The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-07-15
SUMMARY OF NEWS.


made a statement to his brother end others
Of his connection with Booth and the con
spiracy to abduct the late President to Rich
mond He mentioned several IF the rlaps
by which possession Of the President was to
have been obtained, all of which failed from
one cause or another Every movement of
Mr.. Lincoln seems to have been closely
watched for the successful carrying out of
the plans Of the conspirators One day,
when it was known he was to visit camp or
hospital out Seventh street, in his carriage,
the assassns were lying in wait, and every
preparation had been made for success
AtZerodt said the carriage was to have been
surrounded and stopped, the driver secured,
and Surratt to mount the box in his stead,
he being supposed to be the best driver
The gang were supplied with horses and had
relays provided along the road to Nanjemoy
creek, where boat, capable Of holding if
teen persons, was in readiness to convey the
President across the Potomac. The scheme
failed on account of the President not com
ing out as expected. Another plan was to
have seized him while at the theatre in
Washington, on the 18th of March, the gas
to have been turned off by an actor, whose
name is not given, but in this they were also
foiled. Booth at one time entertained
thoughts of endeavorng to kill the whole
Cabinet by getting possession of some place
under the Presidents house and blowing it
up while .the Cabinet were in session. He
also endeavored, through neighbor of Sec
rotary Stewards. to become acquainted with
the servants at his house, in orc er the more
readily to gain access thereto, but so far as
known he did not succeed
President johnson expressed his views
as to the punishment of the wealthy leaders
OF the rebellion very plainly, on last Sntur,
day. A committee from Richmond sought
and obtained an interview with the Execu-
tive for the purpose of asking him to strike
out or alter that portion of his Amnesty
Proclamation of the 29th OF May known as
the 1920, 200 clause" He told the commit
tee that he did not think they desired the
removal of the restriction for the purpose of
helping the poor, put to enable themselves
to make money, and suggested that if-as
their memorial asserted-they were so very
eager to help the poor they could contribute
their surplus over the S20,0 to their bene.
fit, which at the same time would relieve the
poor and bring the donor within the benefits
of the proclamation. The President stated
that in making the exception under discus.
sion he had acted on the natural suprosition
that men had aided the rebellion according
to their pecuniary means, and that it was
the wealthy men of the South who dracoon-
ed the people into secession. He himself
had lived in the South and knew how the
thing had been done, and in Virginia her
rich men had used the press to assist in in.
citing the revolt. He denied that the work.
ing of the Amnesty Proclamation was injur.
ing the people, as the committee had stated.
by shutting up capital and keeping work
from the poor. If that is done at all, it is
done in consequence of the violation of law
and the commission of treason. The Pres-
dent concluded his remarks by stating that
he had seen no reasons for removing the re-
strictions.
Henry S. Foote, late of the Rebel Sen.
ate, has written lengthy letter in relation
to the treatment of Federal prisoners by the
Rebel authorities. He says that while in
Richmond he learned from Rebel Gov
ernnent officer of responsibility, that the
prisoners Of war confined in and about that
city were suffering severely for want of pro-
visions. He told me further, that it was
manifest TO him that systematic scheme
was on foot for subjecting these unfortunate
men to starvation; that the Commissarv
General, Mr. Northup "a most wicked and
heartless wretch, had addressed commu-
nicaton to Mr.. Seldom, the Secretary of
" AZ plOpOSlug W NlluuOlu meat alLOgpIner
from the military prisoners then IN custody,
and TO give them nothing but bread and vege,
tables, and that Mr.. Seddon had endorsed
the document containing this recommends
ton atfirmatively." Commissioner Ould
substantiated this Rebel officers statement,
and Mr.. Foote brought the subject to the at
tenton of the Confederate House of Repre-
senatlves, when a committee was raised and
a considerable mass of testimony collected
land among other documentary proofs dis
covered says Mr.. Foote, was ''the official
communication of the Commssary General
above referred to, and the endorsement of
Mr.. Seldom thereon, in which he substan-
TALLY says that in his judgment, the time
had arrived for retaliation upon the prison
ers of war of the enemy" This monster
Northrup is now ia Castle Thunder.
A newspaper correspondent writing
from Columbus, Miss, gives picture of
the manners, morals, habits and character
of the Mississippians, which is far from fiat
terng. He finds among them little of that
"chivalry" to which they have so strenuously
laid claim. On the contrary, he says that
the majority of them are exceedingly igno-
rant and devoid of enterprise or energy,
the poor whites in these respects standing
about on a par with the negroes. What lit
tie there was of the institution called society
in the State before the war, was composed
exclusively of the few wealthy Shareholders
and their families, and, now that slavery has
ceased to exist, the social establishment has
become completely disorganized, and some
Yankee leaven will be required to effect its
resuscitation.
A Florida delegation has arrived in
Washington for the purpose of requesting the
President to appoint Provisional Governor
of their State, the only in the Union now
unprovided with a civil executive.
The Quartermasters at Washington, last
week sold 10000 horses and mules and
$500 army wagons and ambulances.
- Ford's theater in Washington, which
was to have been re- opened on Tuesday even
ing, was closed in the afternoon by order of
the War Department.
re- Deaths and Marriages Inserted in this paper
4fl.p.tV fnr 81