The Van Buren press., 1870-12-20
MISC
John H. Surratt,

One of the alleged conspirators in the
plot to assassinatc President Lincoln,
made full confession or statement Of
his knowledge of the same, in the shape
of lecture delivered in the Court house
at Rockville, Maryland, a few miles dis
tant from Washington, on the 9th inst
1t is very long; but the following ope.
ming extract covers the features contain
ing his facts:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Upon entering that door n few mo-
ments ago the impression on my mind
acquaInteu wf7u SoaHv-,uoln auu,unvrs ] @
Sensation. | have stood before them
before; true, not in the character OF
lecturer, but as prisoner at the bar, ar
raigned for the high crime of murder. In
contrasting the two positions must con
fess that felt more ease as the prisoner
at the bar than do as a lecturer. Then
| felt confident of success now do not.
Then had gentlemen of known ability
to do all my talking for me, now unfol-
tunatelv | have to do it tor myself, ]
feel lily capable Of performing the task
still | hope you will all judge me kindly.
| am not here to surprise you by any ora
torical enort-not at all but only to tell
a simple tale feel that some eXplana-
ton, perhaps indeed an apology, is due
you for my appearance here this evening
In presenting this lecture before the pub
lie do it in no spirit Of selfjustifcaton
In a trial OF sixty one days i made my
defence to the world, and have no need
or desire to rehearse; nor do appear
for self -glorifcaton. On the contrary |
dislike notoriety, and leave my solitude
and obscurity unwillingly. Neither is it
an itching for notoriety or fame. My
object is merely to present simple mar
ratiye Of events as they occurred. !
stand here through the force OF that
which has obliged many other men to do
things quite rs distasteful-pecuniary
necessity, for the supply Of which no
more available channel presented itself
SO you will take it kindly trust, and
the ground we will have to 60 over to.
gethcr will guarantee sufficient interest
to repay your kind attention. In this
my first lecture, | will speak ofmy intro
duction 10 j. Wilkes Booth. His plan
its failure, our final separation, my tril
from Richmond and thence to Canada
then my orders to Elmyra, what was dor'
| there, the FIST intimation had vi Sir
! Lincoln's death.
was mostly engaged in sending in
| formation regarding the movements Of
the United States army stationed II
Washington and elsewhere, and in car
ryng dispatches to the Confederate boats
on the Potomac. We had regular es
tabiishcd line from Washington to th'
! Potomac; and /, being the only unmar
ried man on the route, had most Of th'
hard riding to do. (Laughtcr) de
viscd various ways to carry the dispatch
os, some time in the heel OF my boots
some times behind the planks Of the bug
ay. | confess that never IN my life die
/ | come across n more stupid set OF de
| tcctyes than those generally employee
| by the United States government. They
seemed 20 have no idea whatever how I,
search men. In 1861 my family lcf
| Manlan and moved to Washington
where | took still more active part il
the stirring events Of that period. 1t wa'
fascinating life to me. II seemed as /
| | could not do too much or run too grca
risk. In the fall 1864 was introduced
! to
JOIN WILKES BOOTH,
who was given TO understand wishcl
to know some thing about the main ave
nrcs leading from Washington to th'
! Potomac. We met several tunes bat h'
seemed to be very silent with regard t'
hls purposes. Finally he said Iot