Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-08-30


municate with you fully in regard to the business
which takes him to New York. The Judi
clary Committee Of the House of Representatives
are ANXIOUS to secure at early day as possible
the attendance of the Witnesses named in list
In Colonel Turner's hands, and write to request
that you will at use all your efforts to secure
that result. You probably know the whereabouts
OF most of them and through your personal exer-
tions, aided by others, may succeed in bringing
these Witnesses Or st least the greater part of them
before the committee. l Mr.. Wilson this
morning, who read your letter, and it is at his
instance that write you, having no doubt but
that from the information you have and your past
faithfulness you will be both able and willing to
do in the interest of truth and public Justice what
is now required of you.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
HOLT, Judge Advocate General
That the bearer of the above did communicate
with ConoVer In regard to the business which took
him to New York and communicate more than it
was easy or prudent to say by letter, there can
be no doubt but nevertheless Campbell, as the
pubic are already aware, was pushed before the
committee and retracted every word of what he
had sworn for the Bureau of Military Justice.
The strategy by which Davis friends managed
to get Campbell before the committee after his
avowed detection and threat to expose the Radi-
cal plot may be explained in a few words AS
soon as the apostacy of the willy periurer was dis
covered, extensive measures, as disclosed by the
foregoing letters of Carter and the Judge Ad-
vocate General, were adopted to return him to the
fold, when the reprobate pretended to repent his
treacherous designs, and promised in considera-
ton OF another large sum, to repeat before the
committee what he had deposed to the Bureau of
Military Justice, but nc sooner was he ushered
into the committees august presence than he for
got his last promise to the conspirators and told
the truth, and-need it be alphabetically made
Jack Rogers laugh.
The following letter from COnover to John Pat
ton, at Washington, another Of the perjured wit
nesses whom he had promoted to the rank of in
structor of bogus witnesses, will show what he
thought of Boutwell, and Holt and some of the
other leaders in the conspiracy and what he ex-
pected from Stanton in case of need:
J. CoNOvER TO JOHN PATTEN
EPHRATA MOUNTAIN HOUSE, June s, 1866.
NJ Dear Panen--Yours of the 9th was received
this p M. Your assurance that Thomas made
ftur pas does not surprise in the least, and
you give him altogether too much credit when you
say that he made damned fool of himself, for
nature did that for him over thirty years ago
But in all this do not sufficient for de-
spondency Cheer up nil desperandann. Make
Taber rehearse a dozen times day until he can
play his part like Kean, and with the two BOYS
L have here, who are improving charmingly we
will more than make up for the loss of Campbell
and SneveL Still it is provoking to remember
what an ass Boutwell, made of himself.
Had he suspended the examination of Campbell
when he saw that he damaging the case, or
had Wilson been possessed of wit enough to
Will ulrecClOuS 10 Lne wines
ses to appear again next day, which Campbell
would not have done, Or had Holt, after the COM
mittee did adjourn, displayed his usual sharpness
and firmness, and ordered the damned traitor to
be quietly taken out of sight, all would have been
well. In truth, all is well enough as it stands.
If Campbell don't keep himself shady Secretary
Stanton will come down on him for his bounty
jumping, numerous desertions and other military
offences, which enable the Secretary to place him
where his tongue can do no harm and would soon
cease to wag. He has been notified what to ex-
pect if he is not quiet, and sure we shall hear
no more from him.
McGin is coming down in the morning, and
will bear my letter. He will be able to give you
the news more easily than I write it.
Take the enclosed letter to Mr. Stevens as soon
as possible it is important that he should
have it at once, / think his number is 279 South
Capitol
l wrote the Judge yesterday, should you be
obliged to communicate with him again before I
come down do SO by note, as there is no doubt
but Jetfs friends have spies around the Judges
Office, and they might mark YOU
Keep up good courage and attend to your pu-
pill and if we lose the game it will be through the
stupidity of friends or irresoluton of our pa
irons and not through any fault of own. If
we are driven to 6 the last ditch and publicly
exposed, we may derive some consolation from the
fact that several ustrous heads are as deep in the
mud in the mire, and will be obliged to
share the obloquy with u.s.
You will within week and need not
it absolutely necessary that should hear from
you.
Yours truly, S. CONOVER.