Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-08-10
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rey General, to the President on the application
for pardon Of Charles 4. Durham, alias San
| ford Coaover lately convicted OF perjury IN
the Criminal Court of the District Of Columbia,
and sentenced to the penitentiary. Aecompa
nying the report are number Of papers which
were sent from the Executive Mansion endors-
ed, Received from Mrs. Dunhar. July 50,
/ 1857 They consist of a long communication
| from Dunhamsto the President, and certain
letters and memoranda connected herewith
| Taken as whole, they purport to be dlscio-
sure af a startling Radical plet, having for its
| object the impeachment Of the President by
| suborned testimony In this scheme, Dun
ham, alias Conover, according to bis own ac-
| count, was to be the managing spirit. lie was
| to find the necessary witnesses and drill them
| in their parts. He gives many details Of
| the asserted plos narrates atlength facts which
| were to be sworn to, ascribing the originating
Of the plan to his employers ASHLEY and But
lerj two prominent Radicals Of the House OF
Representatives. Several notes and letters
purportiug to he from one Of these persons are
also given to corroborate the story.
Durham, alias Conover, asserts that Ash,
ley explained to him, as follows the kind OF
evidence he wanted him TO procure, and the
nature of the false charges he wished to have
sworn to against the President. to wit:
lst That Booth had on several occasions,
maid you familiar visits at the Kirkwood. -
This it was hoped, might be able TO induce
some of the old female servants to TESTIFY to-
if this could not be done, then 1t should De
proved by some of my friends who happened
70 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 persons
! who had taken notes from Booth to you, 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 Atgerodt with ~ea-
pons at the Kirkwood was only q sham-al-
though Azerodt was not aware OF Ito make
it appear that you we're intended az victim,
and thus distract all suspicion from yoll OF con-
| niging at Lincoln's murder. This also, Is was
suggested, could be proved by persons Who
could testify that they had been induced to
enter into the conspiracy with tn, and had
performed part in organizing it, &c. which
persons, it was 10 be understood, we're induced
to testify under an assurance from the Govern
| ment that they should not be prosecuted Tor
| any part they had taken.
| The resolution under which buffers com
| mittee was appointed, it will be observed,
| provides for the protection OF such persons
who are furnished with a good excuse Tor not
coming forward before BY offering immunity
10 all who we're connected with the conspiracy
who will DOW come forward aud disclose their
know ledge on the subject.
4th. That Booth, Just after the 18th 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
Presidents that it had been arranged to Kill
Lincoln on the day OF the inauguration, which
would account for Mr. johnson strange con-
duct on that occasions, which had provoked so
much comment in the press that you EXPECT,
ed the tragedy to be enacted then, and had
taken several rotations to compose and nerve
you tor the event; and that you were nor 50
much intoxicated "a nervous and excited
Whatever may be thought of the truth OF
these charges, or of the crcdibility Of this con-
victed perjnrer, who now tnrns upon his tor
mer friends, aud gives them taste OF his
qualifications rs witness, it il on record that
before these revelations, real or pretended, an
application was made to the President for the
pardon of Conover, by Mr. Ashley, Mr. Riddle
formerly an NJ. c. from Ohio, and hlr. j. Holt,
Bureau of Military Justice
The Acting Attorney General oonciudes his
Report, as follows:
"The papers having come from the haods OF
4 person WDose application for pardon was I'M
dergoing official examination here, were, for
| very obvious reasons, associated with II IN con-
| sidering the matter. Struck by their eXtraor-
binary character yet remembering IN how un-
expected and casual manner they had been
received at the Executive Office, l Immediately
determined that until | should have made this
report, their quality and significance, whatever
these may be. should remain unchanged by IN
vestigation, or by an extraneous connection or
association whatever, not only OF record, but,
| as far "a practicable, in my own mind. This
course it is necessary to bear IN RECOLLECTION IN
the act oil estimating the probable weight or
value OF the allegations: There is, indeed,
one exception to this. Never having seen The
Handwriting of the Hon. j. NJ. Ashley,
thought it due to him that should not pro-
coed without acquiring notion Of his genuine
chirography. | therefore exhibited that letter
which was written by Mr. Ashley to recommend
the pardon of Durham to gentleman acquaint-
ed with his handwriting The latter, without
hesitation, recognized that letter as genuine. -
The others strikingy resemble It,
In conclusion, teg leave to express the
profound sensibility with which find myself
obliged to bring to the serious notice OF the
President OF the &. S. accusations and papers
which must occasion him painful embarrass-
ment They expose prominent mem bers OF the
Legislature of the Union to the shocking sus-
picion Of having conspired with convicted per-
jurcr for s'upendous imposition--frst upon
the House of Representatives, then upon the
people, and then upon the Senate Of the |. s.,
for the purpose OF effecting the impeachment
and removal from Office of President Of the
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