The Portland daily press., 1867-08-12

CHARLES A. DUNHAM alias Sanford Como
vel" is the ingenious scoundrel who was tried,
convicted and sentenced in Washington last
January, for the crime of perjury committed
before tho Judiciary Committee of the House
of Representatives during the investigation of
the charges against Jefferson Davis of compile
ity in the plot to assassinate President Lincoln.
Durham, while in prison, sought to recommend
himself by turning informer and is said to have
rendered important assistance in the prosecu-
ton of John Surratt. Accordingly Mr.. A. G.
Riddle, one of the counsel for the Government
in the Surratt case, and Judge Holt, of the
Bureau OF Military Justice, on the oath of
July. at the suggestion of Mr.. Ashley, of Ohio,
recommended him to the President for pardon
in accordance with the common practice of
encouraging offenders to furnish evidence for
the State, by overlooking their own offences.
The pardon was delayed, and on the Goth of
July Durham conceived the idea of procuring
his pardon by furnishing the President with
evide ice to order, duplicating Mr. Ashley and
Gen. Butler in plot to procure the impeach-
ment of the President by the evidence of per-
jured witnesses. The substance of Dunham's
revelation" was given in our dispatches
Saturday morning. He says Ashley explained
the kind of evidence he thought most adyisa-
BILE to present, viz that Booth had on sew
eral occasions paid familiar visits to Mr.. il hn-
son at the Kirkwood House; that johnson cor
responded with Booth; that the placing of
Atzerott at the Kirkwood House was only
sham, though Atzerott was not aware
of it. to make it appear that johnson was in
tended a. victim DOT, ali
picion from johnson of conniving at Lincoln's
murder; that Booth stated on the 4th of
March to an intimate friend in New York.
whom he had endeavored to enlist in thee on
spiracy, that he was acting with the knowledge
of MIR. johnson, and that it had been arranged
to kill Mr.. Lincoln on the day of the Inaugural
ton, which would account for Johns s
strange conduct on that occasion; and that
johnson expected the tragedy to be enacted
then, and had taken several rotations to COM
pose and nerve him for the event. Mr.. Dun
ham says he assured Ashley he should
have no difficulty in finding persons of
good standing and moral character to prove
these matters, and that it was agreed that he
should do so as soon as released. Ashley and
Butler pressed him to send for two or three
persons of intelligence, which was done but
Durham being in jail it was found necessary
for some one else to act as their preceptor.
which was, with slight hesitation, done by Ash
ley, on Dunham's assurance that the parties
were radicals dyed in the wool, and men of hon.
OR, in whom he could repose confidence The
statements they were desired to make, were
revised and corrected by Ashley, and they
were assured by him that in case it should be
determined to examine them before the com
mittee, they should be splendidly rewarded.
1t is perfectly plain. that this is double
plot. Durham first ass ures Mr.. Ashley that
he can Ind persons of good standing and
moral character to prove" certain facts. If any
of the documents which he sends to the Pres
ident are genuine, it appears that Ashley was
duped and was actually looking for some reve-
lations from "men of honor, in whom he could
repose confidence" Durham had stimulated
that he should be released from prison Not
being Immediately released he then, wi h doc
uments partly genuine and partly forged, ap-
plies to the President for pardon. The Presi-
dent accepts the statement of the convicted
periurer, and Immediately spreads it before the
country. Durham has been convicted of fore-
ing documents, but the President, without in
quiry, sends all his documents to the newspa-
pers, with the intimation that the writing
"strikingly resembles" Mr.. Ashley's. The
transaction is unutterably disgraceful Mr..
johnson has within few days been convicted
OF misstatement, when he said he was not
aware Of the recommendation of Mrs. Sur
raft to mercy by the court martial He aoas
awGre Of 1t. He now associates himself with
notorious criminal to impeach the character
OF two representatives of the people. VIII he
strengthen his reputation for veracity by such
a performance? OF course it was very weak
and foolish for Mr.. Ashley to have any deal
ings with such wretch as Durham, though it
should be remembered that there is only Dun
hams worthless assertion to prove that there
were any such dealings; but if it was weak
and foolish for Mr.. Ashley what shall we saw
OF the President, who has not only listened to
Durham, but published his lies from the
White House, and will undoubtedly reward
his valuable services with a pardon? Mr..
Ashley was seeking through Durham for gen.
uine evidence. Mr.. johnson endeavors to i'm
pose upon the country with the evidence of
Durham himself! Further comment is un-
necessary. .'lu its itf lrHl a4Hr i.ul f.ls e