, 1866-12-17
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Surratt Case and C0rrespou-
deIlce.
The Vleys's OF Nr. Sewarf1ss Congress
Btonnl Erlttcas

NOTES On S0ME SALIENT POINTS.
The Vleyre or sur. SewardAs Congress
Btonnl Crlttcs.
[Etan Out Own Cortczpoudcnli
WtauSGToa. December Z, 1866,
The Surrntt correspondence furnished from
The State Department yesterday makes thtr-
ly-tour document pages Of print. 4 good
many members Of Congress believe that Mr.
portant papers bearing upon the matter;
blm to Mr. Representative Wilson. chairman
Of the House Investigating Committee, as
evidence sustaining their belief. MSr Sew
ard, in his official capacity. writes to Mr..
Wilson, in his official capacity, aud says the
Stats Department has nothing relative to the
assassination conspffators; aud, On the ealnc
day, May Is, 1866. writes him Il private note
saying that he has a great deal Of infosua-
tion about John Il. Sur1att, but doesn't
deem 1t best to make it public! Query: Is
IN official lie less sinful than private lies
And, surely enough, 1t is now shown that
the Department did lave considerable iufor-
rnatior at that time about Surratt. It ap-
pears that he has been under surveillance
Fince September 1905. The Department
seems to have had some doubt as TO the
identity Of the watched person. though It's
ugcnts were positive 1pM the bcglnnfng That
It was Surratt-
; While myself have strong. confidence
that the Government is sipcerr IN Its implied
declaration that It had an ever-present desire
10 catch this wretch, cannot omit to chEon-
tclc the fact that many persons profess to be-
lieve that the late apparent zeal Of the State
Department Is wholly due to the expression
Of opinion by Congress. and especially BY
the House, during the inter part Of last
session. The published correspondence
Elbows that Mlulstcr Adams WAS exceedingly
lukcwarm in the matter a year ago last Glll
when Snrratt was In Liverpoo}. aud II is ques-
TONED whether he did not then represent the
spirit OF the State Department. The docu-
,ucnts also show that the War Department,
about that time, directly advised against the
arrest Of the suspected person. II Is held
that these facts furnish strong pre-
ident was willing he should escape.
because It was necessary, as late Is two
Minister King, at Rome. It was known
fourteen months ago Tint the consplsator
had gone to Europe. The first thing TO do
as soon Is confirmation to this eIec. Was re-
ceiyed, say SIr. Stewards critics, was to send
his Photograph to every diplomatic agent
on the continent Aud In Great Britain, 50
that the identity OF any suspected mau
might be at once established. The most in
efficient police officer. It is inserted, eoa1d
not have done less. However, 1t Is easy
enough to find fault, and in this case there
Is ample opportunity. Possibly the cor
Ecspondencc that 50 many rcssops believe is
withheld would do something toward re1tev-
ing the Administration from the charge ot
sn.inencts in the matter for whole ear
alter The Assassination took place.
Ono can't help seeing In Surratt's case
another illustration IT the fact that great
criminals arc Invariably careless In small
matters, aud thereby frequently Furnish the
clue v hlch leads to their arrest. He got
| out Of the United States, he kept secreted
Tor several months In Canada. he ~was los,
10 general human knowledge for halfa year,
and then practically reveals himself to q
elaucc acqnaiutance and icllow-passeuSel
| Gu the steamer from Montreal to Q1ebcc
The most ordinary prudence, it would seem
ought to have avoided such stupidity. Thcn
! again, after escaping from this country, uftcl
escaping from England. after getting lntt
| the Pnpal service, be meets man wht
knows him, Eho knew him In Matyland ant
| WushirEtan-he learns that this man knows
him, aud not on1y doesn't attempt to gc
mt Of tile WY, but actually, from time Il
tithe, rnts him In possession Of very materA
sacts regarding the conspiracy aud tn,
assassination. And this is not the poo
Lolt, Ned Spaus9er, nor tho good-uature.
tool, Haro1d, bnt the keen, sharp, sl.scwt
,1chn Il. sasratt. Surely, crime mus
blunt the edge OF the Intellectual faculties
ns well as that Of tue norul sentiments.
