Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-08-13
STARTLING AND DISGRACEFUL
DEVELOPMENTS.

DEVELOPMENTS.
The communication of the Acting Attor-
ney General of the United States, to the
President, disclosing an infamous scheme of
the managers of the lac attempt at impeach-
ment, to subOrn the convicted perlurer, C. 4.
Durham q = Sanford ConOyer, is docu-
ment pct profound attention and
exc'ta EOsder, not only at home,
but is extraordinary develop
ing hthe universal disgust which
affairs of the United States
las excited 1.-THE conduct of
those who are placed in po-
md thus become the repre-
people-is to be taken as an
Spe of our national char
sill the very name we
Ord and contempt through
that history which shall
the disreputable events that
upon US. At short in
pnicles of these strange
9Th deeds to cause the
lante the check of him
A4AlStOItuuS 10 nave
to thezcfuel inheritance of Ameri-
hip. The story which the Act
BY General tells of the machina-
spiracies of high officials in the
at, is not very long, but is incrusted
sentence with infamy and disgrace.
ing from laying the nauseating de.
DAore our readers, we will content our
'es with only an Ineligible summary.
&c. \. Durham alias Sanford Conover, it
will be remembered, is now under conviction
Of perjury committed before the Judiciary
Committee of Il ,pse of Representatives
during the inve .tDn of that Committee
of charges agaihsC Jefferson Davis of COM
plicity in the conspiracy to assassinate Presi-
dent Lincoln. That crime it has been most
clearly demonstrated he was induced to COM
init, after having blackened his soul By like
Ofense as a witness before the military tri-
buaal which tried and convicted Mrs. Sur
raft, whose murder under the guise of Judi
cial trial and execution has been found by the
Supreme Court Of the United States in sol
emn opinion pronounced by it, as we'll as by
the general judgment of the popular mind
wherever it has been brought to examine
with proper care the facts of that now his
torical case.
1t will also be doubtless well remembered
that since the introduction of his resolutions
OF impeachment of the President by Mr. j.
NJ. Ashley, member of Congress from Ohio,
that individual has been in constant commu-
nication with Conover, for the purpose. as has
been well known all the time, of elicitiur
from him certain testimony tending to con-
meet Andrew johnson with the assassination
OF President Lincoln. But it had not en-
tered into the conception of those who enter-
tanned the most uufavOrable opinion of Ash
ley, that he was repeating the game Of sub
ornation of perjury, already practiced so sue
cessfully by Judge Advocate General Holt
through this duped instrument, Conover. and
that he was by this vile means cndcavorinr
to damn the character of the President and
then remove him from ofiice-thus holding
up, if the scheme were successful, the Chief
Magistrate of the milton before the eve of the
whole world as criminal worthy OF the gal
lows.
The document to which we have referred,
contains the application of Conoyer for par
don and is accompanied by the recommends
ton of Ashley, S. e. Riddle, formerly men,
Der of Congress from Ohio, and employed it
seems, as assistant Prosecuting Attorney in
the late Surratt case, aud JOSEF h Holt; all
of whom place the justice and propriety Of
pardon upon the ground that Conover has
been exceedingly useful in procuring testi-
mony, or directing the government into the
proper chanuel to procure it, in the case of
John II. Surratt. Having armed himself
with these letters, Conover turns upon their
scheming and degraded authors and exposes
to the President the particulars Of the plot
these scOundrels were artiully and silently
laying for his destruction.
COnOver's story is as follows: Ashley
placed himself in communication with him
.(ConOver) for the purpose of obtaining aid
in manufacturing the testimony necessary to
connect Mr.. johnson with the assassination
of Lincoln. He says: after obtaining nv
promise to render all the assistance in nv
power, Mr.. Ashley explained to me the kind