New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
GOV. HARrRANFr AND MRS suRRA1-r.


80 TIE BdtIOy o. rae TrGoaHe.
/ find that Gov. Hartranft has, really, contra
dieted my statement about Mira surratt being manaoled
in court. trial To me this most surprising. Ger
tany cannot be the only person cognsant OF the fact
the only who has publicly stated &c. but even
am and stated vhat wac not true why the con
tradction 80 long withhold. to be made at this late
sateS surely had have no desire to fasten nhuo
served guilt or shame one, and should foe' '
sishonOr OF the Executive my native State ~ POI
scual calamity but permit any one 10 pi''au
me "a unworthy OF belief without all the protest " " -
power TO make Since there s question Oh 'o''i
on point affecting the honor Of the nauon' rs " NV
worth whle 20 investigate, 10 question:, On
persons, II still living as must know the ~"'"'
After had seen Mrs surratt talked Win hu'n"e.
OF men ia authority abont her man"c'eF' anu 'nVS m
Justified them on the ground Of necessity ID Eruhs
against the danger of rescue saw 70 io"c" lo00 :"
TIN, reasoning ON subject that I'll" "o' eo :"
tarv Stanton about H. as was strongly mo'eu W uo'
20 Err, I was convinced that those chains were
necessary wanted 70 try TO get leave to vst her III
her cen and sit with in Court, ouly withheld
nv the feeling that my motives woud be misunderstood
rrhaps by her "a well public, and because had
20 taxed Secretary IN being absent
On hospital business from my table in the War Depart
ment. Ny compassion has seldom been more strongly
mo we'd than for Mrs. Surratt her trial IL was inc
arst criminal trial ever attended, but have some
q,
her jaer but that her judges dealt hardly with her
This hardness may excused by the then state OF donbt
and fear in which the loyal citizens OF Washington ved
but nothing can he gained by denying +.
There w..s much force the fear OF resene. IL whs
for ths cause Of course that gil the prisoners were
rnanaeed while they sat in the court room. As her
place in the row was OF the doors which led
INTO the antc-room and than five feet from IT,
with only a common open wooden railing between her
and the passage IL; believed at that time,
that largo proportion OF the inhabitants OF the city
were con pratOrs, and hundreds of people daily at
tended the trls Mrs. Snrratt would not have
been left unguarded, she was without some precau
ton against OF her feet In aiding her friends to
take her out. But there she sat unguarded like the
meadng AzerOtt, chained Ike the rufian Paine, ID
suited ike all OF them; but suffering none Of the
others could suffer Now, II there other dsinter-
rsted PERSONS living who know tho truth about that
trial. why not examine them on oathf We cannot
admit the testimony Of Governor as conclusive IN
his own ease the this testimony has been 30 long
withheld must initiate against u. That trial II an I'M
portant event Ia National history and the account Of
n should not be handed down to pOsterity bundle OF
mrmses and contradictions Wmle there are living
witnesses let the truth be established for whatever It's
lessons may be- exactly what viii be most needed TO
help the race progress 70 higher plane OF honght
and action. JAM u 0NiSsh'-IN'
Pitts6srgh, Sept p, 1873