The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-20

rreAsbse Rsvssasssss 81 eurratt.
The trial Of John II. surratl has developed
good deal Of evidence which, subjected 70 tho
analysis Of competent jury. may warrant tho
supposiuon that his conviction ~ IN accessory
70 Ne murder Of Mr.. Lincoln y not IN impro--
bable result Of tho legal Investigation. In say
Ing this much W do not Of course, mean TO
PREJUDICE Tho eass, bst slnply 70 hint st probs-
bnities - indicated BY tho fAcs sworn 10.
Testimony yet 70 DO produced BY tho defence
may change the whole phase Of the case, which,
In its present bearing, would appear TO tell
hard against the prisoner. Hints have been
thrown out that In case Surratt should be con-
victed and condemned chance for life will be
offered TO him on consideration Of his reveal
Ing the whole story Of the assassination plot
and the completely Of oil those connected with
1t. Should these anticipations DO realised We
may expect some very curious startling and
highly important revelations. Immediately
subsequent To the murder Of Mr. Lincoln II
will be remembered that . great many per-
sons, more or less conspicuous, wore chsrge d
with being connected directly or indirectly
with the bloody transaction. Indeed, the charge
was officially made by proclamation Of Presi-
dent Andrew johnson on the I'd Of May. 1866,
in the following terms -
A PROCLAMATION rxMIDxn or UNITED
STATES or AMERICA.
Whereas II appears from evidence 10 the Bureau OF
Military Justice that the atroc,0us murder OF the late
President Abraham Lincoln, and the attempted assai-
NOTED concerted and procured By and between
Jefferson Davis. late Of Richmond, Va, and Jacob
Clay sS:s
against the government Of the United States haborsd
Now therefore, 70 the end tina. Justice may DO DONE
Andrew johnson, President OF the United states do
offer and promise for the arrest OF said persons.
either OF them within the limits OF the United States
80 that they CANOE brought trial. the following
Ono hundred thousand dollars for the arrest Of Jsf
Twenty ave thousand dollars Tor the arrest Of Clement
@. Clay.
Thompson, late Of Mississippi
twenty-five thousand dollars for the arrest Of George
twenty-five ths~Saad dollars for the srsW u Bsv-
ION thousand dollars for a. arrest Of VIM. q Clsary
The Provost Marshal General o. the United States il
directed to cause description OF ssd persona with no
Ia testimony whereof have Ssrsunso g. ny hand
and caused the seal Of The United S<ass 70 b axsd
Done a. tho CITY Of wsshlngto. the second az q Nay
dred and sixty Eve, and Of tho Independence of the
Untss :ss: Of America the
W. HuNrsa, Acting Secretary OF state.
Now, as It has been shown by the evidence
that Surratt had repeatedly gone back and
forth between Canada and Washington pre-
vious to the assassination, while many Of the
parties mentioned in this proclamation were
resident in Canada, It Is fair to presume that
he is fully acquainted with whatever know
ledge Jake Thompson. George Sanders, Beverly
Tucker, Clement O. Clay and WIN. O. Cleary
possessed Of the plot to abduct or assas5Inate
President Lincoln. Surratt, acting as the mo
dunn of communication between the conspira-
tors In Washington and the selfsxiled chiefs
In her Britannia Majesty's North American
possessions, where the schemes for hotel burn
ings in New York and bank robberies
in St Adams were securely concocted,
can probably tell when the plan of alb
Quoting Mr.. Lincoln was changed into the
dernier ressovt Of his assassination. Nobody,
surely, knows better than Surratt when this
change Of programme took place. II b q
curious, well known fact, that the abduction
Of Lincoln was projected and discussed in the
Southern papers two or three years before his
death. Such plan was regarded at that time
a. fair game. 1t was not very vehemently dis
couraged, and there was little blame attached
to the idea, even In the North. A reward was
offered by gentleman OF Alabama-made mo-
torious by the fact-for the capture Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, and that gentleman has since
received the pardon Of President johnson.
\ It is quite evident that, through the instru-
mentality of somebody, the plan Of abduction,
with view to hold Mr. Lincoln as hostage,
was abandoned for the more terrible result of
the plottings which eliminated ct Ford's
theatre, and it Is reasonable to suppose that
Surratt is better acquainted with the circum-
stances than any other man who is now inte-
rested in making the revelation, and may, per-
haps, assist in,sounding the mystery to the very
bottom.
1t is fresh IN the memory of every one that
when the collapse of the rebellion was almost
inevitable, Jake Thompson, Sanders, and the
other refugees in Canada got hold Of Greeley,
through the fundamentally Of Colorado Jew
EFT, and set on foot the memorable negotiations
with Mr.. Lincoln in which Greeley and Jewett
attempted to lead him into an absurd COM
promise with rebellion. II was immediately
after these negotiations failed that the assas-
sination Of Lincoln appears to have been de-
cided upon. It Is presumed that Surratt can
tell the whole story, and no doubt he can. 1t
is suggested that he may supply the testimony
as to the completely Of parties other than those
who have already suffered which was 80 posi-
lively announced to be In the possession Of the
Bureau Of Military Justice, but which,
singularly enough, was not produced upon
the trial Of the conspirators who have already
expiatsd their crime. 1t may be that Surratt's
confession, if he makes any, will furnish this
mysterious testimony which has not yet seen