The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-08-16
IMlsteuane
The Conover Letter.
WASHINGTON, July 20, 1867,

b TO his EnceHency Amdreso johnson,
President ofhe United States In ap-
plying to your Excellenoy for pardon l
had not intended to offer any disclosures
concerning the plotting of your enemies
against you which could be regarded as
AN inducement for granting my applica-
ton. instructed my wife, in presenting
this petition, to refer to the conspiracy Of
Ashley & Co., so far only as appeared ne
cessary. to remove any unfriendly feeling
that might have been ongendereS within
you toward me by the newspaper reports
that had engaged to assist your enemies
in their nefarious designs.
| .adopted this reserve ID the belief that
the services | had rendered the govern
mept, as certified by Judge Holt, the
Hon. Mr.. Riddle and Mr.. Ashley would,
in your view and judgment, render me
deserving executive clemency, and because
| desired that it should appear on the re-
cord and on the face of my pardon that
clemency had been extended to me solely
in consideration of my services to the
government, and exclusively on the re-
communication of prominent. radicals, to
the end that when l should come to ex-
pose the atrocious plot of Ashley & Co.,
the radicals would not be in position or
able to charge me with doing SO in con-
sideration of a pardon, or that the Presi-
dent had pardoncd me on condition of my
duplicating his enemies in an infamous
conspiracy.
From the moment 1 was forced into
association with these traitors. and con-
spirators determined, as soon as should
be released, to place in the hands of your
Excellency, or lay before the public, a
complete exposure of their diabolical de
signs and most astounding proceedings
This, | believe, would be my sacred duty;
for, although accused of crime, 1 am not
SO destitute of honor and patriotism as not
to feel some interest in and obligations
to my country.
The interest these persons have felt, and
tho efforts they have made, (Which would
have succeeded ere this bat for the blum
der of one of them y and which they still
propose to make for my release, Ct. G, }
| knew were prompted by the most sell
fish motives, in order that they might use
me as an instrument to accomplish their
devilish designs; and | 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, Matcbett, and afterwards in per-
son, managed to make known to me his
wishes, aims aud purposes, and enlist me,
as far as forced promise would 20, in
his enterprise. | shall, therefore, only
advert here to something which has been
said aud done by the conspirators, which
are susceptible of being proved against
them by the most irrefragible evidence.
| After obtaining my promise to render
all the assistance in my power, Mr.. Ash
| ly explained to me the kind Of evidence
he thought it most Advisable to present
against you. q must be briefly lie
thought it would be very plausible to
prove
LIST. That Booth had on several occa
sions paid you familiar visits at the Kirk
wood. This it vas hoped l might be
able to induce soue of the old female SER
wants to testify to. If this could not be
done, then it should be proved by some
OF my friends who happened to be at the