The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-05-23
LETTER FRo..ss JACOB THOMPSON.
Assassir atfon-statc scvereignty-csvii
War.
n. ". fklbUN1.

knon Southern ntoross Institutions But since tns'
49, - Srank and maaiy drecness In your coinnns
which admire and therefore now MAKE al ~.
-or ,ereros,y TO admit tins Communication into INC
,nns of The Trbane Surely these eau be no ienyer
sny existing reason why Northern papers shouu 80.
49, nd stab the reputation oi Southern men; and
n,npose tho press will be muzzied no longer ana az
fereuce opinion no longer be regarded as uesvp. ~
rue sone AZ be Tinted states is the work which
ask your assistance ana that Of all WHO maze ps'
secuiion. ,.,. .,,,
sAe last four YEARS. heretofore have attempted no
reply. To defer longer however Il Tho avenues 20 tne
public open TO me- would argue contempt Tor
kublIc sentiment on my part which do not feel ana
Hlence might be construed into An admission OF inc
Last summer when my unnecessarily drawn
into correspondence between Yourself aud some OF my
friends at Niagara Falls tho New York Times began re-
Huar charge upon me iof th!oying while secretary OF
The Interior using tho epthet "r Buchanan thievinB
Secretary, and others OF the same pnrporl Tie HEaAD
Afterwards INDUCED IA the same kind OF expressions
What the by which these expressions arc
fought TO be Justified
Here follows an explanation thai II was DOT thompson
tCt Of HIS clerks who stole those Indian oonds.l
An editorial appeared In the the NEW foaa hsHsaD
evidently suggested by General Dix, in which the I'M
preston is sough. to DO made that was 10 some way
connected with the hotel burning IN New YORK nus
seems to be an inference from the fact that Mr. hcon'
arrested and held In dread OF bis lite for some
ume OF his supposed participation Va this az
tempt at inceudiars Tho detectives End out that this
Mcdonald has brother In Toronto W., who Is greatly
devoted TO him, to whom they make an appeal to save
mis- brothers. lfe, and point out TO him how may be
DONE and that was 10 appeal TO the generosity ana
magnsnmity Of those who were engaged in 1t to exon
sre the prisoner they had douh 1t vas true he had
iaken part the affair Tho brother under the guild.
Of his feelings, bit al tho bait aud hunted up and
Induced the young men with whom his brother was
charged TO have been associated his entire inno
eence OF all connection with then. The young men,
night %s induce due him to act anvsoy with their
Ment, and having full confidence 10 my discretion and
msss sss sn n
eners fe did not SEQ the young men on the subject
lnem Oi O
20 me for the paper. never believed It's production
ssnssr reported that General Dix did not believe the
prisoner guilty, but refused to release him until he could
this Ssss:
game that was played wrote letter 70 Mr. noDonsld
in prison, saying was willing to certify that had
ali participation in it. But this did not satisfy the
authorities Finding they could not move me,
hey turned upon RSss Captain Kennedy then sr Sn
when he was intoxicated TO certify TO statement as
fsue copy Of the paper held but which was copy,
absolute fasohoods They stimulated and excited Cap
tain Kennedy against in every possible way but they
Viicae 10 the plan for the burning he knew
Il was fase But the extent Of my connection.
But or al the Astonishing things which have hap.
Hened during this war between the States the late
and unjust. It seems there has been created . new
bureau, called the "Buresu Of Military Justce In that
ihs late President was melted concerted and pro-
cured by and between Jefferson Davis Richmond, Va,
others are rebels and traitors hsrOored in Canada
When this procls1,ation reached me was IN
mode Of en- Sox M mark how
statement will every point made by the evidence in
n. suresa Of Military Jnss and put to open shame
that have never known or conyersed or held comna
the Or or S any one Of his
ciates so FAR Is have seen them named knew nothing
& as hs
hsehoods and lie publication cannot DO made without
exposing it's utter rottonncss.
know there half the ground 10 suspect me that
shere is to suspect President johnson himself
Era-rhcrs was absence Of all motive my part.
To have removed Lincon At the time was done was
most unfortunate both fer and for tho people the
eouth This have believed, and have often expressed
power In the event Of Lincon's death
Second-A paper found 10 President Johnsons room,
che effect that be Booth Wish troable him
Johnson) but wants 70 know II he Johnson) In Now
tousider this note s from private citizen 70 high
oncial and 1t is certain that If had been sent by any
other man. any other time any other official except
fhs most deeply Interested In tho event about to
happen would have implied previous intimacy and
Intercourse, and wish TO have Interview without
witnesses which the writer expected, circumstances ad
TAud-Prssident johnson goes bed, the night Of
She assassination at the unusual hour for Washington OF
nino O'Clock, and Is asleep, OF course when anxious
gentleman leaves the side OF the dying President
form the new incumbent OF his great good fortune which
ollod him with unutterabc distress.
Now, mark me- 40 not say that all this creates sus
picon In my mind OF the completely OF President john
DO say that II such circumstances could be well
against the Hon .. G. Harris, OF Maryland; Ben Wood,
OF New York. Mr. vallandigham Of Ohio. they would
have been received in tho Bureau OF Military Justice
testimony strong as proofs from Holy Writ These
ihose who owe their official position and personal con-
sequence to the breath Of his noss good and SUM-
Of the United States which has been ashed into fury by
yell concerted monipulaons and now demands victim,
shond bclieye that there was evidence in the Bureau
Of Military Justice 10 convict Southern men, rebels
and trators-of having "incitcd, concerted and pro-
cured" the assassination OF President Lincoln. But at
oil events these facts ought TO teach Pres dent Johnson
lesson OF moderation and charity TO all those suspected
feel confident no fact susceptible Of being tortured by
The shrewdes ingenuity into cooring so upfavorabe,
be shown In truth against President Davis myself
nor, do believe, against any one Of the gentlemen
Again, am denounced ~ traitor and rebel in thl,
proclamation. LIT the world judge between President
johnson aud myself not according to the law OF might
but according TO the rules OF right.
For four years prior TO The secession Of Mississippi
was absent from the STATE engaged in the Of tho
United satos had no control ard could in
9uence the political action OF tho State President
che ser zee Of the state * Tenncssee white her chief
magistrate and then the representative Of her sovereignty
~ The Senate Of tho United States body in which all
ehe States are sovereign and equal, irrespective Of
strength anti population rrior 10 the war between the
States both had been democrats and belonged the
same party. In creed, the Virginia aud kentucky
resolutions Of 80 set forth the doctrine OF s,ate
nehs The democratic party for sixty years. with
einsi principles a. initiated by JEFFERSON and Ma.
olson, who had become the great apostles OF the
party BY them, learn that tho constitution
CT the United States Is . compact between sovereign
States, each state acting for itself and az
On integral party The powers granted merely
delegated powers, to be exercised BY common agency
for the common welfare. To avoid future msunder.
Standings three OF the States In their articles OF ra
cation expressly Tho night tho powers
delegated whenever they believed they were used
Tor their advantage On tho subject OF treason the
United States could detlar treason except the
making war upon the United States and the giving aid
ANIL comfort 10 the enemy Each State, however being
evVrregn and having larger scope of powers, could
eecarc almost any act trc1son-a refusal
IN nsr DEF nee to return lone when required do So
~ BRING into the common treasury any propor OF the
property required or zach citizen We were both North
tsfoinians When she refused TO rally tho federal
svts.tution remained North CarolinhIns owed our
s.giHnce TO he state, and bound 20 obey her
efush BY he act OF atincson afterwards she u,sdc
us eitlzena OF the United States. In consequence |