ourselves before him in our deep affliction, and unite with our fellow-citizens in the United States, as well as in all parts of the world, in an expression of our abhorrence of so execrable a crime, and of our sorrow of this dispensation of Providence, as also of the high estimation in which we hold the eminent character and services of the illustrious deceased, and of the great patriots who have been victims to the cause of our country and of that of humanity: Resolved, That, as a mark of the deep respect which we all entertain for the memory of the lamented President, we wear the usual badge of mourning for forty days, and that we respectfully request the honorable E. Joy Morris, minister resident at this capital, to transmit a copy of these resolutions, signed by the chairman and secretary, to the Department of State, at Washington, and another to the afflicted family of the deceased President, in whose grief we profoundly participate. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be published in the public papers in this city. WILLIAM GOODELL, Chairman. Address of British residents in Smyrna. SMYRNA, May 24, 1865. SIR: The crimes that have been committed upon the persons of the late lamented President of the United States, and of the Secretary of State, the honorable William H. Seward, have excited in us the strongest abhorrence. We would fain add our voice to that of our countrymen in England in giving expression to the feelings to which those deplorable events have given rise. The great principles of morality, which are above all social or political contingencies, have been outraged in the crimes above alluded to, in a manner that makes it incumbent upon every community, however small, to brand with execration the perpetrators of them, and to reject with indignation whatever plea may be put forward in extenuation of them. The many and rare virtues that were combined in the person of President Lincoln, make his loss a great misfortune to the American nation, and demand that we should offer to it, as we do, our utmost sympathy aud condolence. We beg, sir, that you will be so good to transmit to your government this expression of our sentiments, and to add our respectful request that Mrs. Lincoln may be informed how deeply we grieve at the calamity that has befallen her. We have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient humble servants, Meeting of American citizens in Smyrna. SMYRNA, ASIA MINOR, May 19, 1865. Yesterday a meeting of the resident citizens of the United States in reference to the late deplorable events at Washington was convened. Rev. Daniel Ladd opened the meeting with a few remarks, stating its object; whereupon Mr. Joseph Langdon was chosen chairman, and Mr. F. C. Blackler secretary. Rev. Mr. Ladd then addressed the meeting, (which was numerously attended by ladies and gentlemen,) in a feeling and appropriate manner, after which the national hymn "America" was played and sung, followed by a fervent and impressive prayer by Mr. Ladd. Mr. Langdon made some remarks on the life and character of the late President Lincoln, and offered the following resolution: Resolved, That we have heard with indignation and profound grief the assassination of the beloved President of our republic, Abraham Lincoln, and of a further horrible attempt to destroy the lives of our Secretary and Assistant. Secretary of State. That as regards the taking of the life of our Chief Magistrate at this critical moment, when all true Americans were trusting that great and good man to bring us out of the troubles which this terrible rebellion has caused, we all execrate the monster who has perpetrated the horrid deed, and thus deprived our country of one we all loved and trusted in. Mr. Blackler proposed the following resolution: Resolved, That the American citizens of our republic resident in Smyrna tender our heartfelt sympathies to Mrs. Lincoln and family in the irreparable loss they have sustained, as well as our country, by the death of our beloved Chief Magistrate. Mr. John Griffitt, United States vice-consul, proposed the following resolution: Resolved, That in this our deep distress we feel consoled in having such a successor to our late lamented chief as Andrew Johnson, one in whom we repose every confidence, and whose long and honorable career in various departments of public life have qualified him in the highest degree to occupy the distinguished position of President of the United States. Rev. Mr. Ladd proposed the following resolution : Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting be appointed to take charge of the foregoing resolutions, and to transmit a copy of them to Mrs. Lincoln, and a copy to the Department of State, at Washington. The above resolutions were severally seconded and unanimously adopted. After other remarks from other members of the meeting, expressive of the great loss sustained by our country, the meeting was closed with religious exercises. F. C. BLACKLER, Secretary. TUNIS. [Literal translation from the Arabic.] Praise to the only God! To the excellence of him who has given distinction to the ministry-who has at the same time ordered and directed its affairs-to the excellence of him who is the glory of eminent ministers, whose renown is universal, and whose character and services are above all praise, Monsieur William H. Seward, minister of state and of foreign affairs of the United States of America: may he always be the head of the ministry aud the director of eminent men. Rendering due honor to the distinguished office and to the high character of your excellency, we make known to you that his Highness our august sovereign ceases not to entertain for your government an abiding and ever increasing friendship and regard, the cause of which is your admirable conduct and your noble policy. His Highness has received the news of the re-establishment of peace and tranquillity in your great country This news has afforded him unmeasured satisfaction; and sincere friendship makes him share with you the pleasure consequent upon this happy result and great event. To this end, then, his Highness sends to your government the honorable, the beloved, the elect, General Otman Hashem, to express to the President his sincere felicitations, and also to express to the President the heartfelt grief which his Highness experienced at the death of the lamented President, Abraham Lincoln, which sad event wounded all our hearts. We pray God that this may be the end of trials and misfortunes to your beloved country. His Highness also sends with his ambassador his portrait, to serve as a souvenir of his friendship, as stated in his letter. His Highness looks with confidence to your excellency to arrange for an agreeable reception of his envoy, General Hashem, by his Excellency the Pres ident. We take this occasion also to inform your excellency that we have found in the conduct of him who is distinguished among his colleagues, Mr. Amos Perry, consul of your government at this court, the best disposition to