Mr. F. W. Seward was also struck on the head with a heavy weapon, and is in a critical condition from the effect of the blows. Pursuant to the provision of the Constitution of the United States, Andrew Johnson, the Vice-President, has formally assumed the functions of President. I have by him been authorized to perform the duties of Secretary of State, until otherwise ordered. I avail myself of the occasion to offer to you the assurance of my very distinguished consideration. J. HUME BURNLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c. W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary. [Same, mutatis mutandis, to all foreign ministers in the United States.] Mr. Burnley to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, April 17, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 15th instant, announcing to me the lamented death of the President of the United States on the night of the 14th instant, from the effects of a pistol-shot received at the hands of an assassin, whilst attending the performances at the theatre, and the dastardly attempt to assassinate in like manner the Secretary of State, and his son Mr. F. Seward. It is with feelings of the deepest regret that I have heard of these crimes, a regret which will be shared by my government on reception of the sad news. I sincerely trust that Mr. Seward and his son may recover from the wounds inflicted on them and be restored to health. I take this opportunity of acknowledging the announcement of the formal assumption of the functions of President by the late Vice-President, Andrew Johnson, and of your appointment to perform temporarily the duties of Secretary of State. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. W. HUNTER, &c., &c., &c. J. HUME BURNLEY. Mr. Hunter to Mr. Burnley. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 18, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to enclose a programme of arrangements for the obsequies of the late President. The religious services will take place at the Executive Mansion at twelve o'clock m. to-morrow. Your attendance at about halfpast eleven is invited. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant, J. HUME BURNLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c. W. HUNTER, [Same, mutatis mutandis, to all foreign ministers in the United States.] ORDER OF THE PROCESSION. Funeral escort in column of march. CIVIC PROCESSION. Marshal. Clergy in attendance. The Surgeon General of the United States and physicians to the deceased. The family. The delegations of the States of Illinois and Kentucky as mourners. The President. The cabinet ministers. The diplomatic corps. The Chief Justice and associate justices of Supreme Court. The House of Representatives of the United States, preceded by its officers. Legislatures of the several States and Territories. The federal judiciary and the judiciary of the several States and Territories. The members and officers of the Sanitary and Christian Commissions. The reverend clergy of the various denominations. The clerks and employés of the several departments and bureaus, preceded by the heads or such bureaus and their respective chief clerks. Such societies as may wish to join the procession. Citizens and strangers. The troops designated to form the escort will assemble in the avenue, north of the President's house, and form line precisely at 11 o'clock a. m., on Wednesday, the 19th instant, with the left resting on Fifteenth street. The procession will move precisely at 2 o'clock p. m., on the conclusion of the religious services at the Executive Mansion, (appointed to commence at 12 o'clock meridian,) when minute-guns will be fired by detachments of artillery stationed near St. John's church, the City Hall, and at the Capitol. At the same hour the bells of the several churches in Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria will be tolled. At sunrise on Wednesday, the 19th instant, a federal salute will be fired from the military stations in the vicinity of Washington, minute-guns between the hours of twelve and three o'clock, and a national salute at the setting of the sun. The usual badge of mourning will be worn on the left arm and on the hilt of the sword. Mr. Burnley to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, April 18, 1865. SIR: With reference to Mr. Seward's note of the 6th ultimo, asking for the extradition of Vernon G. Locke, I have the honor to enclose copy of a despatch which I have received from his excellency the governor of the Bahamas in reply to my despatch communicating to him copy of the above-mentioned note. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, &c., &c., &c. J. HUME BURNLEY. Governor Rawson to Mr. Burnleg. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge your despatch of the 9th ultimo, transmitting a copy of a note from the Secretary of State for the United States, requesting the extradition of Vernon (or Verdon) G. Locke, charged with the commission of the crimes of piracy and murder on board the United States merchant steamer Chesapeake, and a fugitive from the justice of the United States. This man is now under arrest at Nassau, and will be brought to trial at the ensuing sitting of the general court, for the fraudulent sale of the captured United States schooner Hanover, being an offence committed in her Majesty's dominions against British law. Under such circumstances, it appears to me that I should not be justified in delivering him over to the authorities of the United States, to be tried by them for another offence, until he shall either have been acquitted of the first offence, or, if condemned on the trial for it, shall have undergone and completed his sentence. As, however, his trial will take place so soon, the question of his acquittal or condemnation will not long be at issue. If he should be acquitted, I shall be prepared to act upon a requisition presented to me conformably with the provisions of the 10th article of the treaty of Washington, to which Mr. Seward refers. If he should be condemned, he will remain in confinement here, and I will refer the question of extradition to the secretary of state for the instructions of her Majesty's government. I request, however, that you will lose no time in pointing out to Mr. Seward that his note does not contain, and that this government does not possess, any evidence or information