Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-26
TIcYsNsG TO WASH TIsEs Hs
BLOODY HANDS.

the packed court that murdered poor
Mrs. Surratt, IS still explaining, says
the Macon IclGgraph and Messenger,
or trying to explain lis connection
with that infamy. His conscience seems
to give him no respite. Recently-as
we have already noted-under its
stings or the goading phantom of the
murdered woman, he wrote a long let
ter to the Washington Chronicte, de-
nying the statement that he had pur-
posely kept back from Andrew john
son the recommendation to mercy
made by majority of the members of
the court in her behalf, and laying all
the blame upon Johnson.
Now he has written another letter to
the tribune, denying the charge of
loading her with heavy chains day and
night, and otherwise torturing her du
ring the entire two months of her i'm
prisonment and trial, made by a 1,'i-
Juae correspondent at Washington.
He appeals to Governor Hartranft, of
Pennsylvania, who was the Marshal OF
tie court, to sustain him and exhibits
as much anxiety to clear himself of the
second as the first accusation. We
see, too, that Andrew Johnson intends
going to Washington soon, to search
the records for the purpose of clearing
his skirts of Holt's charge, that he
(Johnson) did have the recommenda-
ton to mercy before him, and that lie
signed Mrs. Surratt's death warrant in
the face Of it.
Such a washing or attempting to
wash bloody hands has not been known
since the days Of Lady Macbeth.
Both these men, five years ago, would
have scorned to notice any reflection
upon their conduct in connection with
this matter. ia the saturnalia of pas
sion and hate that followed the close
OF the evil war and the execution of
the conspiratOrs, they smothered con-
science and deied whatever public
ODiniOn there was that condemned the
brutal, bloody part both played in the
drama They held themselves above
and beyond question or criticism, and
fondly imagined the day would never
come when it would be otherwise. But
it appears that that day has come, and
both are Guaking and shivering with
dread of public odium-each en-
deavoring to shift the burden upon
the others shoulders, and Holt, in
respect to the charge of manacling
Mrs. Surratt, actually responding over
his own signature to an anonymous
writer.
All, how different 1873 from the evil
wears that followed 1860! IHcn it was
feather in their or any loyal mans
cap to have played the smallest part
| in the tragedy that had its black cul-
| mination in the murder Of q helpless
woman-conscience slept under the
narcotic of official promotion and the
plaudits of a bloodthirsty people. 1t
is indeed a gratifying sign to see these
! men endeavo oring to fit the Nessus
!
shirt upon each other. It proves that
there are such things as retribution
and conscience, and that under the
lashings of one, and the threats of the
other, the truth of history may yet
come to be vindicated, and justice
done the memory of one whose life
was remorsely sacrificed to the moi
howl for blood. Tt proves another
thing, too: That both these men fee
that public sentiment in regard to this
transaction has shifted it's GROUND
nearer to the plane OF humanity ant
christian civilization and charity, an,
that it does and will hold them to
stricter judgment every day until the.
make such atonement as may be il
| tbeir mower