Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-03
THE MINORITY REPORT On THE Az
LEGGED COMPIICITY OF JEFFERSON
DAVIS IN THE ASSASSINATION OF
PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

WASHINGTON, July -, lSG6-Represen-
tative ROGERS yesterday made a minority re-
port. signed by himself only as a member Of
The Judiciary Committee, 20 which was re-
ferred an investigation rs 10 what completely,
if any, JEFFERSON DAVIS and others had in
the assassination Of President LINCOLN.
He saws for some reason or reasons not
fully stated, the majority of the committee
determined 20 throw in his way every possi-
bic impedimcnt, not only in any assistance
he might try 10 render them IN what he CON
sidered a common tasl, imposed upon them
bv the House, but even in his working out
any conclusion for himself When it be-
came evident that in this they would not
only have none of his assistance or fellow
ship, but resented deeply any attempt of his
To- render it, the papers were put away from
him, locked in boxes, hidden, and when he
asked to see them he was told, day after day
and week after week, that he could not have
access 90 them. Ii was not until noon GA
Friday that he was allowed freely TO look
through them and derive any knowledge
based upon examination for the purposes of
this report Had the majority permitted
him 10 use the customary privileges, but
from which they excluded him, this report
would have been of more benefit 20 the cause
of Justice and Of truth than he could now
hope 60 make IL.
Mr. ROGERS saws the main portions of the
testimony alleged 10 connect JEFFERSON
DAVIS and others with the assassination Of
President LINCOLN was all Cr pUriC, and in
the absence of any person Cross-questlouing
and explaining il. The method Of the eK-
animation of SANFORD CONovER, the prin-
ciual witness and originator Of all the oral
testimony relevant procured by thc Bureau
of Military Justice to establish the guilt of
DAVIS. was this, namely: The testimony he
had given at the assassination mock trials of
the 2uh of MAY, 1860, was read 90 him,
when he said il was all true. Mr. ROGERS
examines at some length the testimony of
CoNoNlR MERRITT, and others, 90 show its
yorthl,ssncss and total unreliabiGty. That
of the FIRST named being wholly invalidatcd
kv his contradictions would amount % moth
inc unsupported. with its evident purluries
unexplained When Mr.. HON forwarded
IL with the rest, he accompanied the whole
with an explanatory argument every SEN
tence of which Is redolont with the logic OF
prosccntion. and TO him Mr. RoGERs) il al
most felt as ifit revealed something of per,
sonal motive in the conviction. The send
iuc OF any argument 20 convince the COM
mittee was IN itself 2 step Of doubtful pro
urietv. In conclusion, he said: " cannot
sgree with the statement made in the con-
Guiding paragraphs Of the majority report
tbat n il the duty Of the Executive Depart
ment Of the Government for a reasonable
time. and by the proper means, TO procure
the investigations for the purpose OF asccr
tanning the truth" The Government Mr.
RoGEEs says, through the Bureau Of Mill.
tary Justice, has pursued ils investigation
over one wear with the rigor 81 militar,
power, and the expenditure Of vast amounts
and in CoNovER, CAMPBELL, SNEvEI anC
Company we have the result Of their iaoors
How long is this man 10 lie under thes'
imputations without even a preliminary eX
animation This Is worse than the treat
ment Of DENoHIEN worse than the quieke
cruelties Of an oUto da fc Disagreeing VIII
the majority report on this point, as on mos
Others, i believe il 10 be the duty Of the au
thorities holding DAVIS 90 give him
preliminary examination, as prescribed b
the usages and practice Of all civilized na