Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-28

North as he deemed the "deadliest enemies"
OF the rebellion The weakness Of the man
who for q moment can doubt that such was
the pI OPPOSITION of the writer Of this letter Is
certainly an object of commissration. What
had Jefferson Davis to say to this proposed
North Of his great treason? Did che atrecious
suggestion kindle in him Indignation against
the villain " no offered, with his own hand, to
he ordered his private secretary on the goth OF
November, 1861, to endorse upon the latter
these words 80 Lieut. w. Aston accompanied
raid into Kentucky, and was captured, but es-
capped into Canada. from whence he found his
way back. Now offers his services to rid the
country of some Of its deaaiiest enemies; asks
rection Of the President, to the honorable Sec
rotary of War"
In the despatch of the 18th Of October, which
was borne by Montgomery, and trans mitted TO
Richmond in October last, You will find these
words: sour friends shall be Immediately set
to work as you direct" MIR. Lincoln is the
subject OF that despatch; Davis Is therein no no
re. election OF Mr. Lincoln in November as al.
most certain. In this connection he Is assured
by those agents, that the friends Of their cause
are to be set to work as Davis had directed.
The conversations which are proved by wit
nesses, whose character stands unimpeacned.
disclose what work" the friends Were to
do under the direction OF Davis himself. Who
were these s'frienas," and what was the
"work" which his agents, Thompson, CLAY,
Tucker and Sanders had been directed to set
In con vers alton with Richard Montgomery
in the summer Of l-Gi, Thompson said that she
had his friends, confederates, all over the
northern States who were ready and willing
to go any lengths for the good of the cause of
the south, and he conld at any time have the
tyIapt Lincoln or any other of his advisers
that he chose, put out of his way; that they
would not consider it a crime when done for
the cause of the Confederacy." This CONVEX
sation was repeated by the witness in the sum-
mer OF ls64 to Clement C. Clay, who immedi-
fol tn ad { We
to our cause and ready TO 60 any leIgth-to do
anything under the SUM-"
At and about the time that these declarations
OF Clay and Thompson were made Aston, who
made the proposition as we have seen, TO Da-
Wis, to b- furnished with the papers to 60 north
and r id the Cortederacy Of some of its dead
Hest enemies" was in Canada. He was doubt
less one of the friends referred to. As ap
pears by the testimony of Montgomery, Payne,
the prisoner at your bar, was about that time,
IN Canada, and was seen standing by Thomp-
sons door, engaged in q conversation with
Clay, between whom and the witness some
worcs were interchanged, when Clay stated
be tPayne) was one Of thei riends-'swe trust
him" 1t is proved beyond shadow OF doubt
that in October last John Wilkes Booth, the as
sasin O. the President, was also In Canada and
upon intimate terms with thompson. Clay,
Sanders, and other rebel agents VINO can
doubt in the light OF the events which have
since transpired, that he was one OF the
"triends' to be 'set to work, as Davis had al.
ready directed--not, perhaps, as yet to assassi-
nate the President, but to that other work
which is suggested in the letter OF Oldham, In.
dorsad by Davis in his own hand, and spread
upon yonr record-the work Of the secret in
cendiary, which was to fill the people OF the
north with terror and constern atom
The other "work" spoken of by Thompson
putting the tyrant Lincoln and any of his
10 be commenced only after the re election OF
Mr.. Lincoln, which they had already declared
in their dispatch to their employer, Davis, was
with them a foregone conclusion. At all
election in November that Aston proposed TO
DAVIS to 60 North on the work of assassination,
nor was 1t until after that election that Booth
was found in possession of the letter " ich is
evidence, and which discloses the purpose to
assas sinate the President. Being assured, how
ever. when Booth was with them In Canada,
as they had already declared in their dispatch,
that the re- election of Mr.: Lincoln was certain,
in which event there would be no hope for the
cohte deracy, they doubtless entered into the
arrangement with Booth as one Of their
''friends,' that as soon that facts was deter
mined he should 60 $50 work." and as soon as
might be "rid the contederacy OF the tyrant
Judge Bingham proceeded to recapituIate
the evidence OF various witnesses to show the
completely OF Davis in the conspiracy, and
said that there was one item of testimony that
Ought, among honest and intelligent people at
all con ersant with this evidence, to end all
further inquiry as to whether Jefferson Davis
was one OF the parties. This was his words
on the reception OF the dispatch from Breckin-
ridge announcing the assassination Of Presi-
rage, and disappOin tment are not to be over
looked-that the assassins had not done their
work well; thatttey had not succeeded In rob-
bing the people altogether of the constitutional
executive and his aa visers; and hence he ex.
claims, eff they had killed Andy johnson,
the beast.' Neither can he conceal his chagrin
and disappointment that the war minister Of
the republic, whose energy, incorruptible in.
tegrny, sleepless vigilance, ard executive
ability bad organized day by day, month by
month, and year oy year, victory for our arms,
nod fho INIT NJ he
ne job, says this procure OF assassinatiG..,
was not well done; it had been better IL it had
been 'ceu done! Because Abraham Lincoln had
been clear in his great Office, ana had
saved the nation g life by enforcing the nations
laws, this traitor declares he must be muir. |
dered; because Mr.. Seward, as the foreign Sec
poses Of treason to plunge his country into a
war with England, he must be murdered; be-
cause, upon the murder of Mr.. Lincoln. An /
drew johnson would succeed 10 the Presi.
dency, aad because he had been true to the |
Constitution and Government, faithful found |
among the faIthleas OF his own State, cIingIng |
others had fed, he mnst be murdered: and be-
cause the Secretary OF War had taken care by
he faithful discharge of his duties, that the |
republic should live and not die he must be
10 ordered. ascnuch as these two faithful I
,ficers were net also assassinated, assuming
hat the Secretary of State was MORALLY |
Davis could not conceal bis disap- |
oointment and chagrin that the work was not |
swell done,' that ''the job was not complete ~
Thus 1t appears by the testimony, that the |
proposition made TO Davis was to killgand
murder the deadliest enemies of the Coufeder.
acy-not to kidnap them, as is now pretended |
aere that by the declaration of Sanders,
Tucker, Thompson, Clay, Cleary, Harper and |
Young, the conspirators in Canada. the agree |
ment and mbinatiea among them was kill |
and murder Abraham Lincoln, William H !
Seward, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, |
Ed win NJ Stanton, and others OF his advisors,
an not to kidnap them; 1t appears from every /
n:teranee of John Wilkes Booth, as we'll as /
from the Charles Selby letter, that as early as |
November, the proposition with him was to
kill and murder, not to kidnap. |
Judge Bingham heIe referred I O the evidence
elected yesterday, Of the attempt Of the con-
sprators In Canada to coerce the Government
witness, Conover, and said such infamous pro.
ceeding, coupled with the evidence before de-
tailed, stamps these rutfian plotters with the
guilt Of this conspiracy.
Judge Bingham Is proceeding with his ar
gnme at as We 60 to press.