Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-14


might be said that he, agent for The inn
peachers, had found the witnesses, and that
their character for veracity was above sus-
picion- x
On arriving here, these persons were. in-
speOted by Ashley and Butler, aud were
found to possess iherequisiie qualifications
as TO Negligence and personal appear
anee but unfortunately for the impeaeh-
ers il was deemed Necessary toniake some
changes notifications in some, and addi-
lions to other portions of their statements
before presenting them to the lukewarm
Radicals twas intended to inhame. II
being impraetiCable for the men 10 see me
at the jail on such business, and equally 50
for me TO communicate to them the desired
/ changes and necessary explanations and
instructions in writing, TO enable them TO
incorporate those changes in their original
statements, without leading TO confusion
or contradictions, il was found necessary
for somebody else to take nay Office of pre-
ceptor, etc. This, with slight hesitation,
was done by Mr.. Ashley, on my assurance
that the parties were Radicals, "died in the
WOOL" and men of honor in whom he
could safely repose confidence.
have learned, both from Ashley and
the parties themselves, what was said and
done By and between them ia the matter.
The statements they were desired to make
we're revised and corrected by Mr.. Ashley,
and they were assured by him that in case it
should be determined to examine them be-
fore the committee, they should be 'splen-
l'didly rewarded"
Ashley also discoursed to them on the
prOpriety and business of the course it was
proposed to pursue to make certain of the
impeachment of the President He de-
clared that you were traitor to your party
and country, etc, etc; that there was no
doubt of your completely in the assassina-
tion conspiracy but that the evidence was
in the hands of your friends, and could not
all be got at that enough, however, had
been secured to satisfy most reasonable
men of his guilt, but that, in order to sat
isfy the most exacting, the statements of
these persons before the committee would
be requisite; that the end fully justified
the means, and that every man who con-
tributed in this way to the Impeachment of
the President would deserve well of the
country, and that he ashley would see
| them rewarded ten-fold when your success
sor should come into power.
Subsequently, the parties were presented
to Butler, and, after being inspected and
passed by him, were introduced By him
and Ashley to several Radical members of
the House, who, it was understood, had
hitherto doubted the existence of evidence
duplicating You in the assassination con-
spiracy, and who informally Intercepted
them as TO the matters upon which they
had been instructed, A.
Butler desired to have taken the deposit
tions of these men at the time, but would
not consent to its being done until / should
| be released, as at first agreed
These facts can be proved by these three
persons, and also by my wife, whose char
acter for truth and veracity is not inferior
to Mr.. Ashley's; and shall take pleasure,
! if at liberty, in producing them before any
committee or tribunal for the impeachment
Of the impeachers.
But the evidence of this conspiracy does
not depend entirely upon oral proof. The
letters from Ashley, herewith enclosed, in
| themselves speak volumes. What state
| ment ( B from me could he have wanted,
and for what purpose? Anything it was
in my power to state to him could have
been stated to him orally dozen times
during his previous visits to me.
The statement he wanted was this, and
for this purpose: There were many prom
| inent Radicals, and especially among his
own constituents, who were lukeWarm on
the subject of Impeachment; who we're not
prepared to believe that you were privy to
the murder of Lincoln, and whose cooper
! alton was greatly needed Ashley, there
/ r l. -, Ilo - ralono hafora than
assurances that the most unquestionable
evidence of your guilt could be produced
He, therefore, requested me to prepare ar
elaborate paper setting forth that such and
such persons could be produced who knew
and would testify to this, that, and the othel
thing, including the pretensions that Bootf
had been seen in your room several times
that yoa had corresponded with him anC
with parties in Richmond and that tn,
parsons who could testify to these fact
were of the most respectable standing, ant
would come forward and tell all they knew
if protected by the government. Hewishe'
| nae to put it in a style and tone that WoulC
be sure to carry conviction with it. He de
I sired, that in addition to the point of evi
denee we had conferred about, my state
ment should contain others; and he CAV
me memorandum Of other points whieI
he requested me to incorporate in my state
ment, lB. This memorandum ! enclose
and il il, | believe, in Matchett's hand
writing, IA. After preparing the state
ment, sent it to him at Toledo, where b
wished to make use of it, CT
There is another note from Ashley en-
closed, worthy of attention. It's in pencil
and was written at the Office of Judge Car
ter, r +. f. After the failure, through tn
blundering of Matchstt, to secure my re
lease at the time promised, became angry
and used pretty severe language to Mat
chett He vent 10 Ashley and Butler il
alarm, and reported that l was going t
expose the entire scheme to you.
After the persons had sent for to Ne'
York as witnesses had returned, Matchei
endeavored, without my knowledge, to per
suade them to come here again, and in hi
letters to two of them he thoughtlessl
suggested some additions that it was de
sired they should make to their statements
He made these suggestions by letter, 8
| his letters explained, because it was nc
certain that he wonld be here when the
should arrive, or they might meet Judg
Bingham or some of the persons they ha
been introduced to when previously her
before he could see them and give the
: their points, and he therefore wanted the
posted"
After my talking to him so severely c
account of the failure TO have me release
at she time promised d. F. Matchett b
! came frightened, and seemed to get the i'd
thst ] had his letters to those parties, an
e had sent them. or copies of them, 10 70
E He therefore made known his fears to AS
ley and Butler, and Ashley endeayOred |
this note 10 obtain the letters.
have just been ordered to get ready T
: the penitentiary.
0 Very respectfully,
: CHAs. A. DUNHAM.
) ACCOMPANYING PAPERS,
) The following are the several pape
i which accompany the above. The lette
= of reference inserted in the foregoing al