The Placer herald., 1867-05-04
An Amazing Confession.

Overy friend of injured innocence should
read the Congressional debate of Tuesday
OF this week-26th March. 1t is almost
certain that an innocent woman has been
hung by devilish contrvance of men in high
stations.
On Tuesday Ben. Butler and Bingham
renewed their bitter personal debate about
the trial and conviction OF Mrs. Suratt, show
ing that villainy Of the backest dye rests
somewhere. But before we proceed to give
Buffers charge, let US make some recapitu'
lation. Ben. Butler is now member of
Congress from Massachusetts. Bingham is
an old member from Ohio; be is sharp,
shrewd, ready and somewhat eloquent as a
speaker, and as lawyer able, though a
thorough malicious abolilionists. He was
feed to assist in the trial of persons charged
with assassinatiug Lincoln. Reverdy John
son was the Attorney of Mrs. Sarratt, and
his commanding abilities cowed Bingham
and Holt. They sought to get rid him.
Bingham objected to his conducting Mrs.
Surratt's defence because johnson had adj
vsed the voters of Maryland to take a ccr
tain test OATH and vote against the new Con-
stitu,ion, no odds what their scruples were,
as the Convention had no power to prescribe
any such oath. This advice, Bingham ar.
gued, was so dishonorable that johnson
ought not to be permitted to act as attor-
ney. Johnson fired up at the insinuation,
and hinted that as old as he was, still he was
young enough to call Bingham to personal
account. johnson could not appear in
Court after the objection was made, but
wrote out defence of Mrs. Surratt and had
it read by younger Attorney.
Bingham fairly revelIed in the delight Of
conducting the prosecution. Where was
plenty Of money, plenty Of detectives, and
any quantity of evidence. The Military
Commission convicted Mrs. Surratt, and she
was sentenced to be hung. We we'll recol
lect the sad incidents Of that dreadful day.
Mrs. Surratt was brought upon the scaffoid,
her face and figure muffled up with black
covering, and looking more like sack than
human being. The hangman did his work
and the poor woman was sent into eternity.
Now let US return to the Butler and Bing.
ham debate in Congress, of Tuesday OF this
week. In the face of all men, in the light
Of day, and before Heaven, Butler spoke in
short as follows: Mrs. Surratt was convict
ed without sufficient evidence. She was an
innocent woman. Booth kept note in a
small book of the place he was at every day;
Of what he did; of his plans; nd of his
motives. When he was shot in the barn,
his tobacco pipe was secured and that small
book. 1t came into possession of Bingham.
The tobacco box was shown to the jury, but
the book was withheld. Eighteen leaves
were cut out. BY whom? For what pur
pose! Butler charges that the book with
the eighteen missing leaves, would have
cleared Mrs. Surratt, if shown to the jury,
but that by altering and keeping back the
book, poor Mrs. Surratt was wickedly found
guilty and hung.
This is about the substance, and we adt
wise everybody to get the debate of Tuesday,
between Butler and Bingham, and read it.
What is TIE country coming to2 Men OF
high place, Of power of ability, working to-
geiher to convict and hang a poor helpless
innocent woman! Such men as Speed
Holt, Stanton and Bingham, deserve the
rope in this world and everlasting fire in tue
next. Pennsylvania Je6ersonian.