The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-08-07
The Execution Of Mr.. .-...

Inc Boston Advertisers special disnateb has
the following which will probahlv a,os, .I'1
mouths of the Presidents friends whn -
been charging that Mrs. Surratt was n,,-,N
ed by the Military Commission:
Judge Pierrepont's arg ument for the eovar,
ment in the Surratt trial yesterday is the tbeno
of universal talk in legal circles. 1t is concad
ed to be one of the abest efforts made before
any court in Washington for years. His djo-
nIfied bearing and quiet but most impressive
delivery are in such marked contrast with the
disgraceiul haIangues of he past few DAYS as
to call forth praise even from tair-minded men
of the opposition. The court room was crowd
ed. Among those present were Generals
Grant, Howard, Humphrey Ekin, Thomas and
Canby, and the Secretary and Acting Assist
ant Secretary of War. ga-
One Of the most stirring episodes OF the tri-
al was the presentation by Judge Pierrepont
OF the original record OF the trial Of the con
sPtators, containing the recommendation g.
"eicy oi Airs. Surratt, by the military COM
niissi9h, mus reiuting the copperhead report
.ha. .ha. the rIeslnent never saw the recOmmenda-
tlon' but that IT was suppressed by Mr.. Stan
,Sa shaas 81 ne.1nine il nendatlon, which appears on
death sentence is written and sirned H., NJ
johnson, is as follows: - -
+" The undersigned, members OF the mil;,,ry
commission detailed to try Mrs Mary n Sai-
ratt and others for the conspiracy aud tbe NM
der Of Abraham Lincoln, late President Of the
United States. &c, respectfully pray the Pres
ident, in consideration Of the sex and age of
the said Mary Il. Surrait, il he can upon ali
the facts in the ease find IL consistent with his
sense of duty 10 the counsry, to commute the
sentence OF death which the court have been
constrained 10 pronounce, 20 imprisonment in
the pententiary for life"
The recommendation was drawn up by
Judge-Advocate Bingham, and signed by Gen.
Hunter, President ofthe Commission, By Gems
katz. Foster, aud Ekin and by Col. Tomp-
kins' Mr.. Merrick was evidently much sur
prised, but though the record lay before him
for hall an hour, he declined 10 openit.
Judge Pierrepont thus introduced the sub
ject:-
II have not come here for the purpose of
proving that Mrs. Surratt was guilty or innO-
ceut, and do not understand why that sub
Iect was lugged into the case in the mode that
i has been; nor da understand why counsel
denounced the military commission who tried
her, and thus indirectly censured in the sever
est manner the President OF the United States.
Counsel certainly knew when they were talk
ing about that tribunal and when they were
thus denouncing il, that the President ordered
with his own hand that commission; that Pres
ident johnson signed the warrant that decided
the execution; that President johnson, when
that record was brought before him, brought il
beiore his cabinet, and that every single mem
Der voted upon it and that they voted to con-
nrm the sentence; and that the President with
his own hand wrote his confirmation of it, and
with his own hand signed the warrant / hold
IN my hand the original record and no other
man. as it appears from that paper, ordered 1t
no other one touched this paper, and when il
was suggested by some OF the members OF the
commission that, in consequence OF the age.and
sex of Mrs. Surratt it might possibly be right
to change her sentence to imprisonment for
life, he signed the warrant for her death with
the paper right before his eyes, and there it is.
Handing the. paper to Mr. Merrickl My
friend can read it for himself"