The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-04-02
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, March 26.
BINGHAM VS.. BUTLER.

BINGHAM VS.. BUTLER.
Mr.. Butler called the attention of meni-
bers to the fact that Mr.. Bingham had
revised, altered and materially changed
the Globe reporters manuscript of the
personal debate last week between him,
self and M. Bingham.
Mr. Butler then laid SON the desks. of
members printed pamphlet showing the
report as written and the report as print
ed. He characterized this proceeding
as most unfair, and in defense of his OWL
assertion made the other day that Mrs.
Surratt was hung without sufficient evil
dence, he charged that John Wilkes
| Booths diary, which showed, all his
movements preparatory to the assassi.s
nation Of Mr.. Lincoln, was kept, from the
knowledge oe the Court, and it now ap-
peared had been spoliated. by baving
eighteen pages cut out of, it after it had
got into the hands of the Government;
He said: There is still remaining in the
diary memorable sentence, written a
few hours before Booths death, and
quoted from memory.
II have endeavored to cross the Poto-
mae five times and failed; I propose to
return to Washington and give myself
up and clear myself from this great
crime" a-u g a9yc wE4 a, StsY ieps m4,a
| The whole case now shows that Booth,
up to certain hour, meant the capture
and abduction of Lincoln, and that he
changed his purpose and resorted to as
sassination. If Mrs. Surratt did not
know of this change she would have had
no knowledge of the intended assassina-
tion, and therefore could not have been
convicted. ew 's9E, :
| If all the testimony had been present
ed we should have been able to pursue
the accomplices and find out who it was
that changed Booths purpose from cap,
ture to assassination; who it was that was
to profit by the assassination, and that
would not profit by the capture of Mr..
Lincoln; who it was that should succeed
to Mr.. Lincoln in case the bullet made a
vacancy. ol8 r.z sam, -
Mr.. Bingham replied: In the excite
ment and hurry at,the time, it SO hap.
pened that the report of my reply to the
gentleman was the most imperfect report
ever sent to me of remarks made by me
in the House. Any gentleman may ex.
anime it, and he will fail to find in the
!, corrections single alteration that is moi
: by express words, or by necessary i'm
plication, in the reporters notes. I defy
his calumny. What charge is he com
planning of? That I said he had condem
ned without knowing or caring for eyi
J dence! I say so yet IF he is the law
I yer he is reputed to be, then he is to bt
pitied for coming here and arraigning hi
peers for not consenting to admit the
: testimony of man accused, made
after the fact.
, I defy him by any investigation which
he dare institute here or any where tt
show that any communication came into
my hands purporting to be a. production
/ of j. Wilkes Booth that was not made
, after the fact, and long after the fact.---
Is there any lawyer in America or En-
, gland who would say that the words and
declarations of an accused felon after the
fact, is an evidence which the advocate
for the government is bound to admit in
any court. I treat with contempt and
scoru any intimation from any quarter
that | or NY associate counsel sss under
obligation to admit any such evidence.
The law does not require it. The
common law, the growth and gathered
wisdom of thousand years excludes it.
q Perhaps that great monument of wisdom
and learning is not equal to the incompar-
able gains of the incompatible hero Of
, Fort Fisher. Laughter which the
} Speaker endeavored to suppress: sga S
Mr.. Butler tried to get in a remark
but Mr.. Bingham would not let him ad-
ding that the gentleman from Massachu-
setts had no right to ask .fayors at his
: hands. eaf ~
Mr.. Bingham continued: I never saw
J any memoranda by j. Wilkes Booth
J which indicated any plan or motive by
which he was to carry out his projected
. conspiracy.
I never saw any such thing, and am
not surprised that the gentleman woulC
. not let me see the book which he put In
to his pocket.
J, Mr.. Butler again essayed to make ar
explanation, bu. with no better result
Mr.. Bingham said; No, sir, do no
care about it; having refused to let me-
inspect the book on which he based hi
charge, he may now initiate the example
seen in the vision of the apocalypse, ani
turn around and eat it. Laughter.
The gentleman talks of spoliated
book. Who spoliated that, is about al
, interesting query as that to which [ re
ferred the other day, "who killed Cocl
Robln?" Who knows that It's spoliated
If John Wilkes Booth tore pages out o
it, was that spoliation? The gentleman
words are as impotent as they are un
warranted. "Let the CALLED jade vince
my withefs are unrung."
Il I challenge him and dare him here Of
anywhere, in this tribunal, or any tribu
nal, to assert that spoliated any book
Such charge as that, without any title
of evidence, is only fit to come, from a
man who lives in a bottle and is fed with
aspoon. Laughter. What is the othel
statement here, showing the heartlessness
of this accusation, and its utter disregard
and contempt for allfdecency and all law
tits, that controlled the evidence III
the Court. e.e Is 81 .sIa 81
The gentleman knows was not the
4 Official organ of that court, He knows
J, its Recorder was the Judge Advocate