Switzerland, considering herself united by the most cordial and nearest ties to her great sister republic.

We invite you, therefore, to express to the present President of the United States, in the name of the Swiss Federal Council, our most sincere and heartfelt condolence. You will please assure the President of the renewed and sincere sympathies which free Switzerland, with kindred institutions, entertains for the efforts of the American government in the cause of truth and humanity. These sympathies have received new impulse by the last terrible calamity which has befallen the people of the United States.

You will, finally, not fail to express our sincere hope that the American Union, reunited in love and conciliation, now mightier than ever, will, with renewed energy, strive to accomplish the great destiny which Providence has assigned her, and thus present to the world herself as the grandest monument reared in commemoration of the great dead.

Accept the assurances of our distinguished consideration, in the name of the Swiss Federal Council.

SCHENK, President.
SCHIESS,

Chancellor of the Confederation.

Mr. Hitz to Mr. Seward.

CONSULATE GENERAL OF SWITZERLAND,

Washington, April 15, 1865.

SIR: The national calamity which has just befallen the United States is, in all its bearings, one of such stupendous magnitude that Switzerland, in the person of her representatives, stands appalled at the enormity of the deed which deprived a republic of a Chief Magistrate who not only was first in establishing universal freedom throughout the land, foremost in offering the hand of conciliation to a misguided enemy of traitors, devotedly beloved by his countrymen, but was also respected abroad, and looked up to with confidence in every clime where freemen draw breath. When, therefore, the representative of the time-honored republic of Switzerland expresses, in her behalf, sincere sympathy for the irreparable loss sustained, just in an hour of triumph, by her great sister republic the United States, I pray it may be accepted as the heartfelt emotion of a national heart which has ever beat in unison with that of the United States, and with those great principles of free government whereof his excellency, your late esteemed President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, appeared to be the embodiment.

Switzerland joins in the universal bereavement of freemen, and while tendering her humble offering of sympathy at the shrine of an afflicted nation,

seeks to convey consolation in the assurance given, that "He whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth;" wherefore these trials which Almighty God has, in the province of divine wisdom, seen proper to visit upon a free people are but an evidence of His love, and, it is prayed, harbingers of blessings evermore.

And now, sir, with feelings of inmost sympathy for your own personal and family afflictions, and gratitude to the Lord for the preservation of your invaluable life and services to a mighty yet sorely stricken nation in a most momentous epoch of its history,

I remain, with sentiments sincere, though unspoken,

JOHN HITZ,

The Consul General of Switzerland.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

To the Editor of the Bund, in Berne:

The Mutual Aid Society of the north part of the Canton of Aargau, at a meeting held on the 21st instant, (seventy-six members being present,) unanimously resolved to approve of the address of sympathy and condolence of the Swiss Confederation to the North American sister republic beyond the ocean. While making this communication, we ask you to accept the sincere expression of our high esteem.

FERD. AFFOLSTER, President.

N. DINKELMANN, Secretary.

[Translation.]

Council of the Canton of Uri to the Bundesrath, in Berne.

ALTORF, May 8, 1865.

GENTLEMEN: Willingly following the example of other cantons, we have the honor to inform you that in our session of this day we have unanimously resolved to assent to the general address of sympathy and condolence of the Swiss Confederation to the North American Union, on account of the assassination of its excellent President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN. We have no doubt but this sympathy is universal, and we send you this declaration that you may take due notice of it and forward it to its place of destination. In the mean time, we give our best wishes for your prosperity, and recommend you to the protection of Divine Providence.

In the name of the council:

GISLER, Secretary.

K. E. MULLER, President.

[Translation.]

AARAU, April 28, 1865.

HONORED SIR: The government counsellor of the canton of Aargau has just heard of the great misfortune that has overtaken our sister republic beyond the ocean, on the 14th of April, by the hand of the assassin, and feels the greatest sympathy and indignation the event can impart. The general sorrow is the more intense, as it fell like a thunderbolt upon the joy and hope with which the civilized world was congratulating the victorious star-spangled banner upon the heroic days of Richmond and Petersburg. We have therefore unanimously resolved, in our session of this day, to express our deepest sympathy for the government of the United States, upon the horrid death of their great President LINCOLN, and we request the honorable minister resident of that country to communicate it to his government.

