WASHINGTON, _February 29, 1844_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
I have to perform the melancholy duty of announcing to the two Houses of
Congress the death of the Hon. Abel P. Upshur, late Secretary of State,
and the Hon. Thomas W. Gilmer, late Secretary of the Navy.
This most lamentable occurrence transpired on board the United States
ship of war the _Princeton_ on yesterday at about half past 4 o'clock in
the evening, and proceeded from the explosion of one of the large guns
of that ship.
The loss which the Government and the country have sustained by this
deplorable event is heightened by the death at the same time and by the
same cause of several distinguished persons and valuable citizens.
I shall be permitted to express my great grief at an occurrence
which has thus suddenly stricken from my side two gentlemen upon whose
advice I so confidently relied in the discharge of my arduous task of
administering the office of the executive department, and whose services
at this interesting period were of such vast importance.
In some relief of the public sorrow which must necessarily accompany
this most painful event, it affords me much satisfaction to say that
it was produced by no carelessness or inattention on the part of the
officers and crew of the _Princeton_, but must be set down as one of
those casualties which to a greater or less degree attend upon every
service, and which are invariably incident to the temporal affairs of
mankind. I will also add that it in no measure detracts from the value
of the improvement contemplated in the construction of the _Princeton_
or from the merits of her brave and distinguished commander and
projector.