East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-04-19
FROM WASHINGTON,


WAsn-.NGToN, April 16.
Yesterday morning, Attorney Gen
era. speed, waited upon Hon. Andrew
Johnson, Vice President of the Uni
ted States, and officially informed him
of the sudden and unexpected death
of President Lincoln, and stated that
an carly hour might be appointed for
the Inauguration of his successor. -
The following is the communication
referred to:
WASHINGTON, April Is, 1865.
SIR Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States, was shot by an
assassin last evening, at Ford's Thea
tire, in this city, and died at the hour
of 7:22 o'clock this morning About
the same time at which tho President
was shot, an assassin entered the sick
chamber of the Hon. w. III. Seward,
Secretary of State, and stabbed him
in several places in the throat, neck,
and face, severely if not fatally wound
ing him. Other members of the Sec
retary's family were dangerously
wounded by tho assassin while max
ing his escape. BY tho death of Pres
ident Lincoln, tho 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 ar
rangements as you deem proper will
be made.
Your obedient servants,
(Signed) HUGH MCCULLOUGH,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Il. M. STANTON,
Secretary Of War.
G.. WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy
VIM. DENNISON,
Postmaster General.
j. =. USHER,
Secretary of the Interior.
JAMES SPEED,
Attorney General.
To ANDREW JOHNSON, Vice President
of the United States.
Mr.. johnson requested that the
ceremony take place at his rooms at
the Kirkwood house, in this city, at
10 o'clock in the morning. Hon.
Salmon =. Chase, Chief Justice of
tho United Statos Supreme Court,
was notified Of tho fact and desired to
be in attendance to administer the
oath of Office. At tho above named
hour, the following gentlemen met in
tho Vice Presidents room to partici-
pate in the ceremony: Hon. s. =.
Chase, Hon. III. McCulloch, Attorney
General Speed, L. p. Blair, Senator
Foote of Vermont, Yates of Illinois.
After the presentation of the above,
the Chief Justice administered tho
following oath to Mr.. Johnson:
/ do solemnly swear that / will
faithfully execute the Office of Presi-
dent of the United States, and will
to tho best of my ability preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution of
the United States.
After receiving the oath and being
declared President of the United
States, Mr.. Johnson remarked:
Gentlemen--I must be permitted
to sey that i have been almost over
whelmed by tho announcement of the
sad event which has so recently occur
red. i feel incompetent to perform
duties so important and responsible
as those which have been so unexpec-
teddy thrown upon me. As to an in
dication of any policy which may be
pursued by me in the administration
of the government, have to say that
that must be left for development as
the administration progresses. The
message or declaration must BIO mado
by the acts as they transpire. The
only assurance that | can now give of