Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-24
MORE ABOUT THE AssASsHH
BOOTH.
h LETTER DEFINING HIS POSITION.
His Aspirations for "Eame."

Our Northern exchanges publish verbatim copy oil
letter written by Jonn Wilkes Booth the murderer OF
P,esidentbLipoolp. dated 49,, 1854" We do not care
to transfer it to the Whg IDS rehash OF The specious
doqmas Of dsunon orators which contributed go large
y by their baefu influences upon the public mind III
bringing ruin and desOation upon the south Inc MS
tory Of the letter is given as follows;
The let was furnished 10 the press by the Hon. VIM.
MwirI Uni ed states Marshal of the Eastern District
of Pennsylvania. twas handed over to that ohcer BY
John = Clarke, who is brother n.law OF Mr. Booth
IN Aovembe, 1854 the paper was deposited win MI
ing Mr. Clarke being ignorant Of the content In Jan
udry last Booth called at Mr. Carkes house asked fof
pack ige and il was given up 10 MN IL Is now sup
posed that at that time he took out the paper and added
Id il ba signature which appears to be in different ink
from that the body OF the letter. and also from
language employed could not nave neen put 70 IL
rgnally Afterwards be returned the package To Mr.
Clarke again for saeSeeping sealed ana bearing he su'
prescription j. Wilkes Booth.
The enclosure was preserved by the family without
suspcion of its nature. After the affecting iniorma
lion of the as ssi alton Of the President which came
upon the family Of Mr. Clarke with crushing force it
was considered proper to open the envelope. There
were found in it the following paler with some seven
Thirty nited state bonde and cetica of shares in
oil companies. Mr. Clarke promptly handed over the
paper to M8rshal Mlward in whose custody 1t now re-
IN iRs From perusal OF this paperb seems TO nave
been prepared by Booth Gs Vindcauon oil some des
per tie act which he had in contemplation and from
The LANGUAGE used Il ia probable that it was plot to
abduct the Preside Mt and clrry him of to Virginia II
this was meditaeI it failed, and rom making pris-
Cftie Presi dent to his asasnatiO was an easy
step for a man Of perver ed principles
The following ia the closing passage of the letter:
have also studied hard TO discover upon what grounds
the right of State TO ecede has been denied when
very amc, United states, and the Declaration OF indie
nandence BoTH provide fer Secession. Bat there lie
time for words Write in haste. know how foolish |
shall be deemed for undertaking such step as this,
| a. ID h9w0 nQ
| thing TO make me happy, where my profession ALONE
| AIMED me an income Ct MORE THAN twenty thou
sand dollars year and where my great personal smbt
ton in my profession has such great field for labor
| ON the other land, SoUTH HAVE NEVER BESTOWED
UPON MR ONE KIND WORD; place now where have no
friends except beneath the sod place where must
either become private soldier beggar To give UP
all Of the for the LATTER besides my mother and
sisters whom love so dearly (althOuRh they widely
differ with me in epAion) seems insane; but God Is my
indge love JUSTICE than do country that dis
owns it, more than fame and wealth (Heaven par
| don me wrong) than happy home. / have never
| been upon battlefield; but o. my countrymen ecu d
vou all but see the effects OF this hor-
| iii war as l have them lin BvBFY STATE
| save Virguia) know yOu would think like me. and
4 would pray the Almighty to create in the Northern
mind sense of RIGHT and JUSTICE teven should II pos
ssss no season ng Of mercy) and that he would dry
nm this sea of blood between u.s. which is daily grow
nr wider. Alas poor country, il she TO meet bel
,bsSea,erei doom -Four years ago would have given
thousand lives to herremain Gas had always knowL
hsrl powerful and uAhroken. And even now would
old nv life o. naDght 10 see her what she was y my
friends the fenf1 Of the past four years nae
never been enacted what has been but tr ghiiu
dream from which we could now. awake, VITA VIVA