Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1869-02-18
Interment of Mrs. surratt.

When the rnmains were inferred at the arsenal !
a susi phal containing piece Of parchment,
upon which the name Of the deceased was writ |
ten. was placed in the coffin. This was found
to-day upon moving the body from one box to
the other. During the morning the coffin was
placed ina deal case and set on bier in the
chapel, preparatory to its burial.
At245 o'clock Sven carriages entyrta the
grounds and proceeded ir.mediately to the
chapel, where the ocr. pants formed around
the bier. Amoug them were the daughter,
Miss Anne Surratt AMI Miss Fitzpatrick, as
mouruerr Mrs. T. A. Stephens, Miss McCalla,
Mrs. 7. Berry, Mrs VIM. Wall, Mrs. J. F.
Ellis, Messrs. j. II. Kellahar, A. Jackson, j.
W. Drane and Tonnery. The services of the
church were performed by Rev. Father Walter,
assisted BY Rev. Father Keane. Attic conclu-
sion Of the service the corpse was removed to the
grave, where the services were concluded. The
lot on which the grave is dug is known as lot 81,
section T, borielingon OlivetrndS St. Domincks
avenues, and the grave is situated but a short
distance from that Of the lamented Col. j. P.
Garesche. During the services at the grave
all present seemed very deeply affected with
the solemnity Of the occasion.
The following admirable remarks, by the
Baltimore Sun, will find an approving response
In every Christian heart If the actors in
the black drama can lie down upon their pill
lows at night after reading this scsthing expo
sure. and be free from frightful dreams, we
shall indeed conclude that there are hearts of
stone and consciences scared by sin:
THE SURRENDER OF MRS. sURRATT's REMAINS.
The following is the petition of the daughter
Of Mrs. Surratt and the order endorsed thereon
by the President giving permission for the re-
moval Of the remains of the deceased lady:
his Ercelleney the President Of the United
States The undersigned most earnestly and
respectfully addresses your Excellency on q
matter which has been for more than three
years to her a source of great affection. She
seeks the privilege Of removing the remains Of
her deceased mother to have them inferred in
consccrated ground.
" She fondly hopes that Your Excellency will
not allow your authority in the premises to ex-
pire without granting this request, prompted
only by flial love and devotion to the memory
Of her dear mother. ANNE (. SURRArT."
Upon this petition there is the following en-
dorsemcut;
Annie Z. Surratt asks authority to remove
the remains Of her deceased mother.
Received February 4, 1869.
&" The honorable Secretary Of War will cause
10 he delivered to Annie E. Surratt the remains
Of her mother, Mary E. Surratt for the purpose
set forth in the within communication.
"ANDREw JOHNSON.
February ), 1s69-L. R. B. COS"
Il is stated that there is petition on file in
the archives Of the War Department two years
ago, signed by forty members of Congress,
having the same object as the above, but that
it has disappeared. The prompt response of
the President to the appeal Of the daughter Of
Mrs Surratt viii receive the approval, not only
Of every Christian. bet Of every decent individ-
nal throughout the land.
Thus, At last, three years and eight months
after the execution Of Mrs. Mary E. Surratt,
who was sent to the gallows within twenty-four
hours AFTER the trial BY military tribunal,
which, according to the decision Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States, had no jurisdiction
in her case, and upon evidence which no fair
Minded man now looks upon as sufficient for
her conviction, her inanimate body has been
released from its imprisonment. The grave
has given up its dead-a suggestive thought
Of that august occasion when all graves shall
give up their dead, and when small and great.
subjects ard rulers the shedlers Of innocent
blood snd their helpless victims, shall stand at
q tribunal where there can be no error in the
administration Of iusticc-a High Court Of APP
peals. where the errors Of all other tribunals,
as well as all wrongs Of earth, shall be righted,
and those who rerpetrated them held to a final
account.
Il is a pleasing indication Of an increasing
sense Of security in tho public mind that. 81
multaneously with the movements for the par
don Of Dr. Muid and others, the remains of
Mrs. Surratt have also been delivered from the
place Of which Secretary Stanton hal the key
Il ia cheering to think that neither the country
nor the chief actors in the mournful tragedy Of
her taking Of are likely to suffer any detriment
from the first resurrection Of this poor lady
Even the late Secretary of War. the truSty sex
ton Of the graveyard where he kept dead pris-
orers under lock and key, neel not be affrighted I
because these dangerous remains are permitted /
70 he at large, or il haunted by troublesome
dreams or visions, can exclaim, "Shako not
thy CORY locks at me thou canst not say did |
it, Letus all rejoice and be proud that nearly |
four years after the execution Of a woman,
who IS now believed BY leading men Of the
party which sent her to a fylons death to have
been innocent Of the crime for which she died |
as the uaborn child, the popular vengeance
need no, te dreaded Il she is permitted Chris
tjal burial.
Its night and proper that this burial should
be condnctei with tie strichiest privacy, and
that condition couid have been imposed and
enforced at any time after her execution as well