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

Patriotic Mutual Aid Society of Reggio

[Translation.]

Reggio, April 30, 1865.

The Patriotic Mutual Aid Society, at a meeting held on the 30th of April instant, adopted the following address:

The Patriotic Mutual Aid Society of Reggio, in Emilia, was preparing an address to Mr. Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, when the sad news of his assassination was announced.

The much afflicted society now addresses the Vice-President, Mr. Andrew Johnson, who by right becomes President, and sends him its best wishes for his efforts to consummate the labor for liberty and equality.

President Johnson, the premeditated assassination of the illustrious Abraham Lincoln and his unfortunate colleagues calls for revenge, and it is your duty, Mr. Johnson, to see it carried out.

You must rend the sombre veil that hides the iniquitous scheme, and bring the demons to light, so that all good men may curse the traitors to their country and humanity.

The regeneration of the country is intrusted to your care, and you must renew it, and restore it to a higher rank than it ever held; thus demonstrating that, though the standard-bearer has fallen, the great battle is not lost; the true cause triumphs, strengthens, and crushes all disloyal enemies.

You must make the light-house of liberty beam more brilliantly before its holy temple, where even your greatest enemies will finally seek a sanctuary and confess in shame that their tyrannical course was the way of wickedness, full of tribulation and sorrow.

Citizen President, finish the humane work of the complete emancipation of the slaves, to which you have already contributed much, and your name will gain the greatest glory to which it can aspire—the blessing of the redeemed, joined to the benedictions of the entire world, whose eyes are now bent upon you.

And remember, also, that besides the poor blacks, there are many political slaves not less afflicted and oppressed, crying out for their lost liberty, robbed from them by a foreign power; they expect fraternal aid from you in shaking off the yoke imposed upon their necks by brutal force. Help them, and proclaim to the world that America belongs to the Americans.

For the society:

• ANGELO MANINI, President.
• C. GRASSETTI, Secretary.