The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-08-30

lt0pOIenC, cuOe1VOIS 10 ImpCdCu s0opoCns
JOHNSON because Of his desire 10 admin
ter the Government on Constitutional prin-
ciples, seem to scruple at no means howev-
er base or ignoble. Their last endeavor in
this line. - made public BY tie Acting At.
torney General, was to suborn one DURHAM,
alias CoNovER, who is now serving out .
term in the Penitentiary for perjury, and
have him make affidavit and also to con.
spire With others to make like afidavits
that he was knowing to several suspicious
circumstances which would prove that
President JOHNSON, when filing the Office
Of Vice President, was not only knowing to
the fact that LINCOLN was to be assassina'
ted but Was privy thereto.
This DURHAM, OF CoNovER, was prom.
Used pardon by BUTLER, ASHLEY and
Holt, and they recommended the President
to grant him one; but all things not work.
ing we'll, no pardon was granted, aud Con-
OVER exposed them, by sending the letter.
he had received to the President; and
thus was frustrated most diabolical plot
to blot the Presidents fair name and fame
forever. Fortunately, the facts Of this con-
spiracy against the President does not rest
solely on the testimony Of CoNovER, but il
borne out by producing the letters Of ASH
LEY to him, and they are pronounced by
those who should know rs being unmis-
takably the handwriting of ASHLEY.
CoNovER, in his letter to the President
exposing the plot, says:
1.-THE interest these persons have felt,
and the efforts they have made, (which
would have succeeded ere this but for the
biunder of one of theml, and which they
still propose to make for my release, know
we're prompted by the most selfish motives,
in order that they might use me as an In
strument to accomplish their devilish de-
signs, and I shall not therefore be guilty Of
ingratitude in abandoning and exposing
their villainy.
''My wife has, believe, explained to you
how Ashley, first through his man Friday,
Matchett, and afterward in person, man.
aged to make known to me his wishes, aims
and purposes, and enlist meas far as
forced promise would go-in his enterprise.
/ shall, therefore, only advert here to some
things which have been said and done by
the conspirators, which are susceptible Of
being proved against them by the most IT.
refragable evidence.
after obtaining my promise to render
all the assistance in my power, Mr.. Ashley
explained to me the kind of evidence he
thought it most advisable to presen: against
you. Il must be very brief. He thought
it would be very plausible to prove:
''lst. That Booth had on several occa-
sions paid you familiar visits at the Kirk
wood.
''This, it was hoped, I might be able to
induce some of the old female servants to
swear TO. If this could not be done, then
it should be proved by some of my friends,
who happened to be at the house at the
time, who knew Booth, &C., and saw the
visits.
I'D. That you correspondent with Booth,
which should be shown by one or more per-
sons who had taken notes from Booth to
yeu, and your replies contents unknown)
thereto to Booth. The witnesses should be
persons who profess to have been intimate
With Booth, and to have been enlisted by
him to take part in the assassination.
Sd. That the placing of Atzerodt with
weapons at the Kirkwood was only sham
although Atserodt was not aware of it
10 make it appear that you were intended
IS victim, and thus detract all suspicion
from you of conniving at Lincoln's murder.
This, also, it was suggested, could be
proved by persons who could testify that
they had been induced to enter into the
conspiracy with Booth, and had performed
a part in organizing it, &C., which persons,
it was to be understood, were induced to
testify under an assurance from the govern
ment that they should not be prosecuted
for any part they had taken.
'The resolution under which Butler
committee was appointed, it will be observ.
ed, provides tor the protection of such per-
sons-who are furnished with good ex-
cuse for not coming forward before-by
offering immunity to all who were connect
ed with the conspiracy who will now come
forward and disclose their knowledge on the
subject.
''4th. That Booth, just after the 4th of
March, stated to intimate friends in New
York, whom he endeavored to enlist in the
conspiracy, that he was acting with the
knowledge of the vice president; that it had
been arranged to kill Lincoln on the day of
Inauguration, which would account for Mr..
Johnson's strange conduct on that occasion,
which had provoked so much comment in
the press; that you expected the tragedy to
be enacted then, and had. taken several po-
tations to compose and nerve you for the
event, and that you were not so much in
toxicated as nervous and excited.
II feel much delicacy in referring to such
topics, but cannot inform you of your enc.
mics plans and projects without being
plain, and am obliged to write in too
great haste to be choice in my language.
II assured Ashley that should have nc
difficulty in finding persons of good stand
ing and moral character to prove those mat
tiers, and it was agreed that / should do SO
as soon as released.
las an earnest that possessed the abil-
ity to do what | engaged, and in order to
satisfy some of their party who doubted
the existence Of evidence to connect you
with the assassination conspiracy, Ashley
and Butler desired and pressed me to send
for two or three persons of whose intelli.
gence and qualification they could satisfy
themselves, and whom they could parade
before their incredulous friends.
IL consented, and Ashley supplied the
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