upon which I can legally comply with his present requisition. The 10th article of the treaty of Washington stipulates that extradition is to be made "upon such evidence of crimi nality as, according to the laws of the place where the fugitive or person so charged shall be found, would justify his apprehension and commitment for trial, if the crime or offence had there been committed;" that the primary arrest must be made "upon complaint made under oath ;" that the person charged is to be brought before a competent court, to the end that the evidence of criminality may be heard and considered," and that I have only the power of surrendering the fugitive if, on such hearing, "the evidence be deemed sufficient to sustain the charge," in the judgment "of the examining judge or magistrate." It will be necessary, therefore, for the government of the United States to supply such evidence of the nature and circumstances of the alleged crimes, of the identity of Locke, and of his participaiton in the commission of the said crimes, as will satisfy the usual requirements of the colonial laws. I would also direct the attention of Mr. Secretary Seward to the provisions of the imperial act 6 and 7 Vic., C. 76, passed for the purpose of giving effect to the treaty of Washington, and among them to the necessity of proving that the crime was committed within the jurisdiction of the United States a fact which I am advised should appear upon the face of the requisition. I have, &c., J. HUME BURNLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RAWSON W. RAWSON, Governor. Mr. Burnley to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, April 18, 1865. SIR: I communicated to Governor Rawson copies of Mr. Seward's note of the 3d of March, and of its enclosure, relative to the movements of a schooner called the Gypsy, and I have now the honor to enclose a copy of his excellency's reply. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, J. HUME BURNLEY. Hon. W. HUNTer, &c., &c., &c. Governor Rawson to Mr. Burnley. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, NASSAU, April 3, 1865. SIR: In reply to your despatch of the 8th instant, enclosing a letter from Mr. Secretary Seward upon the movements of the schooner Gypsy, I have satisfaction in reporting that the apprehensions entertained by the United States consul at Havana appear to have been groundless, and the information which excited them incorrect. The Gypsy arrived in this port on the 2d of March with seven passengers, and cleared out in ballast for Havana on the 14th of the same month, under the command of the same master. Of the seven passengers, one was a medical officer in her Majesty's service, and another a tradesman of this place. I have, &c., J. HUME BURNLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RAWSON W. RAWSON, Governor. Mr. Burnley to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, April 18, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to lay before you copies of correspondence which have been communicated to me by his excellency the governor of the Bahamas, respecting the movements of United States ships-of-war, in contravention of her Majesty's proclamation in the roadstead off Matthew town, Inagua, one of the out islands of the Bahama group. Governor Rawson informs me that he has requested the United States consul to represent the irregularities committed by the officers of these ships to the United States admiral at Key West, enclosing at the same time the answer of this official, of which I enclose the copy. As the United States government appears to have given instructions to their officers cruising in those seas to pay respect to her Majesty's desire that belligerent vessels-of-war should refrain from visiting the islands of that colony, I feel convinced that they will see the necessity of taking proper measures to see that their orders are executed. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, &c., &c., &c. J. HUME BURNLEY, Mr. Kirkpatrick to Mr. Nesbitt. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of yesterday's date, en. closing me a copy of a letter from W. H. Pinder, esquire, acting resident justice at Matthew town Inagua, in regard to infractions said to have been committed of her Majesty the Queen's proclamation, and desiring me to forward a copy of Acting Justice Pinder's letter to the admiral on this station. Present my compliments to his excellency the governor and say that I shall immediately lay before Admiral Stribling your letter, and the copy alluded to. And I have no doubt he will cause steps to be taken to ascertain why these irritating irregularities were committed by these officers, and see that future ones are prevented. I shall also lay a copy of yours and Justice Pinder's letters before the government at Washington, that steps may be taken there also to prevent similar occurrences. I have, &c., Hon. C. R. NESBITT, Esq., &c., &c., &c. THOMAS KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Pinder to Mr. Nesbitt. MATTHEW TOWN, MAGUA, March 11, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to report to you, for the information of his excellency the governor, the arrival of the under-mentioned United States gunboats in the roadstead off this town, they having had frequent communication with the shore, but none whatever with the local authorities, viz: the Gallatea, Commander Nickelson, arrived on the 1st instant at 2 p. m., and left on the same day at 6 p. m., and arrived again on the 7th instant at 8 a. m., leaving at or about 6 p. m., without coming to an anchor, steaming, however, up and down over the anchorage places, within one-quarter of a mile of the shore. The Neptune, Commander Sanford, anchored off the town on the evening of the 8th instant, and remained at anchor until the morning of the 11th, when she left. I have, &c., Hon. J. R. NESBITT, Esq., &c., &c., &c. H. H. PINDER, Acting Resident Justice. Mr. Burnley to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, April 18, 1865. SIR: I communicated to Governor Rawson a copy of Mr. Seward's note of the 8th ultimo, relative to five vessels supposed to have been fitted out at the Bahamas for purposes hostile to the United States, and I have now the honor to transmit a copy of his excellency's answer. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, J. HUME BURNLEY. Hon. W. HUNTer, &c., §., &c. |