The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-12-28
The Arrest of John Il. Surf att.

The arrest of this man, who is supposed to
have been connected in some way with the assas-
snation of President Lincoln, seems now to be
reduced to q certainty, and weSuppoSe that some
sort of a trial will be granted him. If he had
any connection with the killing of Mr.. Lincoln,
be should be properly punished for the crime, as
ought any other murderer or evil docr, but while
this is true, we should not be over-hasty in Civ
ing credencc to all the stories that are going the
rounds of the newspapers. We should reflect
some little upon the source from whence the
proof of the published confession of Surrant
comes Who or what this Canadian Zouave is
who expresses, in his affidavit, So much .indigna-
ton for the behavior of the South, is not yet
known. 1t is, however, pretty well known that
this patriot already cl4ms the fifty thousand
dollars offered for Sulratts arrest Few doubted
the testimony of Connover and his suborned and
perjurcd associates, until after they had testified
before the Connover-lIolt-Miliary Court, yet al
most before the tears shed by Miss Surratt for
the fate Of her mother, have dried, these perjured
scouadres come forward and unblushiugly nd.
nit their guilt.
Let Surratt be tried according to the laws of
the land, we say, and if he bc the murderer that
he is charged to he, let HIM suffer the penalties
provided for all murdercrs bu; in the name of
common justice do not shock the moral sense of
the world again, with another Cunuover-Stan-
ton-Holt trial. This intrepid Zouave who
makes the discovery of Surratts whereabouts
does not make him exactly connect himself with
the murder but he .inferS his connection with
it. Of course he does, and he also infers his
claim TO the fifty thousand dollars offered for
Surratts arrest.
Great fears are entertained, in some Republic
can quarters, that Surratt may add grief to that
already suffered, we suppose by his distracted
sister and it is also doubted whether eminent
and cautious men would have trusted man of
Surratts weaknesses. About This there is no
room to doubt. Every man of intelligence in
the nation knew full well, from the beginning,
that no man of the least discernment, caution, or
standing if contemplating the crime of murder
or any other grave offence, would ever think of
taking into his confidence such a man as John
Fl. Surratt is represented to be; and therefore
the attempt of this Canadian Jeremy Diddler, or
any body, to connect Jefferson Davis with Sur
raft, is all balderdash, and entitled to the same
and no more weight than the Connover-Iolt
testimony was before that never-to-be-forgotto
military court, which once sat in Washington
In regard 10 Surratts confessions or pretended
confessions, for there lis scarcely doubt that
they are only pretended, the Baltimore american
of the ga instant says;
We do not anticipate any very important dis
closures to result from the capture and punish
ment Of Surratt lie seems TO be, like most of
those connected with Booth in his horrid crime,
weak, vain tnlkativc, butenrless INSCRIPTIONS
and enterprising. The history of his conceal
ment and attemptsat escape from his pursuers,
If detailed, would afford amusement 10 boys and
those who curious in the adventures of felons,
and might possibly throw light upon one portion
Of the history of the rebellion. He found friends
and money, and, of course such other aid as he
sought and needed wherever he went. The con-
nections of the rebellion abroad seem to have
been extensive and intimate. In Canada, Eng
land, France, and even in Italy, Surratt seems
TO haze met with no embarrassments, pecuniary
or otherwise, except from his pursuers, and>these
his cautious friends would probably have ena-
bled him to elude but for his loquacious vanity
and perverted ambition to connect his name with
the crime upon account Of which he was fugi-
tive. We do not think il probable that such a
man as he seems to be, however fit a tool for
man like. Booth, can have been very much trus-
ted by eminent and cautious inen-m@ towhom
loss of character would be matter of conse-
quence. Ifany such men were concerned with
Booth in the murder of Mr.. Lincoln, we think it
very improbable that they would have brought
themselves in contact with his instruments. We
hope that the wicked and foolish wretch has not
betrayed his mother, as some letters say he has.
She asserted her innocence, and the innocent
members of her family believed her so. His fri
volty and folly in betrnylng himself is in keep
ing with his crime. We trust that he has not
opened anew the griefs of those for whose suffer-
ings in this terrible tragedy we all sympathze.
LINN SAIr-Inhn s Dallam Real Estate