Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-23
BOOTHS DIARY.

tory and it's Full Contenfs-Is Booth
Alive: 81 tst' .--.---i
The Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Enq'arsr sends by telegraph to
that paper the following correspondence:
, EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D.
c., May o, IS67.-The Secretary of War
will please furnish the President with a
certified copy of the diary found on the
body of j. Wilkes Booth, together with
suecinct statement of all the facts connected
with its capture and its possession by the
War Department ANDREW JOHNSON.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON Cry.
May IA, 1S67-SIR: have the honor to
submit herewith copy of the entries con-
tanned in the memorandum book found on
the person Of j. Wilkes Booth at the time
of his capture, certified to BY Gen. Holt,
Judge Advocate General, who has possess
sion of the book, together with his report
in relation thereto. The memorandum
book was first seen by me about the 10Th
day of April, 1865, shortly after Booths
capture, and few hours before his remains
reached Washington. @ .''.-a1
1t was brought TO nay house by Provost
Marshal Baker and another person, who
was, / think, Lieutenant Colonel Conger..
The book was then examined by me in
.stesence of Gen. Eekert' Assistant Secreta-
~ of War, and was found TO contain only
the entries certified to by Gen. Holt also
some photographs of females. Immediate
ly preceding the entries, some pages APP
peared to have been cut out, but there was
nothing indicating what had been written
thereon, or whether anything had been
written, nor when or by whom they had
been cut out
Immediately afef careful examination
of the book and its contents, it was placed
in the hands of General Eckert, in the
same condition az when | first saw it, to be
delivered to the Judge Advocate General,
in whose possession, after its delivery to
him by General Eckert am informed and
believe, il has continued until the present
time. The last time saw the book was
some time last winter. 1t was then before
the Judiciary Committee of the House of
Representatives, and was, in all respects,
in exactly the same condition as when /
first saw ii, without any change or altera-
ton, so far as | could discover, in its con-
tents
General Eckert reported to me that
upon receiving the memorandum book
from me he sealed it up, and locked it up
in his safe, and it continued in his posses
sion until he delivered it to the Judge Adj
yocate General, and that it was then in the
same condition as when ii was brought to
my house by Baker.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
To the President: The following is
copy of the writing, which was in pencil,
found in the diary taken from the body of
J. Wilkes Booth. j. HON.,
Judge Advocate General.
Ii Amo, April 13-14.- Friday the ides.
Until to-day nothing was ever thought
of sacrificing to our country's wrongs.
For six months We have worked to
capture, but our cause being almost lost,
something decisive and great must be done.
But its failure was owing to others who
did not strike for their country with
heart.
/ struck boldly, and not as the pa
pers say. | walked with a firm step
through a thousand of his friends, and was
stopped, but pushed on. A Colonel was at
his side / shouted CSC sempeT" before |
fired In jumping | broke my leg.
l passed all his pickets; rode sixty
miles that night with the bone of my leg
tearing the flesh at every jump. | can
never repent it, though we hated to Kill.
Our country owed all her troubles to him,
and God simply made me the instrument
of his punishment. The country is not what
it was.
This forced Union is not what have loved.
| care not what becomes of me. / have no
desire to outlive my country. This night
before the deed-l wrote long article, and
left it for one of the editors of the Ma
tiondi TnteHigeGeer, in which / fully sci
forth our reasons for our proceedings. He
is the government.
Faiday, the Dist, after being hunted like
dog through swamps and woods, the last
night being chased by gunboats till | was
forced to return, wet, cold and starving
with every mans hand against me, | am
here in despair, and why? For doing what
Brutus was honored for, what made Tell a
hero, and yet |, for striking down greater
tyrant than they every knew, am looked
| upon as a common cut-Ihroat. My action
was purer than either one of theirs. One
hoped to be great. The other had not only
his country's but his own wrongs TO avenge
HOPED for gain. knew no private wrong
| struck for my country, and that alone-s
country that groaned beneath this tyranny
and prayed for this end, and yet now
| behold the cold hand they extend to me
God cannot pardon me if have done wrong
yet cannot see my wrong, except in sery
ing degenerate people. The little, thu
very little that | left behind to clear M
name the government will not allow to b,
printed-so ends ALL For my country
| have given up all that makes life sweet anC
holy brought misery upon my family, anC
am sure there is no pardon in the HEAVIER
| for me, since man condemns me so. | hav,
| only heard of what has been done, excep
what did myself, and it fills me witt
horror. God, try and forgive me and bles
my mother. Tonight j will once NOR
| try the river with the intent to cross
though | had greater desire and almost
mind to return to Washington, and in
measure clear my name, which | feel cal
do. l do not repent the blow ! struck
| swear before nv God but not to man.
| think have done well, though | am aban
| doned with the curse of Cain upon me.
| the world knew my heart, that one blov
| would have made me great, though dit
| desire no greatness. Tonight | try {,
escape these bloodhounds once more. VIII
| can read his fate God will be done
/ | have too great a soul to die like
| criminal.
Oh may He spare me that, and let m
| die braYely. | bless the entire world.
| have never hated or WrOnped anV oue
| This last act was not a wrong, unless Got
! DEGREES it so, and it ia with Him to dam
or bless me, and from this brave boy wit
me, who often prays; yes, before End since
with a true and sincere heart was ii Grim
| in him? If not, why can he pray tn
| same | do not wish to shed a drop c
blood, but | must fight the course. It's al
that's left me.
Upon piece of paper found in the diary
and supposed to hayesbeen torn from it,
7 written the following:
Ny dear-fpiece torn out.l Forgive me
but i have some little pride. | can nc
blame you for want of hospitality; 70
know your affairss | was sick, tired, wit
broken limb, and in need of medical ac
vice l would not have turned dog fror
my door in such plight. However, 20
were kind enough to give US something
eat, for which | not only thank You, but o
account of the rebuke and manner in whiC
to-(pieee torn out Ii is not the sal
stance, but the way in which kindness is e.
tended that makes one happy in the accei
lance thereof. The sauce to meat IS ceTe
mony; meeting were bare without 1t. /
| bind anauab "a acnaut the enrlogad - a