Lincoln was the first U.S. president to be assassinated. Thus, his death was a test for the country and the strength of its constitutional plan of succession. Some countries noted this fact, and their acknowledgement of Andrew Johnson’s presidency demonstrated that his government was viewed as legitimate in the eyes of the world community. The response from China, for example, embodied both regret and reassurance that the transfer of power was perceived as smooth. Prince Kung, Chief Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, wrote on July 8, 1865, that the announcement of Lincoln’s death “inexpressibly shocked and startled me.” Nevertheless, the news that “on the same day the Vice-President succeeded to the position without any disturbance, and the assassin had been arrested, so that the affairs of government were going on quietly as usual” seemed to satisfy the Prince’s worry, and he hoped that these facts would also “alleviate your grief at the event.”
