Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-02
The National Perjurer.

Tho National Perjurer.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.l
1t took sixteen centuries of war and
misgovernment, of rebellion and revolu-
ton, in Great Britain to produce Titus
Oates. But we in the United States are
hot. bed for exotic plants. In less than
one century after our independence we
produced second edition of the original,
without his courage and nerve. We
allude to c. A. Dunhsm alias Sanford
Conover, who endeavored, before the
Military Commission which pretended to
try the ass sssins of President Lincoln,
to swear away the lives of John 81. Sur
raft, Jefferson Davis, Clement c. Clay,
George N. Saunders, Beverly Tucker and
and others.
1t is well known that Durham alias
Conover was subsequently, convicted of
perjury, and sentenced by the Washing
ton Criminal Court to the Albany Peni-
tentiary for a period of ten years, from
which, in year or two afterward, he
was pardon,sd by President johnson,
upon the recommendation, it is said, of
Joseph Holt, the Judge Advocate of the
Military Bureau. f
We have before us letter written by
Dunham, dated Richmond, Va, August
l8, 1865, to q friend, which has never
been publishe d. 1t is an explanation Of
the extraordinary course which he pur-
sued, and which led to his incarceration
in the penitentiary. Durham had been
in the Ccnfed crate service, and was one
of its emissa ries in Canada at the time
the war closed. After the conclusion of
peace he en- deavored to make his way
back to the United States. He was ar
rested by ne Government detectives in
Ogdensburg, New York, and was con-
Quoted to Washington on or about the
period of the holding of the infamous
Military CornmiJsion, in May or June,
1865. He went there as an unwilling
witness, as he states; but fearing that he,
personally, would fall under the VEN
geance of the Government as an ex-Con-
federate, he lent himself to all its designs.
He swore that Thompson, Sanders 4 Co.,
in Canada, to- his personal knowledge,
were privy TO the assassination. In the
letter before be says:
"Your other inquiry, whether hon.
estly believe Thompson aud Sanders
were connecte d with Booth in the assas.
siHation, is pc rhaps sufficiently answered
already, but, fIs the queation will admit
of catsgori cal answer, ! will be the
more explicit l say, then, that while
the testimony given by me before the
the minutest detail, yet Thompson and
Sanders and 80 me others implicated had,
in my opinion, and can almost say to
my certain knowledge, no criminal con-
nection with B Doth or any of his cocoon
spirators, and had no more idea that
Lincoln would be assassinated than he
had himself
1.-THE stories of Merrill and Montgom-
cry are tissue of the most atrocious
falseheods ever uttered. They are desti-
tute Of single material fact that is true.
They were fabt icsted to dove-tail with
my testimony. This may seem strange,
as one, if not both, of these witnesses
were examined. before / was, but it is
nevertheless true, as can clearly be
shown"
We may add here that neither Merrill
nor Montgomery we're ever arrested or
brought to any responsibility for their
testimony.
Further on ID the letter from which we
quote Dunham is very bitter upon Judge
Holt, the Government prosecutor before
the Military Co mmission. He says:
"Holt is thi rsting for more victims
He is thirsting for the blood of Davis
and Clay above all others. Knowing
there exists nc evidence of any crimi-
nality on their rart, he is bound to supply
the want.
:" As soon as i became satisfied of his
desires sought to iHgratiate myself in |
bis favor, and be now regards me as the |
most competent and reliable of his coad.
tutors"
The subsequent as we'll as the previous
course OF Conover showed that Holt did
not misjudge him-that he was adapted
10 any emergency.
The pardon Of Conover was effected
BY Judge Holt upon the ground that he
had rendered important service to the
while in the peniteutiary,
BY his information in the John 81. Surrstt
rial. Is it necessary to say anything
further than to remark that the man con-
yieted of perjury in the trial of the
mother was released for valuable infor-
nation given to the Government in the
rial Of the son