Abraham Lincoln - American Memory

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58 Jefferson Davis was as strongly impressed with the usurpation and despotism of Mr. Lincoln's administration as some of the advocates of his aiders and abettors seem to be at this day ; and he indulges in the following statement : "All that a large portion of the northern people, especially in the northwest, want to resist the oppressions of the despotism at Washington is a leader. They are ripe for resistance, and it may come soon after the presidential election. At all events, it must come, if our armies are not overcome, or destroyed, or dispersed. No people of the Anglo-Saxon blood can long endure the usurpations and tyrannies of Lincoln." Clay does not sign the despatch, but indorses the bearer of it as a person who can identify him and give his name. The bearer of that letter was the witness Richard Mont- gomery, who saw Clay write a portion of the letter, and received it from his hands, and subsequently delivered it to the Assistant Secre- tary of War of the United States, Mr. Dana. That the letter is in Clay's handwriting is clearly proved by those familiar with it. Mr. Montgomery testifies that he was instructed by Clay to deliver this letter to Benjamin, the rebel Secretary of State, if he could get through to Richmond, and to tell him what names to put in the blanks. This letter leaves no doubt, if any before existed in the mind of any one who had read the letter of Oldham and Davis's indorsement thereon, that "the chemical preparations" and " combustible mate- riaU" had been tried and had failed, and it had become a matter of great moment and concern that they should be so prepared as, in the words of Davis, "to overcome the difficulties heretofore experi- enced ;" that is to say, complete the work of destruction, and secure the perpetrators against personal injury or detection in the perform- ance of it. It only remains to be seen whether Davis, the procurer of arson and of the indiscriminate murder of the innocent and unoffending necessarily resultant therefrom, was capable also of endeavoring to procure, and in fact did procure, the murder, by direct assassination, of the President of the United States and others charged with the duty of maintaining the government of the United States, and of suppressing the rebellion in which this arch-traitor and conspirator was engaged. The ollieial papers of Davis, captured under the guns of our victo- rious army in his rebel capital, identified beyond question or shadow of doubt, and placed upon your record, together with the declara- tions and acts of his co-conspirators and agents, proclaim to all the world that he was capable of attempting to accomplish his treasonable
59 procuration of the murder of the late President, and other chief of- ficers of the United States, by the hands of hired assassins. In the fall of 1864 Lieutenant W. Alston addresses to "his excel- lency" a letter now before the court, which contains the following words : '' I now offer you my services, and if you will favor me in my designs, I will proceed, as soon as my health will permit, to rid my country of some of her deadliest enemies, by striking at the very hearts' blood of those who seek to enchain her in slavery. I consider nothing dishon- orable having such a tendency. All I ask of you is, to favor me by granting me the necessary papers. &c, to travel on. * * * * lam 'perfectly familiar with the north, and feel confident that I can execute anything I undertake. I was in the raid last June in Ken- tucky, under General John II. Morgan; * * * was taken pris- oner; * * * escaped from them by dressing myself in the garb of a citizen. * * * I went through to the Canadas, from whence, by the assistance of Colonel J. P. Holcomb, I succeeded in working my way around and through the blockade. * * * I should like to have a, personal interview with you in order to perfect the arrange- ments before starting." Is there any room to doubt that this was a proposition to assas- sinate, by the hand of this man and his associates, such persons in the north as he deemed the "deadliest enemies" of the rebellion? The weakness of the man who for a moment can doubt that such was the proposition of the writer of this letter is certainly an object of com- miseration. What had Jefferson Davis to say to this proposed assassination of the " deadliest enemies" in the north of his great treason ? Did the atrocious suggestion kindle in him indignation against the villain who offered, with his own hand, to strike the blow ? Not at all. On the contrary, he ordered his private secretar}% on the 29th of November, 1864, to indorse upon the letter these words: "Lieutenant W. Alston; accompanied raid into Kentucky,and was captured, but escaped into Canada, from whence he found his way back. Now offers his services to rid the country of some of its deadliest enemies; asks for papers, &c. Respectfully referred, by direction of the President, to the honorable Secretary of War." It is also indorsed, for attention, "By order. (Signed) J. A.Campbell, Assistant Secre- tary of War." Note the fact in this connexion, that Jefferson Davis himself, as well as his subordinates, had, before the date of this indorsement, concluded that Abraham Lincoln was "the deadliest enemy" of the
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TRIAL OF THE CONSPIRATORS FOR THE A
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The crime charged and specified upo
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.-..,.- 6 the conspirators be numer
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Page 12 and 13: 12 Ml objected to the same stern ju
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Page 16 and 17: 16 be tried for any crime whatever,
Page 18 and 19: 18 veteran and hero, General Scott,
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108 House, and left his card, now i
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110 eight revolvers, the Derringer,
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118 '18th of April, when he said th
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Abraham Lincoln - American Memory

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