American Residents of Buenos Ayres
Resolutions adopted at a meeting of American citizens resident in Buenos Ayres, held May 31, 1865.
Whereas the sad tidings have reached us of the death of Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by the hand of a vile assassin—
Resolved, First, that as loyal and ever-faithful citizens of the United States of America, now resident in Buenos Ayres, we have been severely shocked, and at the same time filled with indignation and sorrow, on the receipt here, on Saturday last, the 27th instant, of intelligence of the dastardly murder of the late eminently distinguished President of our country, Abraham Lincoln, in whom we have always recognized inflexible honesty and pure patriotism, and to whom we now assign in our memories a place among the very ablest and best statesmen of America.
Resolved, Second, that to the grief-stricken family of the illustrious deceased we tender our most unfeigned and profound condolence.
Resolved, Third, that in celebration of the obsequies of our late beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, whom we would proclaim and consecrate to posterity as the second father of his country, the Reverend William Goodfellow, the American clergyman resident in this city, be invited to deliver, at an early day, an appropriate discourse, commemorative of the distinguished virtues of the deceased.
Resolved, Fourth, that as a measure emblematic of our sincere distress at this most deplorable occurrence, we will wear a badge of black crape around the left arm for the space of thirty days.
Resolved, Fifth, that we gratefully accept as a compliment to our country and to ourselves, the voluntary and considerate action of the authorities here on Sunday last, the 28th instant, in causing all the national and provincial flags to be hoisted at half-mast, as a token of grief at the untimely loss of the honored and lamented subject of these resolutions. And we feel thankful that amid the unparalleled trials of the most gigantic rebellion ever organized among rational and misguided men, our leaders and defenders have acted with such moderation and justice as to secure the sympathies of such enlightened and [Page 12] progressive statesmen as those whom we have the honor to know in the persons: of President Mitre and his cabinet.
Resolved, Sixth, that Governor Saavedra and the legislature of the province of Buenos Ayres are equally entitled to our thanks, for their complimentary resolutions of last evening, declaring that the next new town or city which shall be organized within the province shall be designated “Lincoln.”
Resolved, Seventh, that in a corresponding vein of thankfulness and gratitude, we make our acknowledgments to the press of Buenos Ayres for appearing in mourning on Sunday last, and for their numerous and well-expressed eulogiums of our own martyred President, and also to the whole body of the Argentine congress, for their sympathetic resolutions of yesterday, among which was one to signify their sad and painful recognition of this solemn occasion by wearing the badge of mourning for the space of three days; and to the Argentine people, whose sympathies with us have been so unreservedly shown during the long and severe trials of our country, and particularly in this last and saddest event.
Resolved, Eighth, that to our fellow-citizens in the United States we renew our pledge of continued and unfaltering fidelity to the Union and to the federal government as constitutionally organized in Washington.
Resolved, Ninth, that four copies of these resolutions be presented to our minister resident in this city, the honorable Robert C. Kirk, with the request that he will transmit one of them to the bereaved family of our late President, one to the Department of State in Washington, one to the government of the Argentine republic, and the other to the government of the province of Buenos Ayres.
Also, resolved, That in the attempted assassination of William Henry Seward, Secretary of State, part of the same dastardly conspiracy which resulted in the death of Abraham Lincoln, we recognize as the fitting close of a rebellion begun in robbery and perjury, and ending in cowardly and cold-blooded murder, and we extend to him our warmest sympathies, and offer at the same time our best hopes and wishes for his speedy recovery.
Gardner B. Perry, Secretary.