The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-21
BY TELEGRAPH.
WAsHIN6TUN, JuIy ~.
To the agent of the Associated Press:

SIR-Referr1ng to the special dispatch to
the New York Tribune from Washington OF
the 10th inst, and published in the issue OF
that journal of the 18th, relating to the cir
cumstances attending the issue Of pass to
the Rev. Mr.. Walter, to attend Mrs. Surratt,
are as. follows: sh
On the 9th inst the Rev. Mr.. Walter called
at the War Department and asked for pass
to visit Mrs. Surratt in the military prison,
saying, if am not mistaken, that she had ex-
pressed a desire to see him. submitted the
request to the Secretary Of War who at once
said that pass might be given. Neither the
Rev. Mr.. Walter nor myself then knew of the
| approval Of the sentence Of the Military
Commission in the case OF Mrs. Surratt. l
sent Mr.. Walter pass, but afterward fearing
that the pass signed by myself might not, pm
/ der the circumstances, be accepted by the
| officer in charge Of the prison.
j In order that there might be no possibility
of disappointment in the admission of a cler-
gyman TO afford the necessary spiritual servi
ces, sent Mr. Barry, a clerk in my Office, to
see the Rev. Walter, and inform him that it
would be better not to go on the pass sent,
but that would again see the Secretary Of
War, and as he had assented to the visit Of
| the clergymen, the parson would get pass
signed by himself, as otherwise there was .
possibility of his being put to the trouble Of
goingsto the prison without being enabled TO
secure admission. 1t was also part of my
| design that Mr. Barry should impress upon
| Rev. Mr. Walter the necessity of good faith
| in the use of the pass when replaced.
After thus sending Mr.. Barry to Father
Walter, | went TO the Secretary of War and
asked his own signature TO pass, as referred
| to above, when, upon his signing which,
said to him that | was confident the pass
| would be used solely for the purpose for
| which it was asked-a professional visit to
administer the sacrament and to prepare the
person to be visited for death.
Upon Mr.. Barry's return, my messenger,
| to the Rev. Mr. Walter, he informed me Of
| the violent and excited language of Father
| Walter, with regard TO the trial and its result,
which he, Mr.. Walter, had heard after leaving
| the War Department.
| In this | went myself to see the Rev. Mr..
Walter to caution him as well wisher and
as friend of the church, and in my private
capacity entirely, in regard to the use of
language SO intiammatory as that which he had
induiged in at this time of great public ex-
citement. | introduced the conversation by
stating that what he had said had made an
impression upon the mind Of my messenger.
who had repeated his remarks to me. | ex-
planned to him, as have said above, that
there might be possibility of his not getting
into the prison upon my pass, and that bad
therefore asked the Secretary of War for 3
pass signed by himself. on giving which ! had
said that was confident that it would not be
used for any other purpose than that for
which it was issued, and was certain that Mr..
Walters would be so governed as that | would
be safe in the assertion | had made. Mr.
4 Walters had displayed so much excitement
and temper that it was a duty of charity on
my part, in view of all the circumstances, to
endeavor to induce him to pursue more dis
Greet course, and to counsel him to be silent,
as became his place on these topics. asked
him. in q friendly and kind way, to promise
me that he would desist from talking about
the matter. Mr.. Walters conyictons As to
the innocence of the prisoner, or the use oI
any proper efforts, believing her to be inno-
cent to arrest her execution, were not made
matters of objection.
4 It was to the inflammatory charac.erand ef
feet of his observations at this time, when the
J public mind was agitated that my attention
J was directed to this unnecessary idle and an
CRY discussion and harangne, conld not but be
mischievous, just at this moment and since il
Iappeared that Mr.. Walter could not approach
the subject with temper and discretion, ii was
better that he should let it alone. This was q
confidential conversation between myself and
Mr.. Walter. As has been seen the visit was
not at all official but entirely that. Of private
individual. My motives were laudable- They
were to restrain imprudent and lnischievous
discussion. and to insure the use Of the pass
to be given in the faith intended at the time
it was signed and to make my assurance good.
The visit was not suggested by the Secretary
of War or even known to him until the pres
ent time. On this point, after what had
said, do not see how Mr.. Walter could have
understood me as being prompted by instruc-
tions in my course, In replying to me, the
Rev. Mr.. Walters was very violent and gener-
ally denunciatory. The range of his conver.
i sation was quite wide. He argued upon the
A administration and the rebellion, and dwell
with considerable bitterness On what he called
military tyrahRy, &c. He said all that he is
represented TO have said in the fourth para
graph Of the article ins question, and very
much none than priest and loyal citizen OF
a man 81 e0xnmun sense would have said.
q During all this time was endeavuring to
counsel moderation, instructing against his
/ expressions and enjoining prudence. do
not know that sought to patronage the Res.
Mr.. Walter at all, and the phrase which d,
Indies to this and the indignant rejoinders oi
Father Walter, do not bring to .ny mind the
pecollecton Of the scene described. did NOT
tell Father Walter that he should not have !
pass if he didn't promise to say nothing ol
mrs. Snrratts innocence. ANNOYED BY what
The had said, was about, however, to leave
the room and to defer giving the pass, re-
tynarking, will send you word as to the pass,
in two hours, when he said promise. in.
, tended, IN the two hours, to see the Secretary
of War and say to him that was confirmed,
4 after what had taken place, that Fsther Wal.
ter was not in the proper disposition md