| Tint slime At Inst makes nll 1hiags even
Is also, perhnps, Illustrated in Surratt's case
II was carse for just indignation TINT tn
Catholic Church, or. at least. priests OF th
Cn1hollc Church. gave him shelter and &c
erscy-doln: II In violation OF the spirit,
not of the letter, OF bo'h human and Diyin
law, because OF his rroicsscd religious hitl
What was orre Insiter Of 1u1nor and sul
mise, Is made. by this correspondence,
: thing Of recorded fact :-hc Was hidden IN
protected by Catholics In Montreal, Quebec
ThrceRivers, Londonderry and Liverpool 1t
gratifying that he was finally arrested bT III
li1ches, authorities in The Catholic Chutcl
There are not wanting captlous readers
the correspondence who insinuate tslst /,
cscape from Italy wa. cunnlvea at by tt
rAral officials, 1hat bis trrest WAS only Ca
dhlnl Antoncl'i's 1'}an for saving hi
: ffon, harm hut eau lind no warrant in tt
| papers for hatbpriug such foul and Inf
. nior1 suspicion. II seems to NC, On tho CO
tmry, that the Cardinal provcd himself o.
friend IN a very enlightened sense. A tr'
! INN, 10 be sure, could have done no less ths
he did but, since the beginning Of the r
teEliou, wo have encountered 50 few tn
8 men In The high places OF Europe, that ey,
much less than he did do would have riv,
: him hcnosah.e prominer c. in our ey ce. He n
l culy granted an our requests, but, ~ soou
4 he was satisfied OF SuHatt's identity, he {
Il I dered bis Arrest xtthou, waiting the re
). tarc fornalitics to which Minister King Al
t Ah.Scwatd proposed resosttne+ For 10 rnuc
!, and for proving that there i.a nohle7 ma
d tsood In his Church th2n the Canadian .
n Erelhh priests showed, our thanks arc just
Il due to the Cardinal
a The present Intention Of the Goyezrne
r Is 10 bring snEzatt tareet to this city. Hc
It / not likely to arrive under four or Ave weel
% He must, Of course, be tried BY the ci
r. authorities; bat It is doubtful II he ID at on
re surrendered to them. The Chief Iustlce
N the District Supreme Court ia Judge Da,
IL f; Cartier, formerly of Ohio, and the p
n. sumption ID that the case would be 50 sul
a4ea - to bring It before him. Judge A.
= Oiiu, formerly Of New York, Judge Fish
c. f9mesiy Of Delaware, aud Judge a. VII
ID Of Alcxnndtfa, are his associates. The lst
he is,the partisan and crotchety individual
50 fore whom the rlutderess, Mary Harris, :
tried. md the trial Of Su.Tatt before HIN
IT. something that all good men should hope
is ur,y be spared. Whether tiial bcf
cd any Judge IN this District could resul. II
he conviction i, perhaps, doubtful. A tr
Ia l'!Sal jury might be GOT, but the prubat
uy tics asc decidedly asstus: such belief
= Israel
1es Tine beser1ed wife.
ed Prom the Detroit Free Press-l
he An interesting couple. giving their na.
ire As Mr.. and Mira. Pal11a, took rooms I
- since. Al the end Of the first recl- bo
w becoming due, the party fai1ed to appe.
lne supper, and were accordingly sought 10
tty their rooms: The wife vas found In |
the o1yfm Of distress occasloued By the |
,rb lonyed absence Of her husband. She said
49, had Threatened to leave her. aud she fe.
wv he had carried ont his purpose.
ms WAS amoug strangers, without
l OF means Of Teturlng to her friends
~, paying her board. To q late honr Of the nj
~ her sobs were beard, ccasing only r
- the last boardtr had retired. Hcr Ericf
~ incontolahle during the days that iol1ov
and inwhich no husband appeared. The dist
ofthc young and interesting wife, desc
er- by cruel husband. awakened the syn
are thics Of the hoarrlera. and = handsome
IL. suiptlcn for her benefit vas taken ur