Mexican President Benito Juarez Response to the Lincoln Assassination

Full Title

Mexican President Benito Juarez Response to the Lincoln Assassination

Description

This is a condolence letter from the exiled Mexican President Benito Juarez. In the letter Juarez mourns the loss of Abraham Lincoln and also hopes that the U.S. Secretary of State and his son recover from their wounds. On the night of President's assassination, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward was also attacked. He was stabbed repeatedly in his home by conspirator Lewis Powell. Eventually Seward recovered from his wounds. Benito Juarez served as President in Mexico until 1863, when French forces invaded Mexico during the "French Intervention" which began in 1861. The French, backed by conservatives and nobility in Mexico, tried to overthrow Mexican President Benito Juarez. Allies of Juarez fled to New York City, considered a safe haven by Mexican liberals. Juarez set up his government in exile in northern Mexico, in Chihuahua City.

Transcription

Hon. William H. Seward, &c.
_____

[Enclosure No. 1. – Translation.]
Chihuahua, May 11, 1865.
My Dear Friend …
We also received the day before yesterday the news of the total defeat of the confederate army on the 9th of April. The great pleasure this news afforded us was marred by the very sad impression which the shocking intelligence of President Lincoln’s assassination produced upon us. That great misfortune has profoundly impressed me, as Mr. Lincoln, who worked with so much earnestness and abnegation for the cause of nationality and freedom was worthy of a better fate than the poniard of a coward assassin. I do most earnestly hope that Mr. Seward’s wounds would not be mortal, and that his son too, may have been saved. I beg of you to pay a private visit to Mr. Seward in my name, expressing to him my grief for the misfortunes befallen upon him, and my best wishes for his speedy and complete recovery.
Benito Juarez
Senor Don Matias Rombro




[Transcription by: Ricarda H., Dr. Susan Corbesero’s Class, Ellis School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]
 

Source

Google Books

Rights

This item is in the public domain and may be reproduced and used for any purpose, including research, teaching, private study, publication, broadcast or commercial use, with proper citation and attribution.

Tags

• transcribed

• Person

• government: foreign

• international

• man

• diplomatic

• first reaction

• grief

• honoring

• mourning

• political

• sympathy

Cite this Item

Benito Juarez. "Mexican President Benito Juarez Response to the Lincoln Assassination". Government Printing Office. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed November 20, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1123

Item Type

Letter

Creator

Benito Juarez

Publisher

Government Printing Office

Date

May 11, 1865

Region

Latin America