Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-22
TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS.
JUDGE OLDHAM'S LETTER
To DAVIS.

On Thursday, Rev. DR.. W. Ii. Ryder, of
Chicago, appeared on the witness stand, and
testified that he had obtained the following
letter from among the scattered archives in
the Capitol at Richmond, during his visit to
the city, in the middle of April:
RICHMOND, February IL, 1865.
His Ercsilsncy Jefferson DGUiS, President e..
s. A.:
When Senator johnson, of Missouri, and
myself waited upon you some days since in
relation to the project OF annoying aud ha
RAISING the enemy by means of burning
their shipping, towns, etc, etc, there were
several remarks made by you upon the sub
iect that was not fully prepared to answer,
but which, upon subsequent conference with
parties proposing the enterprise, l find
cannot apply as objections TO the scheme-
LIST. The cOmbuStible material consists OF
several preparations, and not one alone, and
can be used without exposing the party
using them TO the least danger Of detection
whatever. The preparations are not in the
hands OF Mr.. Daniels, but are in the hands
OF Professor Mccullough, and are known only
10 him and TO one other party, as 1 under
stood. I'd. There is no necessity Tor send
ing persons in the military service into the
enemy'S country, but the work NAV be done
by agents, and in most cases by persons
ignorant OF the facts, and therefore innocent
agents. / have seen enough of the effects
that can'be produced TO satisfy me that in
most cases without danger 10 the parties
engaged, and in others, but very slight, We
can first burn every vessel that leaves
foreign port for the United States; second,
we can burn every transport that leaves the
barbOr of New York OF other Northern
ports with supplies for the armies of the en-
emy in the South; third, burn every trans
port and gunboat on the Mississippi river, as
we'll As devaState the country of the enemy,
and i'll his people with terror aud cOnsterna-
ton. 1 am not alone Of this opinion many
other gentlemen are as fully aud thoroughly
impressed with the convictions as / am. l
believe Ee have the means at our command,
ii promptly appropriated and energeticaIly
applied, TO demOraliZe the Northern people
in a very short time. For the purpose of
satisfying your mind upon the subject, l
respectfully but earnestly request that you
will have an interview with General Harris,
formerly a member Of Congress- from Mis-
souri,, who, / think, is able by conclusive
proofs TO convince you that what have sug-
gested is perfectly feasible and practicable
Inc Nttp INTEREST lNoA AoA INC SUCCESS OF
our cause in this struggle, and the cOnvc-
tion of the importance of ayailing ourselves
of every element OF defence must be my
excuse for writing you and requesting you
TO invite General Harris to see you. Ii you
should see proper to do so, please signify the
time when il will DO convenient for you to
see him.
lam, respectfully, your ob't servt,
w. g. OLDHAM,
On the back Of the letter are two endorse
ments-the first being "HOn. W. e. Old
ham, Richmond, Feb. II, 1865. Ia relation
to plans and means of burning the enemy's
shipping, towns, &C., &C., preparations are
in the hands Of Prof. Mccullough, and are
known TO only one party"
"Ask the President to have an interview
with Gen. Harris, formerly member of Con-
gress from Missouri, on the subject. Secre-
tary OF State at his convenience please see
Gen. Harris and learn what plan he has for