Partly-printed DS from William H. Seward as Secretary of State, presented within a copy of a scarce memorial book compiled in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The document, one page, 8 x 10, December 10, 1867, represents an official letter from the U.S. Department of State, issued to “The Municipal Council of Stratford-upon-Avon, England,” in full: “Pursuant to the provisions of a Resolution of the Congress of the United States, approved March 5, 1867, a copy of which is hereunto annexed, I transmit a copy of a volume, which you will please accept from this Government as a Testimonial of the grateful appreciation by the People of the generous expressions of condolence and sympathy in the late National Bereavement, which were communicated in so touching a manner by the Municipal Council of Stratford-upon-Avon to the Department of State of the United States.” Signed at the conclusion by Seward.
The Seward document is affixed to an opening page of the government-issued, limited release book 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. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1867. Hardcover in a cloth library binding with marbled edges, rebound in dark blue cloth, 9.5 x 12.25, 930 pages. The printed letter of condolence from the Municipal Council of Stratford-upon-Avon can be found on pages 430 and 431.
Opposite the book’s index is a page headed “A Resolution for Printing Additional Copies of the Appendix to the Diplomatic Correspondence of 1865,” which reads: “Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in addition to the number of copies of papers relating to foreign affairs now authorized by law, there shall be printed for distribution by the Department of State, on fine paper, with wide margin, a sufficient number of copies of the Appendix to the Diplomatic Correspondence of 1865 to supply one copy to each senator and each representative of the Thirty-ninth Congress and to each foreign government, and one copy to each corporation, association, or public body, whose expressions of condolence or sympathy are published in said volume; one hundred of these copies to be bound in full Turkey morocco, full gilt, and the remaining copies to be bound in half Turkey morocco, marble edged. Approved March 2, 1867.”
Adjacent to the Seward document is an affixed transmittal letter presented to the Municipal Council of Stratford-upon-Avon on behalf of Benjamin Moran, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States at London, dated July 23, 1868, which states: “Mr. Moran…has the honour to transmit herewith a letter from the Department of State at Washington City. He begs to say that the volume to which it refers will be sent through the channel named in the Memorandum below. Mr. Moran will be pleased to receive and forward to his Government an acknowledgment of the reception of the letter and volume in question.” The frontispiece is an engraved portrait of Lincoln bearing a facsimile signature. The Seward document is in fine condition, with some light scattered stains. Book condition: VG/None.
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