Municipal Council of Hereford
Hon. Charles F. Adams,
Minister of the United States in England:
Honored Sir: We, the mayor, aldermen, and citizens of Hereford, in council assembled, view with the utmost detestation and horror the flagitious crime by which the life of Mr. President Lincoln has been so cruelly sacrificed, and desire to express the deep sympathy we entertain with the government and people of the United States of America under the severe calamity which this atrocious act has inflicted upon them.
We also beg most respectfully to offer to Mrs. Lincoln our sincere condolence under the awful bereavement which she has sustained.
And we are most anxious to convey to the American nation our sentiments of deep grief and indignation at the cowardly attack which has been made upon the life of Mr. Secretary Seward, together with our earnest hope that he may very soon recover from the severe wounds which have been inflicted upon him.
As the representatives of the inhabitants of this ancient city, we request that you will do us the favor to forward to the President of the United States, to Mrs. Lincoln, and to Mr. Secretary Seward these expressions of our sentiments, with the assurance that it is our anxious desire that no other feelings than such as are consonent with those above expressed will ever prevail between the people of this realm and those of the United States.
[seal.]