The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-04-19
WAR DEPARTMENT,


u WASHINGTON, April ID, 3 p. m.
s7o Maj Gen. Dir:
n Official notice of the death Of the late
%Prcsident, Abraham Lincoln, was givei
%by the heads of Departments TO Andrew
xJohnson, Vice President, upon whom the
gconstitution devolved the office of Presi
Sdcnt Mr. johnson. upon receiving thi
znotice appeared before the Hon. S. =
SChasc, Chief Justice of the United States
gand took the oath of office as Presiden
2of the United States, and assumed it.
zdutics and functions.
B At twelve. o'clock the President me-
Sthe heads of Departments in cabinet meet
Hing at the Treasury Building, and among
Sother business the following was tran
s.sacted:
A First, The arrangements for the runcr.
Val of the late President was referred tc
the several Secretaries MS far as'rclates tc
Ether respective Departments.
. Second, VIM Hunter, Esq, was APP
dpointed Acting Secretary of State during
! ihe disability of Mr.. Seward and his sol
3Fredcrick Seward, the Assistant Score.
stary.
4 Third. The President formally an.
Snounced that he desired to retain the
3prcsent Secretaries of Department of hi,
5Cabinet, and they would 90 on and dis
4charge their respective dnics in the same
smanncr as before the deplorablc event
1 that had changed the head of the govern
i;ment.
I All business in the departments was
Suspended during the day.
] The surgeons report that the condition
3of Mr. WI Seward remains unchanged
/ he is doing we'll No improvement il
/ MIR. Frederick Seward.
4 The murderers have not yet been APP
lprchcnded.
L. NJ. STANTON.
I After receiving the oath and being de.
aclared President of the United States,
AIR. johnson remarked
4 "GENTLEMEN | must be permitted tc
! Say that have been almost overwhelmed
5bv the announcement of the sad event
(which has so recently occurred. / fee
sincompetent to perform duties SO import
! liant and responsible as those which have
sbeen so unexpectedly thrown upon me-
I As to any indication of any policy which
9may be pursued by me in the admistra
stion of the Government, | have TO say
'sthat must be left for development as tho
3 administration progresses. The message
xor declaration must be made by the act
Has they transpire. The Cnly assurance
nan now give of the future is reference t.
Hthe past. The course which l have Ia
\ ken in the past in connection with thi
8Rebelion must be regarded as a guaran
tee Of the future. My past public life
Il whicl, has been long and laboriou', ha
x been founded, as | in good conscienc be
: lieve upon a great principle of right
Il which lies at the basis of all things. Tn,
best energies of my life have been spen
Hin cndeavoring to establish and perpetu
Maze the principles Of free government, ant
81 believe that the Government, in passin,
Sthrough its present peris, will settle dowI
fupon principles consonant with popular
Arights, more permanent and endurin;
3than heretofore. i must be permitted
Ito say, if | understand the feelings of m,
\ own heart, l have long labored to amel
aiorate and elevate the condition of II;
8great mass of the American people. Toi
sand an honest advocacy of the great prin
.sciples of free government have been my
Hot. The duties have been mine-th'
consequences are Gods. This has beer
3thc foundation of my political creed.
Hfeel that in the end the Government vii
3triumph, and that these great principle
Twill be permanently established. In con
3clusion, gentlemen, let me say that | wan
5your encouragement and countenance
Il shall ask and rely upon you and other
lin carrying the Government through it
4 present perils. l feel in making this re
3quest that it will be heartily responds
Ito by you and all other patriots and low
j crs of the rights and interests Of FIRE
4 people.