The Van Buren press., 1867-05-31
J. Wilkes Booths Diary.
.eciai 10 ne CacisnGH Enquirer.

20 much has been said about the spoilation .
Of the Booth diary since the charge was made .
by General Butler, ia Congress, that now the
people generally, and almost without an eN-
ccption the leading journal.' demand that the
book bc published, no matter whether It's con- .
tents be important or unimportant. Upon re-
presenting To Mr.. johnson all the circumstah-
&c, and of the general demand that the diary
be printed, in order that the people may for
themselves judge of the facts and merits OF
the controversy about this book, the Prcsi- I
dent gave his consent that the book be pub
li,hed.
The President HIMSELF never having seen
the diary, had some days ago ordered a certi-
lied copy 10 be made, which was accordingly
few days ago furnished. am permitted to
send YOU a copy of the record, as certified to
by the Judge Advocate;
! To the President;
The following is a copy of the writing,
which was in pencil, found in the diary taken
/ from the body of j. Wilkes Booth;
}. HOLT, Judge-advocatc General.
| III Amo, April l3-ll.- Friday the ides.-
| Until to-day, nothing was ever thought Of
sacrificing to our country's wrongs. For six
months we had worked to capture; but, our
cause being almost lost, something decisive
/ and great must be done; but its failure was
owing to others, who did not strike for their
country with Il heart.
! struck boldly, and not rs the papers say.
! | walked with a firm step through thousand
of his friends, and was stopped, but pushed
ION. \ colonel was at his side. | shouted
I" SIC senper' before | fired. In jumping |
/ broke my leg.
passed all his pickctS rode sixty miles that
night with the bone of my leg tearing the
! flesh ut every Jump | can never repent ii,
/ though we hated to kill. Our country owed
all her troubles to him, and God simply made
me the instrument of his punishment. The
country is not what it was.
April, May s, lSG5.-This forced Union is
not what have loved. care not what be-
come, of me. have no desire to outliye my
country. This night-before the deed-l
wrote a long article and left it for one of the
editors of the National Mtelligeacer, in which
| fully set forth our reason. for our proceed
ing,, He is the Government.
Friday, the 2lst after being hunted like a
dog through swampS and woods, the last
night being chased by gun-boats till | was
forced to eturn, wet, cold and starving, with
every mans hand against me, am here in
despair, and why: For doing what a Brutus
was honOred for, what made Tell a hero, and
vet l. for striking down greater tyrant than
they ever knew, am looked upon as Il COM
mon cut-throat. My action was purer than
INilIlNl OHN vi JlitiIS' cIt Hol''l W Dt E-lNtJ.
The other had not only his couutry's,
but his own wrongs to avenge. hoped
for no gain. | new no private wrong. |
struck for my country, and that alone-a
country that groancd beneath this tyranny,
and prayed for this end, and yet now behold
the cold hand they extend to me-
God can not pardon me i'll have done wrong,
ye, can not see my wrong, except in serving
degenerate people. The little, the very lit
tie that left behind to clear my name, the
Government will not allow to be printed, so
ends all, For my country have given up all
that makes life sweet and holy; brought mis-
cry upon my family, and am sure there is nc
pardon in the heaven for me, since man con
dcmps me so. have only heard of what has
been done. eXccpt what | did myself, and il
fills me with horror. God, try and forgive
me, and bless my mother. Tonight | will
once more try the river with the intent tC
cross, though had greater desire and almost
mind to return to Washington, and in q
measure, clear my name, which feel can do
, do not repent the blow | struck. | swear
before NY God ain H aBandJntaRal ntaRalnk With The
curse of Cain upon me- If the world new nv
heart, that one blow would have made me
great, though did desire no greatness. To-
{ night try to escape these bloOdhounds once
more. Who can read his fate? Goods will
be done" have too great soul to die like
a criminal.
O,may He spare me that, and let me die
brayely. | bless the entire world | have
+ never hated or wronged any one. This last
act was not Il wrong, unless God decrees it so
and it is with Him to damn or bless me, and
from this brave boy with me, who often prays
yes, before and since. with a true aud SINGER,
heart was it crime in him? If not, why can
he pray the same: | do not wish to shed q
drop of blood, but must fight the course
lis all that's left me.
Upon piece Of paper found in the diary
and supposed to have been torn from it, i.
written the following:
My dear-(piece torn OUT. Forgive me
but have some little pride | can not blame
you for want Of hoSptality you know your
, affairs; | was sick, tired, with broken limb
/, and in need of medical advice. | would not
have turned dog from my door in such a
{ plight. However, you We're kind enough to
. give us something to eat, for which not only
thank you, but on account of the rebuke and
manner in which to piece torn out 1t is
not the substance, but the way in which kind
ness is extended that makes one happy in the
acceptance thereof The sauce to meat is GER
cmony; meeting were bare without it. BE
Kind to accept the enclosed s.. although hard
to spare, for what we have received
Most respectfully, your obedient servant
BUREAU OF MILITARY JUSTICE,
May IT, 1867.
Respectfully returned with the copy asked
for:
The diary purports to be one for 1854 and
the leaves cut or torn from it probably con-
tanned entries of that year. and were thus de-
stroycd by Booth himself. 1t is absolutely
certain that the diary is in all respects as it
was when it came into my hands; and Colonel
Congcr, who was prominent in the pursuit
ana capture of Booth, after having carefully
examined it in my presence on yesterday, de-
clarcd its condition to be now precisely the
same as when he took it from Booths body.
after he had been shot the writing in it being
the same, and all which it contained.
Conger was examined before the Judiciary
Committee Of the House of Representatives to-
day. j. HOLT,
Judge-adyocatc General.
RECArfuRED.-SimpsOn Brown, convicted
OF the murder of DR. Webb and his son Mott