The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-05-31
ll'rom the National lntclligencer1
The Truth Of History Gard
from EN-Malor LICrrcl.


Our icllnw-ciizcus of Washington
will read with interest aud With pleasure
the subj0ined statement ~ Col Bcrrct.
IN which they will be erutilicd To Gnl
both new evidence Of the inherent
good hcarledness Of the lamouted Prcsi-
dent Lincoln and most conclusive
proof Of the consistency and upright.
uc,s Of one Of their most esteemed cti-
zcus
ia m, EJ,f,r. NJ H. AR. ht,i:
GHN lEuES: | hayo not hitherto
thought proper 70 obrudr upou ihe pub.
lic any explanation Of the circumstance
connected vjth my arrest and ucarccrA.
ton IN Government fortress at the in.
cipieut stage Of the recent civil war --
Tie facts OF themselves. Es known 20
every unc familiar wi'h the condition Of
thipe. existing az the tiuo in WmhIug
ton ! degmel amply Sufficient % lnst
To- .hicll ne lrum impg'a,.au den-a.
tors to my honor So iar a. % could b.
affected by auy action Of miue rrspeyt-
ing the thrn political stain. ct thc eoun.
iry Nor should nnw rclar to thr
subject ia purpose Wctc pni 5rPuept.
By u,eaus Of iaunt- and denuHelf'uu.
IN Congress aud cl-cwheu Co. plspatuaba
acknowledged wrongs ly seeking 90
make those very wrong, ,Ae bilk Of
further persecution
Upou the breaking oui Of tho war q;
so happened lha, ! occupied 'hr pwi.
ton Of chief magistrate OF ti.. c,ry -
II was publicly known that although J
WIS wholly opposed Ia those Of the
South vhud,.iryl to discover the luiuu.
and thereby among other sill more mo.
mcutour National dl-asirm utterly TO
ruin the people Of this city, whose iu-
forests. were somewhat committed 90
my charge, % the same t,mc did moi
concur 10 the dogmss and measures Of
the Republican party And hence 10
the universal dislrust then prevalent, !
WJs subjected to persecution entirely
Incxcusablc, aud resulting from the
intense excitement Of the public mind
and morbid appetite lor objects Of pop.
ular gcneclnce. Ny loyalty was never
subject TO rational doubt aud Ia this
day there has never been the scmblucc
OF . charge much less any proof, or
attempt Of proof preferred against me,
rejecting IN amy manner upon my de.
yotiou to the Union. the Constitution,
L.. I. g.y - tAa ,.,,..Evss
These facts are of public noioriciy --
Bat it is not equally well known that
they were fully acknowledged by Mr
Lincoln aud his Cabinet, and the injury
done me In my arrest aud imprison-
mcnt atoncd for 10y them to the utmost
extent in their power. IL Is the main
object Of this letter TO place this phase
Of the matter before my friends, and
to rightly iliorm those who seem, from
recent exhibitions, 10 be ignorant OF
the real facts of the case. After my
return from Fort Lafayette Mr. Lincoln
in a conference | had with him at his
own instance, in the presence of the
then aud present Secretary of State,
maguauimonsly acknowledged in the
most feeling terms the utter ground
lcssness Of the vague suspicious upon
which the military authorities had &C
/ ted in my arrest-eXpressed his deeT
regret that the bitter feelings aud panic
which prevailed az the time had caused
such an instance Of individual oppres
sion, and generously preferred any ap
propriate reparation for the injury thai
had been done me. ! declined to make
any suggestion, but was shortly after
wards, as is well known to the present
Secretary of State, offered a colonelcy
in the army, with the privilege ofa po
sition on the staff of the General-in
Chief and subsequently, without my
knowledge, was nominated TO the Sen
ate for lucrative Office, which | alsC
refused as soon as was informed of the
appointment, for the reasons assigned
in a letter to Mr.. Lincoln, of which tho
following is copy
WASHINGTON, April II, 1862.
DEAR Sir: ! beg leave to express tC
you my thanks for the kindness which
you have done me in sending to tho
Senate, without the slightest knowledge
Or expectation of it on my part, my nom
ination as Commissioners under the law
recently enacted for the abolition of sla
very in this District.
This public recognition constitutes
for me vindication, the value of which
can only be appreciated by those who