Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-08-08
The Democrat and Facts.

ne OclilOCFaG says the > uuICIdIy NOIiA-
mittee's report fails to give any evidence
Of completely with the murder of Presl-
dent Lincoln, either against JET Davis OF
any other of the Southern leaders. ANY
such evidence would of course be ci"cum-
stantial, and in our opinion if 1t coula pe
shcwn here on a trial that a entertained
nropositions from B and G to assasslnate
u. and D was afterwards assassinated by
+; and the secret cypher of A found on
tbe assassin. as was the case with Booth,
who had that of the rebel government, a
Nifiin county jury would be very apt to
convict 4 as an accessory to the crime.
The report which the Democrat says eX-
oncrates JEFF Davis. furnishes the follow
ing among many other facts:
On the 18th of September, 1864, letter
was written to JEFF Davis hy J. s. Pura-
more. which was received, as appears by
the endorsement. on the Goth of the same
month. The following is copy:
:" SEPTEMBER Il, 1861,
ssBosrON T. O., Thomas Co. Ga.
JEFFERSON DAVIS:
"STR: Having desire to be OF benefit
to the Confederate States IS the only eX-
cuse | can offer for addressing you let
ter: and believing the best plan would be
to dispose Of the leading characters of the
North, for that reason [ have tried and
experimental in certain particulars that
viii do this without difficulty, although
Il is quite an underhanded manner Of
warfare; and not knowing whether it
would meet with your appreciation or
not, prevents me from giving you a full
account oil the material used, although |
believe anv one Of them would take the
life of a SOuthemer III any manner they
could. Ii you wish it. write to me amd
get the whole process. Hoping you good
health and future victory,
u. S. PARAN1oRE."
At the top Of this letter. in the hand
writing of Jeff Davis, is the following
note:
Secretary of War, J. D." Upon the
back of this letter is this endorsement.
under the name and residence of the wri-
ter: Has discovered mode of dispOsing
of the leading characters at the North
File"
On the 18th of August, 1868, one H. C.
Durham writes to Jefferson Davis a let
ter, of which the following is copy:
NEAR SAVANNAH, Ga. Aug. II, '63.
To President j. Davis:
Mr.. President: After long meditation
and much reflection on the subject of this
communication, have determined to in
trude upon you, earnestly hopingmy mo-
tive will constitute a full vindicati0n for
such presumption on the part of one so
humble and obscure as myself, though /
must say that the evidence of your Chris
Iian humility almost fully assures me. j
propose, with your permission, to assist
in organizing a number of select men, say
not less than three to five hundred, to 90
into the United States and assassinate the
most prominent leaders of our enemies,
for instance, Seward, Lincoln, Greely,
Prentice, etc. Z
Begging your respectful attention 10
this communication, | am your EXcellen-
cy'S most obedient servant,
II. G. DURHAM, 63d Ga Vol
TO his EXcellency President Davis, Rich
mOnd.
This letter was received Aug. "A, 1868,
and is noticed as follows:
Asks permission to take from three to
five hundred men, and assassinate the
leading men of the United States. Re
spectfully referred, by the direction of the
President, to the Hon. Secretary of War
j. {. Ives, Col. and \. ID. G. Aug. "a
File
In addition to the testimony thus pre-
sented upon this point, the committee re-
fer to letter of Lieut.. r. Aston, which
was produced at the trial of the conspira-
tors of the assassination of President Lin
coin, from which the following is an ex-
tract:
now offer you my services, and if
you viii favor me in my designs ] will
proceed, as soon as my health will per-
NIT, to rid my country of some of her
deadliest enemies by striking at the very
hearts blood of those who seek to enchain
her III slavery. / consider nothing dis
honorable having such a tendency. All
| ask of you is to favor me by granting
me the necessary papers, &c, to travel on.
| am perfectly familiar with the North.
and feel confident that can execute any
thing L undertake. was in the raid last
June IN Kentucky, under General John
II. Morgan. Was taken prisoner. Es-
capped from them by Disgusting myself in
the garb OF citizen. ] went thro' to the
Canadas, from whence, by the assistance
OF Col. }. Z. HOlcombe, / succeeded in
working my way around and through the
blockade. L should like to have a per-
sonal interview with you, in orderto per-
lect the arrangements before starting"
The following are the endorsements
upon the above communication
d" a. 1890. Alba 1890. Lit. w. Aston,
Montgomery, Sulphur Springs, Va. No
date. Is in General Dukes command ::
accompanied the raid into Kentucky, and
was captured, but escaped into Canada,
whence he found his way back. Been in
haa health. Now offers his services to
rid the country of some of its deadliest
enemies. Asks for no papers to permit
him to travel within the Jurisdiction of
the Government; would like to have an
interview and explain" Respectfully
referred, by direction Of the President. 10
the Hon. Secretary of Warm :. Sinnnd