Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-05-25
ConrtesIes - Uncle san.

among tue puOltC uOCumGuts du0
papers of the government IN Washing
ton, says the New York san, are some
very curious and interesting letters that
have been written to the President of the
United States from time to time by the
heads of foreign governments. Most of
them are letters Of courtesy announcing
births, deaths and marriages in the royal
families, and very many are letters of in
PRODUCTION or credentials of new minis
tiers sent to represent their governments
at Washington. They are all addressed
ITO the President of the United States
OF America In not one of them is he
mentioned by name, neither is there any
mention Of Congress nor of the people of
the United States, except in the case of a
semi official letter from young Lafayette,
given below. It is the custom among
the foreign governments to officially
notify each other of all changes occur
ring in their different reigning families.
A kings successor announces the death
of the former king and his Access
sion to the throne aud in like
manner birth, death or marriage
in the royal family is proclaimed A
copy of the latter is sent to the head of
every government on the globe. No
such custom is observed in this country,
however. Even change of admins
tration is not officially announced to the
foreign governments. Neither is the
death of President. To all intents aud
purposes there is no change in the govern
ment of the United States The letters
of courtesy which the President receives
from the various crowned heads are ac-
knowlcdged in short note of very few
words, and that is the end of the mat
ter. These letters have been preserved
in four books, entitled Letters of Cour-
tesy.n One is labeled England, an
other France, another Russia, and an
other The Netherlands.
The following, announcing the death
of King William Nv. and her accession
to the throne of England. was the first
letter received from Queen Victoria II
Is on Irish linen paper with heavy
black border, and her signature at the
bottom is the same as that on all of tho
subsequent letters from her
Victoria, by the grace OF God Queen OF the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire
land, Defender Of the Faith, &c, &c, &c:
To the President of the United States OF
America, sendeth greeting
Gun GOOD FRIEND: It is with the deepest
affection that we announce to you the de-
cease of our most honored and beloved uncle,
his late Majesty King William the Fourth,
Of blessed memory, whom it pleased God to
take from this world on the morning of the
twentieth instant at twelve minutes past two
O'Clock i'm the seventy second year of his age
and the seventh Of his reign. While we thus
communicate TO you the earliest intelligence
of this mournful event. we feel convinced
that you win participate in our own and the
public grief for the loss of q sovereign whoss
memory is Justly dear TO his family and 10 his
subjects of every cla6s.
In acquainting you ct the same time with
our accession to the throne OF this kingdom
we cannot omit TO assure you that il will be
our most earnest desire to cultivate and
maintain the relations of friendship and
good standing which so happily subsist he
tween the two countries, and that il will al
ways afford us pleasure to have fresh Oppor-
tunities of proving the interest which we take
in the welfare and prosperity Of the United
States, and so we commend you TO tho pro.
lection of the Almighty.
Given at our court at Kensington, the
twenty third day of June, in the year of our
lord one thousand eight hundred aud thirty
seven, and in the first year Of cur rcign.
Your good friend,
(Signed) VICTORIA r.
lCountersignedl PALMERsTox.