New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-11
The Disposal Of scoih's Body.

When | first heard of the secret and mys-
terons disposal Of Wilkes Booths body; that II haa
been mutiated and thrown into the Potomao that II
had been buried in spot Of which only two lying per
sons bad any knowledge and mach of the same kna oil
startling narrative presumed tie stories were mere
sensations and waited patiently for the development
of the facts.
did not and could not believe that the Government
or any of its representatives at Washington would
sanction such barbarous and inhuman procedure rs
the persecution OF a corpse but dsent inquiry and H.
formation from vsrious have compelled me TO
the opinion that much of what has been said OF the dis
posa Of Booths body is only too true
The high official responsible for this National dis
grace need not name have had occasion hereto
fore in these columns refer 10 his utter hearlcssness
and nhumaDity the subject of the exchange Of prs-
oners and he il known, and, far IS can rarn,
universally detosted by the people who only wonder he
lis s.i kept in position which lie daily abuses and de
grades
no one more than was filed with shudderng horror
the murder Of our great and good Presidents no one
found it more difficult to realize that so Infamous
crime had been committed.
Yet it was not singular, when we camo 10 reflect
upon IT, The murder OF maryred Chief wss but The
Legitimate result of the influence Of tie Slave Power Of
the teachings ard lromptDgs Of the seccssionsts both
North and South.
For four years the assassination Of Mr.. Lincoln YVES
urged directly and indirectly the highest duty, as the
mort sacred obligation Of any and oil true friends of
the South.
Tie desperate actor alone lad the nerve 70 do what
almost oyoy Secesionis openly advised and earnestly
urged the thing needn and glorious to be done. He
little less criminal than thousands and tens OF thou
ar1ious not only forgive but to honor and adulate
Booth after ALL only a tool in the hands Of more
cunning and wicked, but less impusive and courageous
men. lie was, as has been said no. much monster
rs Ito creature Of mcnstrous idea. lie was but
sgent IN the Preparation Of murder Of which all the
Southern leaders and synpatb1ers rarfceps eri
inis. His was no vulgar murder prompted by hope Of
gain or by feeling of revenge II the ouigrowth Of
IA wild and morbid mental condition. Of Oh extraord
gary fnatcism nuItured strengthened and fully deve
oped BY the peculiar institution il the midst OF which ho
had been reared
Bat no matter what his crime; were II even hnDd-
red times more horrible than was the treatment Of
ms CORPSE is stain upon National escuchton q
stigma upon humanity people tina. We must re-
move as soon os possible.
Great God was it reserved for the model Republic In
the nineteenth century TO reproduce the horrors OF the
Byzantine Empire; TO lapse into the barbaraes Of the
Middle Ages TO regereate the cruetes Of the Spanish
Inquis.ioni
There is something absolutely astounding, entirely
ncomprehensble IN tie adopted to1ard the re-
mains Of the Presidents assassin. Booth once dead,
Justice is satisfied, and malignity must be also.
There is 10 excuse paiatlon under Heyen for the
secret intornent and degraton of the ifelcss clay
Booth committed murder, and by the severest con.
strucion Of the law paid the fullest penalty by his
death.
1t is a common aphorisn, "Eoble spirits war notwith
the dead Is great ooun'ryi Is the noblest and hee
est and most enlightened OF Republics at the very mo
ment 1t Las passed through terrible ordeal OF blood
and come out purc brighter glorious than ever
exception to the aphorism is 1t privileged alone to
whatit has fatally punishedi
Let this foul blot be wiped out at once
III the name Of common justice and common decency
ct the body Of Booth, wherever II may be buried be
given up TO his brothers or his mother. They may not
have asked for it, because in the wild excitement OF tie
hour they have feared to crave even 70 small boom
But can any one suppose that Booths mother. toI
whom il seems he was eyer Kind and generous does
not desire her sons remains that she would not purchase
them with half her remaining years oflifei
pronigae. Rebel assassin though he was lie was her
SOD and she is his mother still.
An unknown hand strewed flowers on Nero's tomb
a woman wept over and tenderly kissed the SLAIN
Caligula.
Let the mother Of Booth have the wretched consola
ton Of mourning at the grave of her misguided and
fanatcs for whom perhaps no other in all the world
Of Lin or kind will drop plying tear.
JUNus HENRI BROWSE.
Mp.Yo,l, May Q. 1865.