The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-05-31
J. wilkes Booths Diary.
ACerti1ed gspy-Lstssrsfro from sscretary
Stanton and Judge HeIt.

ter:
81 have the honor to submit herewith a
copy Of the entries contained in the memor-
andum book found OR the person Of j.
Wilkes Booth at the time Of his capture,
certified by General Holt, Judge-AdvOcate-
General, who has possession of the book, to-
gether with his report in relation thereto.
The memorandum book was first seen my
me about the 26th day Of April, 1866, short
" after Booth s capture, and a few hours be-
fore his remains reached Washington. 1t
was brought to my house by Proyost-Mar-
shal Baker and another person who was, L
think, Lieutenant Colonel Oonger. The
book was then examined by mein presence Of
General Eckert, Assistant Secretary OF War,
and was found to contain only the entries
certified by General Holt, also some photo
graphs Of females Immediately preceding
the entries some pages appeared 10 have been
cut out, but there was nothing indicating
what had been written thereon, or whether
any thing had been written, or when or by
whom they had been cut out Immediately
after careful examination Of the book and It's
contents, it was placed in the hands Of Gen
eral Eckert, in the same condition as when
first saw it, to be delivered to the Judge-Adsh
Vocate- General, in whose possession, after its
delivery to him by General Eekert am in
the present time ai - r9ss
sSfhe last time saw the book was some
time last winter II was then before the
Judiciary Committee Of the House of Re-
representatives., and was in all respects in ex-
actly the same condition as when | saw it
first, without any change or alteration, 50 Tar
as 1 could discoV er, in its contents. Gener-
al Eckert reported to me that upon receiv-
ing the memorandum book from me he seal
ed it up and locked it up in his safe, and 1t
continued in his possession until he deliver
ed It to the Judge-Adyocate General, and
that it was in the same condition as when 1t
was brought to my house by Baker.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
aEDwIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary Of War."
Judge Advocate General Holt certiies
that the following is a copy of the writing
in pencil found in the diary taken from the
body of Booth: 1ai
| Assa EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY.
@Te amo. April 1914. Friday, the ides
s'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 de-
cisive and great must be done. But its fall
ure was owing to others, who did not strike
for their country with a heart. I struck
boldly and not as the papers say. walked
with a firm step through thousand of his
friends and was stopped, but pushed oD. A
colonel was at his side. l shouted Sic SEM
peri before / fred. In jumping, broke my
leg. passed all his pickets, rode sixty
miles that night with the bone Of my leg
tearing the flesh at every jump. | can never
repent it, though we hated to kill. Our
country owed all her troubles to him, and
Il n I L., tnfh
/ punishment. The country is not (April,
1865, what it was. This forced Union is
| not what have loved. care not what be-
comes of me. / have no desire TO outliVe my
country. This night before the deed, L
| wrote long article and left it for one Of the
editors Of the National IHtesigeTcer, in which
l fully set forth our reasons for our proceed
| ing He or the government--
| SFriday, 2lst-After being hunted like a
| dog through swamps, woods, and last night
| being. chased by gunboats till was forced TO
return wet cold and starving, with every
mans hand against me, l am here in despair.
/ And why7 For doing what Brutus was
honOred for, what made Tell hero. And
yet !, for striking down greater tyrant than
| they ever knew, am looked upon as acom-
mon cut-throat. My action was purer than
either Of theirs. One hoped TO be great the
other had not only his cOuntry's, bet his
own wrongs TO ayenge. / hope for 10 gain.
l knew no private wrong. struck for my
country, and that at once; country that
groaned beneath his tyranny and prayed
/ for his end. And yet now behold the cold
hand they extend to me. God cannot par
| don me if have done wrong. Yet can
| not see my wrong, except in serving de-
| generate people The little, the very little,
A Iaff hol. nd 10, cIo
| ment will not allow TO Be printed. So ends
all For my country I have given up all
/ that makes life sweet and holy, brought
misery upon my family, and am sure there
| is no pardon IN the heaven for me since
/ man condemns me so. have only heard Of
1 what has been done, except what did my
self, and it fills me with horror. God try
/ and forgive me and bless my mother. To-
4 night will once more try the river with the
i intent 70 cross, though have greater de-
sire and almost mind to return to Wash
ington and ina measure clear my name,
/ which l feel can do. 1 do not repent the
blow I struck. J may before my God, but
not to man. think 1 have done well,
though / am abandoned with the curse Of
Cain upon ~, when if the world knew my
heart, that one blow would lave made me
great, though, ] did desire no greatness. To-
night try to escape these bloodh0unds once
more. Who, who can read his fate2 Gods
will be done. have too great soul to die
like criminal. May He spare me that and
let me die brayely. L bless the entire world !;
have never hated or wroDged any one. This
last was not a wrong unless God deems it 50,
and it's with, Him to damn or bless me.
Hard for this brave boy with me, who often
prays-yes, before and since, with true and
sincere heart. Was it crime in him? l do
not wish to shed drop Of blood, but must
fight the course. 'Tis all that's left me. ;"
Upon piece Of paper found in the diary,
and supposed to have been torn from it is
written the following; Hts4r .
"My dea Gpiece torn out. Forgive me,
but have some little pride, Fcannot blame
you for want of hospitality ; you know your
own affairs. l was sick tired, with a bro
ken limb, and in need Of medical advice.
would not have turned dog from my door
in such plight. However, you were kind
enough TO give Us something to eat, for which
net only thanked you, not on account of
the rebuke and manner in which to Ipiece
torn out 1t is not the substance, but the
way in which kindness is extended that
makes one happy in the acceptance thereof.
The sauce to meat is ceremony. Meeting
were bare without it. Be kind enough TO
accept the enclosed five dollars, although
hard to spare, for what we have received. !"
Judge Holt says:
"The diary purports to be one for 1864,
and the leaves cut or torn frOm,it probably
contained entries of that year, and were
thus destroyed by Booth himself. 1t is sb-
sOlutely certain that the diary is in all re-
spects as it was when itcame into my hands
and Colonel Couger, who was prominent in
the pursuit and capture of Booth, after hav-
ing carefully examined it in my presence on
Yesterday, declared 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 then contained. Conger. was examined
before the Judiciary Committee of the House
of Representatives to-day. ]. HoLr,
| "Judge-Advocate-General