Netherlands would withdraw from vessels bearing the flag of the self-styled Confederate States certain privileges which had previously been accorded to them; and, in the second place, you call my attention to the proclamation of the President of the United States, dated the 11th April last, claiming, in favor of vessels of the republic, the same friendly treatment, and the same rights in foreign ports, that your government is ready to accord to vessels of all maritime nations. In answer, I have the honor to bring to your knowledge that the government of the Netherlands, which has always followed with the greatest interest the events which have occurred in America during late years, felicitates itself on perceiving the approach of the end of the terrible strife which has so long desolated the United States, and on witnessing the arms of the federal government crowned with success. The motives which guided the cabinet of The Hague in recognizing, in 1861, in the secessionists the rights of belligerents, and which have been developed in the communications from the department for foreign affairs of the 17th September and 14th December, 1861, and 14th April, 1862, existing no longer now, ernment believes it can now withdraw the aforesaid rights from said States, and that their I hasten to inform you, sir, that the King's govarmed vessels shall cease from this time, by a consequence flowing out of this fact, to be admitted into the ports of the Netherlands as soon as the necessary instructions for this purpose can be transmitted to the proper authorities by my colleague for the colonies. At the same time the government of the Netherlands, in acceding so promptly to the desire manifested by that of the United States, cherishes the hope that the cabinet at Washington will readily, so far as relates to Netherlands merchant vessels, no longer exercise the rights of war, such as those of search and of blockade. In what relates to the second point mentioned in your official note, I take the liberty, sir, to remind you that already, under date of 30th December, 1861, you were informed by the department for foreign affairs that the anterior instructions relative to the admission of the ships-of-war of the northern and the southern States into the ports of the Netherlands had been modified in the sense, that thenceforward those vessels might sojourn therein without limitation of time and might load coal without limitation of quantity. The restrictions elsewhere applied to the admission and sojourn of American vessels-of-war in foreign ports, therefore, do not exist in those of the Netherlands, and the views of the President in this relation are accomplished. Please accept, sir, the fresh assurances of my high consideration. Mr. PIKE, Minister Resident, &c., &c., &c. E. CREMERS. No. 168.] Mr. Pike to Mr. Hunter. UNITED STATES LEGATION, The Hague, May 31, 1865. SIR: I had an audience of the King on Saturday last, the 27th instant, and delivered to him the letter of condolence of the President. He expressed himself gratified with this mark of sympathy. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of the 16th of May, Nos. 234 and 235, the latter covering copies of the President's proclamation in regard to insurgent cruisers. One of these copies I have communicated to the minister of foreign affairs. So far as I can judge by indications within the circle of my personal experience, the sympathy of the ruling classes in Europe remains with the defeated rebels, and our successes are regarded with impatience and irritation. The personal fate of the leaders of the rebellion seems to interest them deeply. The triumph of our political system in this contest is felt to be a grievous blow to legitimacy. It has felt great confidence during the last four years that the attempt at an organized democracy in America was a failure, and that it had before it the prospect of a protracted cycle of political quiet. The concluding events of the war have changed all this, and the disappointment thereby occasioned is but ill-concealed by its representatives. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, Hon. W. HUNter, Acting Secretary of State, Washington. JAMES S. PIKE. No. 240.] Mr. Hunter to Mr. Pike. Department of State, Washington, June 3, 1865. SIR: I have received your despatch of the 3d ultimo, No. 164, expressing your relief upon the receipt of the news of the safety of the lives of Mr. Seward and his son, and relating the effect of this horrid crime upon the European public, and informing me of the expressions of abhorrence of the deed and sympathy with its victims which have been communicated to you by numerous gentlemen of high political distinction. It is extremely gratifying to the government and people of the United States to learn that public opinion in Europe is with them in their sorrow. I have no doubt that you will be pleased to learn of the con W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary. JAMES S. PIKE, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Mr. Hunter to Mr. Pike. No. 241.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 3, 1865. SIR: I have received your despatch of the 17th ultimo, No. 166, together with a copy of a note which you addressed to the minister of foreign affairs on the reception of the news of the surrender of the remaining military forces of the insurgents, and it is fully approved by this department. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 25th of May, No. 167, which is accompanied by a copy of an official note addressed to you by the government of the Netherlands, announcing the withdrawal of belligerent rights accorded by it to the insurgents in 1861. The conclusion of the Dutch government is what might have been expected, such a result having been anticipated by the government of the United States. I am, sir, your obedient servant, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of the 19th, 22d, and 30th of May, Nos. 237, 238, and 239, together with two proclamations of the President, referred to in No. 239. I have on a previous occasion informed you of the withdrawal by this government of their recognition of belligerent rights to the insurgents. I now perceive, with pleasure, that this example has been followed by England and France, and that the sea is once more open to our commerce. This result of our triumph, at least, will be widely welcomed in Europe, where many seaports have sensibly felt the decline in American shipping. The doctrine of leniency to the leaders of the rebellion is preached in Europe, but I do not observe that it is urged except by those who favored secession and condemned the war, and who thereby lost their claims to a place among those who are entitled to advise in the present juncture. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE. Hon. W. HUNter, Acting Secretary of State, Washington. |