The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-08-04

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with more or less success, the raids upon
the cities and towns alorg the border; the
plans for the introduction of pestlencc the
organization of conspiracies to liberate the
prisoners confined in Camp Douglas, Chi.
cago to destroy our commerce on the riv.
ers, lakes and ocean, and finally to thwart
and overthrow the Government by melting
new rebellion in the North. 1t is also
asccruncd that Jacob Thompson, Beverly
| Tucker, George n. Sanders, W. G. Cleary,
Bennett II. Young and h. }. Stewart were
all employed in Canada as secret agents for
the Confederate authorities
| In proof Of this the committee produces
large number Of letters, orders and DIES.
patches which passed between these men and
the officers Of the Confederate Government,
at Richmond, showing that they were acting
directly under its authority, aud that they
received orders to make the raids and other
offensive demonstrations on the northern
border of the United States.
Testimony taken at the trial of the assas.
sins, together with that taken by the com.
mittcc, justles them in the inference that
the murder Of President Lincoln, was pro-
cured by the use of money furnished by the
Richmond government. The remarks said
to have been made by Davis, on the recent
of the intelligence Of the death of President
Lincoln are it, harmonywith the conversation
of his agents, Thompson. Tucker and 9th.
crs, as given by Richard Montgomery, wit.
ness who was before the committee, and also
Il witness in the trial of the conspirators.
Thompson told Montgomery, in 1864, that
he could have the tyrant Liucon put out of
the way at any time. He said he had his
| friends all over the Northern States, and it
required but his nod to have them do any
thing he wanted done. Clay is said to
have talked in a similar vein about the as
sassination of Lincoln. The committee saws
there is substantial harmony between the ev-
idcnce furnished by the official documents
found in the hands of the rebel authorities.
and the testimony of the various witnesses
brought before the committee as to the par
ticipation of Davis, Thompson, Clay, Cleay,
and others in the scheme, for the assassna-
| ton of the President.
With reference to the testimony in posses
sion of the Bureau Of Military Justice, taken
by Judge Holt, and on which President
johnson based his proclamation, the com.
mittee makes the following statemcnt:-
"N hen the committee entered upon this in
vestigation in April last, the evidence in the
War Department. if accepted as true, was
conclusive as to the guilt of jefferson Davis
The Judge Advocate General had taken the
aiidavits of several persons who protested
to have been in the service of the rebel gov
eminent. and who had been present at an
interview between Surratt and Davis and
Benjamin. Those ahilavits were taken by
| the Judge Advocate General in good faith,
and in the full belief that the persons max
ing them were stating that only which was
true. The statements made by these wit
nesSes harmonic in every important partic-
ular with facts derived from documents and
other Trustworthy source. The committee,
however, thought it wise to see and examine
some of the persons whose aliidavits had
IT,.
witnesses, when brought before the commit.
tee, rctractcd entirely the statements which
they had made in their anidavits. and de.
clared that their testimony, as given origi-
naily, was false in every particular. They
failed, however, to state to the committee
any induCcment or consideration which
seemed to the committee a reasonable ey.
PLANTATION for the course they have pursued.
The committee are therefore not at this
| time able to say, as the result of their in
vcstigaton, whether the original statements
of these witnesses are true or false. But
the retracton made by some Of them de-
prives them of all claim to credit, and their
statements SO far impeach or throw doubt
upon the evidence given by other witnesses
whose alidavits were taken by Judge Holt,
that the committee in the investigation which
they have made, and in this report have dis.
regarded entirely the testimony of all those
persons whose standing has been so i'm
pcached. On the other hand the committee
have relied very largely upon documents
found in the rebel archives, and have intro
duccd only the testimony Of those persons
whose reputation for truth and yeracity has
not been impeached by any Of the invcsti-
cations that have been made. Nor has it
been the purpose Of the committee to draw
unnatural or forced differences from the trust
worthy testimony which they have examined
but rather to present truthful statement of
facts.
The report concludes with an expression
Of opinion on the part of the committee
that it is the duty of the Executive Depart
ment of the government, for a reasonable
time, and by the proper means, to pursue
the investigations for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the truth. If Davis and his asso-
ciates are innocent Of the great crime with
which they were charged in the President S
proclamation, it is due to them that a thor.
ough investigation should be made that they
may be relieved from the suspicion which
now rests upon them. If, on the other hand,
they are guilty, it is due to justice, to the
country, and to the memory of him who was
the victim of foul conspiracy, that the
originators should suffer the just penalty Of
, the law. The committee, are, therefore. Of