_Vice-President of the United States_.
SIR: Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, was shot by an
assassin last evening at Ford's Theater, in this city, and died at the
hour of twenty-two minutes after 7 o'clock.
About the same time at which the President was shot an assassin entered
the sick chamber of the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, and
stabbed him in several places--in the throat, neck, and face--severely
if not mortally wounding him. Other members of the Secretary's family
were dangerously wounded by the assassin while making his escape. By the
death of President Lincoln the office of President has devolved, under
the Constitution, upon you. The emergency of the Government demands that
you should immediately qualify, according to the requirements of the
Constitution, and enter upon the duties of President of the United
States. If you will please make known your pleasure, such arrangements
as you deem proper will be made.
Your obedient servants,
HUGH McCULLOCH,
_Secretary of the Treasury_.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
_Secretary of War_.
GIDEON WELLES,
_Secretary of Navy_.
W. DENNISON,
_Postmaster-General_.
J.P. USHER,
_Secretary of the Interior_.
JAMES SPEED,
_Attorney-General_.
[From the Daily National Intelligencer, April 17, 1865.]
The Vice-President responded that it would be agreeable to him to
qualify himself for the high office to which he had been so unexpectedly
called, under such melancholy circumstances, at his rooms at the
Kirkwood Hotel; and at 11 o'clock a.m. [15th] the oath of office was
administered to him by Chief Justice Chase, of the Supreme Court of the
United States, in the presence of nearly all the Cabinet officers; the
Hon. Solomon Foot, United States Senator from Vermont; the Hon.
Alexander Ramsey, United States Senator from Minnesota; the Hon. Richard
Yates, United States Senator from Illinois; the Hon. John. P. Hale, late
Senator from New Hampshire; General Farnsworth, of the House of
Representatives, from Illinois; F.P. Blair, sr.; Hon. Montgomery Blair,
late Post master-General, and some others.
[For Inaugural Address of President Johnson, see pp. 305-306.]