May God preserve the United States, bestow more great and unblemished victories upon their flag in contests for freedom and the holy rights of man, and soon crown the sublime sacrifice and heroic deeds of their arms with all the blessings of a glorious peace.

Accept, dear sir, with the above sympathy, the expression of our most distinguished consideration.

In the name of the government counsellor of the canton of Aargau :

The Landammann President,

Hon. Mr. FOGG,

A. TELLER.

The Secretary of State,

KINGIER.

Minister Resident of the United States of North America, in Berne.

[Translation.]

AARAU, April 28, 1865.

DEAR SIR: It is my desire to contribute to the great address of sympathy to the American nation, and I therefore request you to add the enclosed sheet to it. Be kind enough also to have a copy of it sent to the federal committee in Berne, and oblige your very humble servant,

Professor DR. TROXLER.

The undersigned, as a free citizen of a free country, considers himself supremely happy in having this opportunity to express his grateful feelings for a country that has at last succeeded in the emancipation of all its people of every race and color. So many years have passed since we had the struggle for our liberties that we have almost forgotten our troubles at that time, and our reasons for contentment would not be appreciated now were it not for the

existence of some oppressed and suffering people in Europe not very far from our own borders, on either side of us.

The people of the United States of North America can now congratulate themselves that they are one, that all cause of dissension is removed, and that they have no Russia or Austria near them to disturb their peace. Let all animosities be buried; let the people of the same flesh and blood, though dwelling in different sections of the land, forget that they were ever mortal enemies, and all may yet be well. They have the Bible and religion among them, and let them rejoice that it is so. Religion and morality are the indispensable props of public welfare. Let them cultivate these and do unto their neighbors as they would be done by, and they will never come to harm.

AARMADT, April 28, 1865.

TROXLER.

[Translation.]

Chief justice and council of the canton of Appenzell, of the Inner Rhodes, to Dr. John Wyttenbach, of the grand council in Berne.

APPENZELL, May 5, 1865.

SIR: In a letter of the 1st instant, the committee for the address of sympathy and condolence to the American Union invited us to participate with him in it, as many of the Swiss cantons have already done.

The sympathy of the people of the Inner Rhodes for the Americans in their four years of civil war for freedom and Union, and their sorrow for the sad misfortune of the death of President LINCOLN, the noblest citizen of that glorious land, induce us, in the name of the inhabitants of our canton, to join in the address to our fellow-citizens of that bereaved country.

With great respect, in the name of the chief justice and council,

I hereby empower and request you to add my name as a signer to the general address of sympathy and condolence from the Swiss Confederation to the government in Washington. You will also have the kindness to communicate the following resolution of a public meeting held in this place yesterday on the same occasion.

THE RESOLUTION.

The citizens of Arwangen rejoice at the great victories of the North, while they sincerely deplore the loss of the great man who perished by the assassin's hand. They assembled to the number of three hundred and two, and unanimously give this expression of their feelings, hoping the document may be conveyed to its proper destination.

In the name of the meeting, the special committee:

J. H. EGGER, President.

J. MORGENTHALER, Secretary.

S. L. ERNST, Treasurer.

Hundreds of signatures might have been obtained in this neighborhood for the address, had our time not been so limited.

Mr. PRESIDENT: At a public meeting of the citizens of Aarmuhle, district of Interlachen, it was unanimously resolved to ratify the Swiss address of gratulation and sympathy to the people of the North American Union.

The teachers in the district of Aarberg have watched the events of the American war with much interest, and were exceedingly rejoiced when the news of Union victories resounded in our land. As our joy was profound, so was our grief, when, a few days later, news saddened us with the sombre fact that the great republican citizen, LINCOLN, had fallen by the hand of an assassin.

Thirty members of the district synod of Aarberg, in their session of the 29th of May, unanimously resolved to approve of the address of sympathy and condolence to the American Union.

Requesting you to give notice of this fact, we remain, &c.,

MATTI, Secretary.