Lodge of Good Faith to Andrew Johnson

Lodge of Good Faith to Andrew Johnson

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Presidents--Assassination

Condolence notes

Freemasonry

Lodge of Good Faith

Record Group 59: General Records of the Department of State, 1763-2002, Entry 177: Foreign Messages on the Death of Abraham Lincoln, 1865, National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

1865-05-15

pdf

fre

RG59E177-19

48.8833, 2.0667

St. Germain-en-Laye

France

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Late President of the United States of America, and the Attempted Assassination of William H. Seward, Secretary of State (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1866), 107.

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Late President of the United States of America, and the Attempted Assassination of William H. Seward, Secretary of State (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1867), 141.

[Translation.]

Lodge of Good Faith,
 St. Germain-en-Laye, May 15, 1865, (common era.)

The Masonic Lodge of Good Faith, on hearing of the odious crime that deprived the United States government of its illustrious President, Abraham Lincoln, experienced the same sorrow felt by the whole world. French free masonry does not meddle with political passions; but as a body of enlightened men it professes those great principles of humanity that your regretted President practiced with so much skill and success.

The abolishment of slavery, the great work so long desired by civilized nations, the sacred design of the wisdom and justice of all governments, was prosecuted with tact and ingenuity by your predecessor, for which he has a right to not only the gratitude of his own nation, but to the homage of everybody who recognized in him the honorable representative of the liberal ideas adopted by the human race in this age of progress. This spirit recoils before no obstacle, but in its onward march crushes tyranny, intolerance, and prejudice.

No, this assassination cannot destroy the great fundamental principles of universal morality. Martyrs may fall under the cruel blows of blind fanaticism, but truth will rise more radiant and triumphant out of the darkness where ignorance and obstinacy sought to bury it. As ardent propagandists of masonic faith, which is one day to unite all men, we will escape all future imminent dangers.

In completing the noble task of your predecessor you will be sustained in the sacred duty by our good wishes and our prayers in the accomplishment of this humane labor.

Under these unexpected circumstances the Lodge of Good Faith adopts your ideas of universal happiness, and is proud to say it joins you, heart and soul, in the sympathetic bonds of love for the public good.

Our wishes will be satisfied if you deign to receive, at this solemn moment, the respectful homage of our fraternal sentiments, and the assurance of our profound and sincere affection.

PERROT,
Venerable.
P. FONTAINE.
MAYER.
DAMBRINE.
 And many others.

The President of the United States.

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