PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE EXPRESSIONS OF CONDOLENCE ON THE DEATH OF THE LATE PRESIDENT GARFIELD).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1882 Session I, A-12

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1882. NEW ZEALAND.

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE EXPRESSIONS OF CONDOLENCE ON THE DEATH OF THE LATE PRESIDENT GARFIELD).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Agent-Genehal to the Hon. the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 23rd September, 1881. Long before this letter reaches you the intelligence will have been received in the colony of the tragical death of the President of the United States. By the Queen's commands the English Court has gone into mourning; and from all parts of England, and the rest of Europe, expression is being given to the universal regret for the President's death. It seemed to me that the New Zealand colonists would desire to join in this, and I asked my colleagues, the A gents-General for New South Wales and South Australia, to wait with me to-day upon the United States Minister to express the sorrow with which the intelligence of the President's death had been received in our colonies, and the sympathy felt by all with Mrs. Garfield in her bereavement. I have, &c. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. P. D. Bell.

No. 2. The Hon. the Postmaster-General to the Agent-General. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 15th November, 1881. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 758, of the 23rd September, relating to the action you took, in conjunction with the Agents-General of New South Wales and South Australia, to express the sorrow with which the intelligence of the death of President Garfield had been received in these colonies. Tou will have no doubt gathered from a perusal of Hansard that the New Zealand Parliament had conveyed to the United States Government an expression of sympathy from the colony. I have, &c, Walter W. Johnston, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. (in the absence of the Colonial Secretary.)

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, B.W, 24th September, 1881. In continuation of my letter of the 23rd instant, I have now the honor to enclose copy of a communication received by the Agents-General for New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand, in reply to the one we jointly made to the United States Minister. I have, <fcc. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. I). Bell.

Enclosure in No. 3. Legation of the United States, London, 23rd September, 1881. The Minister of the United States begs to acknowledge the reception of a communication from the AgentsGeneral of New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand, expressing the sorrow -with which those colonies heard of the lamented death of the late President Garfield, and will take an early opportunity to convey this manifestation of respect and sympathy to Mrs. Garfield and the Government at Washington.

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No. 4 The Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to the Administrator of the Government. Sir, — Downing Street, 13th October, 1881. With reference to your telegram of the 27th of September, containing an address of sympathy from the House of Representatives of New Zealand, occasioned by the death of the President of the United States, I have the honor to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office covering one from the United States Minister, requesting that the acknowledgements of the late President's family and of the American people may be conveyed to the Parliament of New Zealand for their telegram of sympathy. ■ I have, &c, Administrator Prendergast, &c, Kimberley.

Enclosure in No. 4. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir, — Foreign Office, 7th October, 1881. With reference to Sir Julian Pauncefote's letter of the 28th ultimo, I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a communication which has been received from the United States Minister at this Court, requesting that the heartfelt acknowledgements of the bereaved family of the late President Garfield and of the American people may be conveyed to the Parliament of New Zealand for the telegram of sympathy received from that colony, which was duly forwarded to Washington in accordance with the request contained in your letter of the 28th ultimo, and I am to request that, in laying this letter before the Earl of Kimberley, you will move his Lordship to cause effect to be given to Mr. Lowell's wishes in the matter. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Tenterden.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 4<. Mr. Lowell to Earl Granville. My Lord, — Legation of the United States, London, 3rd October, 1881. I have the honor to acquaint your Lordship that I received, on the evening of the Ist instant, a telegram from Mr. Hitt, Acting-Secretary of State at Washington, instructing me to request your Lordship to transmit to the Parliament of New Zealand the heartfelt acknowledgments of the bereaved family of the late President Garfield and of the American people for a telegram of tender sympathy received from that distant colony, which is especially appreciated in this hour of grief. I have, &c, The Earl of Granville, K.G., &c, J. R. Lowell.

No. 5. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor the Hon. Sir A. H. Gordon. Sin, — Downing Street, 16th November, 1881. With reference to my Despatch General of the 13th October, I have the honor to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, enclosing copy of a note addressed by Mr. Blaine to Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Washington, in acknowledgment of the telegrams of condolence on the death of President Garfield received from the Australian Colonies. I have, &c, Governor the Hon. Sir A. H. Gordon, G.C.M.G., etc. Kimberley.

Enclosure in No. 5. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir, —■ Foreign Office, 9th November, 1881. I am directed by Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, to be laid before the Earl of Kimberley, a copy of a note addressed by Mr. Blaine to Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Washington, in acknowledgment of the telegrams of condolence on the death of President Garfield proceeding from the Australian Colonies. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Tenterden.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 5. Mr. Blaine to Mr. Drummond. Sib, — Department of State, Washington, (sth October, 1881. I have had the honor to receive your Legation's communication to this department of several instructions addressed to you by Lord Granville, conveying the singularly affecting telegrams of condolence on the death of President Garfield received by the Foreign Office from Her Majesty's distant possessions in Australia and Tasmania. It has afforded me unfeigned gratification to make heartfelt acknowledgment of these consolatory messages, through the United States Legation in London. The oneness of the residents of every party of the wide British domain with the family of the dead Chief Magistrate, and with the American people in their afflicting trial, has touched our hearts very deeply. I have, &c, Victor Drummond, Esq. James G. Blaine.

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No. 6. The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor the Hon. Sir A. H. Gordon. Sir,— Downing Street, Bth March, 1882. With reference to my Despatch General of the 13th of October last, I have the honor t« transmit to you a copy of a further letter from the Foreign Office, enclosing a copy of a letter from the United States Minister at this Court, expressing the appreciation of the American people of the sympathy afforded to them by the Government of New Zealand on the death of President Garfield. I have, &c, Governor the Hon. Sir A. H. Gordon, G.C.M.G., &c. Kimberley.

Enclosure in No. 6. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir,— Foreign Office, 3rd March, 1882. I am directed by Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, t« be laid before Her Maiesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of a letter from the United States Minister at this Court, expressing the appreciation of the American people of the sympathy afforded to them by the Government of New Zealand on the death of President Garfield. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Tenterden.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 6. Mr. J. E. Lowell to Earl Granville. Mx Lord, — Legation of the United States, London, 27th February, 1882. I have the honor to acquaint you that I have to-day received a Despatch from Mr. Frelinghuysen, dated on the 11th instant, enclosing the copy of a telegram which was delivered at Washington last September to the President of the United States, expressing the sympathy of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, with the people of the United States of America in their grief at the death of President Garfield, a calamity which the cable message goes on to state was to be deplored by every English-speaking community throughout the world, and I havelto add that the President desires me, in acknowledging through the proper channel the receipt of this telegram, to convey to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of New Zealand an expression of the sad satisfaction which this kind and touching message of condolence has afforded the President and the American people. I beg to ask your Lordship to be kind enough to transmit this assurance to the authorities of the colony. I have, &c., The Earl Granville, K.G. J. R. Lowell.

Authority : Geoegb Dibsbtjbt, Government Printer, Wellington.—1882,