North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-05-29
WILKES BOOTHS DIARY,

count OI us capture huu IctcuLion " WIG
War Department:
EXECUTIVE DEPARrM'r WAsH1NGroN D. c.
May 9th 1867.
The Secretary Of War will please fur
nish the President with certified copy
of the diary found upon the body of John
Wilkes Booth, together with a succinct
statement of all the facts connected with
its capture and its possession by the War
Department.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
To the above the Secretary of War re-
piled as follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
May IA, 1867.
SIR have the honor to submit here
with copy of the entries contained in
the memorandum book found On the per-
son of J. Wilkes Booth at the time of his
capture, certified by General Holt, Judge
Advocate General, who has possession of
the book, together with his report in rela-
ton thereto. The memorandum book
was first seen by me about the Goth day
of April. 1865. shortly after Booths cap
ture, and a few hours before his remains
reached Was shington. 1t was brought to
my house by Provost-Marshal Baker and
another person, who was, l think, Lieu.
tenant Colonel Conger. The book was
then examined by me in presence of Gen
eral Eckcrt, Assistant Secretary of War,
and was found to contain only the entries
certified by General Holt, also some pho
tographs of females. Immediately pre-
ceding the entries some pages appeared
to have been cut out, but there was moth
ing indicating what had been written
thereon, or whether anything had been
cut out. Immediately after careful exami.
nation of the book and its contents, it was
placed IN the hands of General Eckert, in
the same condition as when | first saw
it, to be delivered to the Judge Advocate
General, in whose possession am inform
ed and believe it has continued up to the
present time, The last time | saw the
book was some time last winter. 1t was
then before the Judiciary Committee of the
House Of Representatives, and was in all
respects in exactly the same condition as
when 1 saw it first, without any change
or alteration, so far as could discover, in
its contents. General Eckert reported to
me that upon receiving the memorandum
book from me he sealed it up and locked
it up in his safe, and it continued in his
possession until be delivered to the Judge
Advocate GeReral, and that it was then in
the same condition as when it was brought
to my house by Baker.
Very respectfully your obedient ser
want,
EDWIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary of War
To the President:
The following is copy Of the writing
which was in pencil, found in the diary ia.
ken from the body of j. Wilkes Booth:
J. HOLT,
Judge-Advocate- General,
To amo April l3 IA. Friday, the ides
Until to-day nothing was ever thought
of sacrificing to our country's wrongs
For six months we 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 a heart. l
struck boldly, and not as the papers say.
| walked with firm step through thou.
sand of his friends, and was stopped, but
pushed on. A colonel was at his side. /
shouted "tSic semper !" before | fired. In
jumping, broke my leg. passed all his
plckets, rode sixty miles that night with
the bone of my leg tearing the flesh at ev.
cry jump. can never repent it, though
we hated to kill. Our country owed all
our troubles to him, and God simply made
me an instrument of his punishment The
country is not (April, 1869 what it was
This forced Union is not what loved. /
care not what becomes of me. have no
desire to outlive my country. That night,
before the deed, | wrote long article, and
left for one of the editors of the National
InteLLigencer, in which l fully set forth our
reasons for our proceeding. He or the
government-
FRIDAY, 2lst.-After being hunted like
a dog through swamps, woods, and last
night being chased by gunboats till 1 was
forced to return, wet, cold and starving,
with every mans hand against me, am
here in despair. And why? For doing
what Brutus was honored for, what made
Tell hero. And yet I, for striking down
greater tyrant than they ever knew, am
looked upon as common cut-throat. My
action was purer than either of theirs
One hoped to be good. the other had not
only his country's but his own wrongs to
avenge. hoped for no gath. knew no
private wrong. struck for my country,
and that at once; a country that groaned
beneath this tyranny and prayed for this
end. And yet now behold the cold hand
they extend to me. God cannot pardon
me if have done wrong. Yet I cannot
see my wrong, except in serving degen-
crate people. The little, the very little,
left behind to clear my name, the govern
ment will not allow to be printed. So ends
all. For my country | have given up all
that makes life sweet and holy; brought
n thnw