maintain and strengthen the bonds of friendship which unite our two governments. His (Mr. Perry's) courteous and honorable bearing merits and receives the approbation and the best compliments of his Highness our august sovereign. We make this statement to bear our testimony to a worthy representative, and to show that your choice falls only on meritorious men. Written by the poor before his God, MUSTAPHA, Major General, Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of his Highness the Bey of Tunis. TUNIS, the 7th Rabi el tami, 1282. A. C., August 29, 1865. [Literal translation from the Arabic.] Praises to the only God! To the excellence of the eminent personage whose merits are celebrated, and whose renown is universal, like the light of the sun, which cannot be hidden from the day; to the excellence of him who is the glory of great men, the cream of men of distinction, and whose virtues are above all praise; to our friend, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of America: may he always be exalted, and may his days be ever prospered. Having rendered due honor to the elevated rank and to the eminent character of your excellency, we inform you that we have heard the agreeable news of the fruitful victory gained by your government, and of the consequent re-establishment of peace and tranquillity in your great country. This news has rejoiced us beyond measure, and has awakened our warmest sentiments of gratitude by reason of the great and sincere friendship which unites our two governments; which friendship has been bequeathed to us as a heritage by our ancestors, to become stronger and stronger forever. We were the more cheered by this news from having shared in the grief of the American people in the loss which they experienced in the death of their late President, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, a loss which we keenly felt. This grief would have remained unalterably fixed in our hearts but for the news of the reestablishment of tranquillity in your country; which news came to moderate and assuage our affliction. We desire to present to your excellency and to your people our best compliments, with expressions of condolence in your affliction and sorrow, and with expressions of felicitations in your prosperity and joy. We despatch our envoy, the honorable, the beloved, the elect, our son, General Otman Hashem, to be the interpreter of our sentiments in the presence of your excellency and in your country. We send at the same time with him our portrait, to be a souvenir of our friendship. May God preserve your excellency, and perpetuate the happiness and prosperity of yourself and of your illustrious nation. Written by him who has for your excellency the highest consideration, the slave of his God, the Moosher Mohammed Essadek, Bashaw Bey, possessor of the Kingdom of Tunis. TUNIS, the 7th Rabi el tami, 1282. A. C., August 29, 1865. [LOCUS SIGILLI.] [Literal translation from the Arabic.] Praises to the only God! To the lady for whom we pray God that he would save her from trial and affliction and protect her from dangers and sorrows, both by day and by nightto her who is distinguished among ladies of distinction, the cream of elevated personages, and whose virtues are above all praise, to Madame Abraham Lincoln: may God shield her from every ill. Acknowledging the honor due to your elevated character and position, we desire to express to you the pain inflicted on our heart by the sad death of your beloved husband. How cruel this fate, and how deep the wound inflicted by this terrible event. All hearts are put in mourning. The news of this catastrophe both plunged us into affliction and overwhelmed us with consternation. It turned our eyes upon the distressed of this earth, and our spirits were troubled. Against death all effort is vain, and one's sole remedy is to resign himself to the decrees of the Great God, and with him to seek consolation. May the Great God, then, grant you patience and resignation, increasing your worthiness in proportion to the keenness and depth of your affliction and pain. May He order that this be the last of your trials, and that your days become long years Written by him who has for you the highest consideration, the slave of his God, the Moosher Mohammed Essadek, Bashaw Bey, possessor of the kingdom of Tunis. TUNIS, 7 Rabi el tami, 1282. A. C., August 29, 1865. [LOCUS SIGILLI] Mr. Perry to Mr. Seward. [Extract.] No. 68.] * * UNITED STATES CONSULATE, * * * SIR: The prevalence of a strange and cruel rumor, of whose truth or falsity I have no knowledge, may illustrate the excitability of the Tunisian populace in regard to American affairs. "Peace proclaimed in America, and President Lincoln assassinated at Richmond." These have been the words bandied through the city from noon to night. Great numbers have flocked to the door of this consulate to ascertain the truth or falsity of this report, and the dragomans were instructed to say that the consul has received no reliable information relative to the matter ia question. The names of President Lincoln and Minister Seward have by recent events become almost as well known to the populace of Tunis as those of the Bey Mohammed and his minister Sidi Mustapha. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. AMOS PERRY. Mr. Perry to Mr. Hunter. No. 70.] UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Tunis, May 13, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, on the 11th instant, of the two circulars of the 17th of April, 1865, one circular giving a statement relative to the assassination of our lamented President and the attempted assassination of our honorable Secretary of State; and the other circular naming the insignia of mourning to be adopted by those subject to the orders of the depart ment. All the national vessels in this harbor had their flags at half-mast three days, commencing on the 8th instant, in honor of our lamented President, and within an hour after receiving your circular. On the 11th instant circulars to the same effect as yours were in the hands of all my colleagues, and the flags of all the nations here represented were hung in mourning. Last week each of my colleagues did himself and our nation the honor to call upon me with expressions of sorrow for our deceased President and wounded statesman, of indignation against the perpetrators of these crimes, and of congratulation upon our glorious victories and our prospects of peace. I deem it inadvisable to trouble you with detailed accounts of the interest and sympathy awakened in this place by the recent events in our country. The Bey's minister has replied to my circular with touching expressions of horror and sympathy. My colleagues have most of them written me long and interesting letters. A delegation from the Italian Masonic Lodge of this city waited upon me yesterday with an address of condolence. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, AMOS PERRY. Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, Acting Secretary of State. |