Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-04-24
O3lo StatesrlllartI,:... l::;i \, a..
-y (From The Philadelphia Inquirer, April l9l e9
LETTER of John Wilkes lsOOIsI--'
Proof that Eae EIeditated HAis
Crime Months Ago.

e.
LETTER of John Wilkes lsOOIsI--'
Proof that Eae HIeditated His
Crime Months Ago. ,.,
The following verbatim copy Of letter,
in writing which is the hand writing of
John Wilkes Booth themurderer of Presi-
dent Lincoln. has been furnished us by the
Hon. VIM. Millwald, United States Mar
shal of the Eastern District of PeDnsyl-
van.a. 1twas handed over to that officer
by John s. Clarke, who is brother-in-law
of MIR. Booth. The histOryconnected with
it is somewhat peculiar. In November,
1864 the paper was deposited with MIR.
Clarke by Booth, in sealed envelope "for
safe keeping,p Mr.. Clarke being ignorant of
the contents. In January last Booth called
at Mr.. Clarke's house, asked for the package
and it was given up to him. 1t is now supa
posed that at that time he took out the pa-i
per and added to it his signature, which.
appears to be in a different ink from that
used in the body of the letter, and also from
the language employed could not have been
put to it originally. Afterwards he return
ed the package to Mr.. Clarke again for safe
keeping, sealed and bearing the superscrip-
tion ~ Wilkes Booth"
The inclosure was preserved by the fami-
ly without suspicion of its nature. Alter
the atiiicting information OF the assassina-
ton of the President, which came upon the
family of Mr.. Clarke with crushing force,
it was considered proper to open the envel-
ope. There was found in it the following
paper, with some Seven-thirty United
States bonds, and certificates of shares in
oil companies. Mr.. Clarke promptly hand
ed over the paper to Marshal Millward, in
whose custody it now remains. From pc
rusal of this paper it seems to have been
prepared by Booth as a vind'cation OF
some desperate act which he had in con-
temptation and from the language used 1t
is probable that it was plot to abduct the
President and carry him off to Virginia.
If this was meditated it failed, and from
making prisoner of the Presidents to his
assassination was an easy step for man OF
perverted principles. 1t also appears that
Booth was one Of the party who was en-
gagged in the capture and execution of John
Brown, of Ossawattomie, at which time he
doubtless imbibed from Wise and his asso-
ciates those detestable sentiments OF cruel
ty which have eliminated in an Infamous
crime. The letter is as follows:
-, 1864.
My DEAR SIR-You may use this as you
think best. But as some may wish to know
achen, ,cho, and achy, and as l know not hoeo
to direct, give it lin the words of your
MASTERY ...... ....,.
'',ro WHOM IT MAY CONCERN"
Right or wrong, God judge me, not man.
For be my motive good or bad, of one thing
| am sure, the lasting condemnation of the
North.
| love peace more than life. Have loved
the Union beyond expression. For four
years have waited, hoped and prayed for
the dark clouds to break, and for a restora-
tion of our former sunshine. To wait long
er would be a crime. All hope for peace is
dead. My prayers have proved as idle as
my hopes. Gods will be done. / go TO see
and share the bitter end.
/ have ever held the South were right
The very nomination of Abraham Lincoln,
four years ago, spoke plainly, war-war
upon Southern rights and institutions. His
election proved it. await an overt act"
Yes, till you are bound and plundered.-
What folly! The South was wise. Who
thinks of argument or patience when the
finger of his enemy presses on the trigger?
In foreign acdr /, too could say, country,
rightor wrong" But in a struggle such as
ours (where the brother tries to pierce the
brothers heart), for Gods sake, choose the
right. When country like this spurns
Justice from her side she forfeits the allegi-
leave him, untrammeled by any tealty So
ever to act as his conscience may approve. |
People of the North, to hate tyranny, to !
love liberty and justice, to strike at wrong |
and oppression, was the teaching of our |
fathers. The study of our early history |
will not let me forget it, and may it never. |
This country was formed for the lchite, |
not for the black man. And looking upon |
African SldUe,y from the same standpoint |
held by the noble trainers of our Constitu- |
tiOn, |, for one, have ever considered ii one of |
the greatest blessings (bothfor themselves |
and us) that God ever bestowed upon |
favored nation. Witness heretofore our
wealth and power; witness their elevation
and enlightenment above their race else
where. have lived amopg it most Of my
life, and have seen less harsh treatment
from master to man than have beheld in
the North from father to son. Yet, Heav-
en- knows, no one would be willing to do
more for the negro race than |, could but
see a way to still better their condition.
But Lincoln's policy is only preparing
the way for their total annihilation. The
South are not, nor haze they been fighting for
the continuance of slavery. The first bat
tie of Bull Run did away with that idea.
Their causes since for aCdr have been as
noble and greater far than those that urged oar
fathers on. Euen should we allow they were
wrong at the beginning of this contest,
cruelty and injustice have made the wrong
become the right and they stand aoio (be-
fore the wonder and admiration of the
world) as noble band of patriotic heroes.
Hereafter, reading of their deeds, Their
mopyla will be forgotten.
When aided in the capture and execu-
tion of John Brown (who was murderer
on our Western border, and who was fairly
tried and coauicted, before an impartial Judge
and Jury, of treason, and who, by the way,
has since been made god, was proud of
nv little share in the transaction, for i
deemed it my duty, and that l was helping
our common country to perform an act of
Justice But what was crime in poor John
Brown is now considered (by themselves)
as the greatest and only virtue of the whole
party. Strange transmigration!
Vice to become uirtue, simply because
more indulge in it. ti9lgd dig1
| thought then, as no,c, that the Aboli-
tionists soere the only traitors in the land, and
that the entire party deserved the same tate
Of poor old Brown, not because they
wish to abolish slavery, but on account of
The means they have ever endeavored to
use to effect that abolition. If Brown werej
living doubt whether he himself would set
slavery against the Union. Most, or many
In the North do, and openly curse the Union,
ifthe South are to return and retain sin
ylc yf0tt guaranteed to them by every tie
which we once rerered as sacred. The South
can make no choice; it is either exterinina-
tion or slavery for themselves (worse than
leath) to draw from. Dknow my choice.
/ have also studied hard to discover upon
"a. Il