Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-08
re ARREsf 81 srHRAI.r.


Mr. Boutwell, of Alassaehuscfts, has
made himself very affcious in regard s
the case of John II. surratt, and in his
speech in the Radical caucus held il
Washington on the lst inst, charged hat
the President and the Secretary Of State
had known for months that Surratt was
in the Papal army, and yet lac had not
been arrested. lie was reported to have
charged that the administration had l.cen
Iemiss in not having SnrratJ arrested, but
this be denied in speech in the House
Of yppcscntatigosl an lho 4tll inst,
though he repeated dat "h, had god
reason To believe that as early Is May
last tie cxeeutive department had knawl-
edge of where Surra,t was" and that
when he left Washington in July last lac
dill expect that very con the country
would hear that the arrest Of Surratt had
been made Of course this assertion
was intended to implicate the executive
department The following paragraphs
from the Washington Republican were
no doubt intended as reply to Mr.. Bout
well:
"The official papers, on the subject, will
show that for many long months the Gov
eminent has been watching this man, who.
at first, was only suspected and who was
in f.as Al. Il
Z0uayes. 4 serious difficulty here arose.
No e1tradition treaty existed between this
Government and the Papal States; conse-
quently, il identified, Surratt could not be
demanded The first thing to be done was
to identify the man. Aftergreat precaution
and the lapse of considerable time this was
accomplished beyond doubt. The next
thing was to communicate the fact to the
Pope and obtain his permission to have the
notorious man arrested and surrendered to
the UnitedStates. Gen. King, our Minister
to Rome, was intrusted with this important
duty, and it gives US pleasure to be able to
state that the Pope, upon the testimony of
identity being shown him, Immediately or
dered the arrest of Sgrratt and directed his
surrender to the United States This is Of
fetal. TIE detail facts about his escape
from the Papal officers are not known yet, as
they have not been received at the State
Department. His escape into Italy was not
10 remain long, az it is known that ne took
passage on board Of a'vessel and crossed the
Mediterranean sea into Egypt, where our
Consul General is vested with almost abso-
lutte power. Surratt's escape from the of.
hceTs of Rome went before the flying Grim
! inal, and, by aid Of the Geographic cable
the State Department was enabled to direct
all of our representatives abroad to be on
the alert. His arrival in Alexandria.
Egypt, was Of short duration. He was ar
rested, and, if he does not escape again,
will be brought to this country in one of
our shipS-oEwar, and tried in the civil
courts Of this District There is little
doubt that the arrest of Surratt will throw
some new light upon the great conspiracy
Of which he and his mother and Booth
were the ringleaders. .a
"The official papers on the subject of
Surratfs detection and arrest will be
promptly sent to Congress in response to
the resolution OF Mr. Boutwell, calling for
them, and viii not only show that great in
justice has been done to the President and
Mr.. Seward in certain high quarters in re-
lation to the whole matter, but that great
credit is due them for thoroughness Of
search and the final apprehension of man
who had wandered to the farthermost ends
of the earth to escape their vigilance"