The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-28
m'a letter referr4Dg to the su.,lee, !,

/ tlau right 10 control the disclosure which
he had made to him. Mr. stauton's own
conduct afterward was in strict accord with
The strange advice given by him. be having
lived wears thereafter without diyuIging TO
the country or To myself this most conclusive
testimony, although he must have known
how deeply 1t concerned my reputation rs It
did the honor Of the military administration
OF which he was the head, and how CON-
| pleiely. II made public, il would establish
| the truth in my defence. His having made
| the communication to Judge Bingham, who
had but little interest in it, shows clearly
that his subsequent silence was not imposed
BY any scrupies growing out of the connec-
ton OF the information with Cabinet delibe-
rations. The state Of fact now mentioned
| will explain why it is that this yindication:
which. under different circumstances. would
have been made in 1860, has been so long
postponed
| LETTER OF GENERAL MUssEY. -
General 4. - 1iiissey. Under date of
Washington, August IL, 1873. says;
In few days atter the assassination was
| detailed for duty with Dir. johnson. and
acted as one Of bis secretaries. aud was an
| inmate of his household until some time in
thu fall Of 1865.
About the time the military court that tried
| Mrs. Surratt concluded its labors l was, if |
remember Alright, for some days the only
person acting as private secretary at the
White House. my associate being absent on
Il visit.
On the Wednesday previous to the eyecu-
ton, (Which was on Friday, July I. 1865
as was sitting at my desk in the morning,
MIR. johnson said to me that be was going
TO look over the findings Of the court with
Judge Holt. and should be busy and could
see no one. ! replied, Very we'll, sir; l
will see that YOU are not inter- upted.' or
something to that effect, aud continued my
work. think it was two or three hours
after this that Mr.. johnson came out of the
room where he bad been with you
and said 10 me that the papers had
been looked over and q decision reach
ed. ! asked what it was. He told me
approval OF the findings and sentences of The
court; and he then gave me the sentences az
near As he remembered them, and said that
he had ordered the sentence, where 1t was
| death. To he carried into execution on the
Friday following. remember looking up
from my desk with some surprise AT the bre'
| witty of this interval. and asking him whether
the time wasn't rather short. He admitted
| that it was, but said they had had ever since
| the trial began tor preparation; and
either then or later in the day spoke OF his
design in making the time short, so that
there might be less opportunity for crit,
c>In, remunstrance. &c. do not pretend
~ Use his precise language as to tins, Dur
| the purport of it was that it was disagree
able duty. and there would be cndearors To
| ret him not TO perform it, and he wished u
avoid them as much as possible.
| He also instructed me that he didn't desire
! to see any one who came on such errandS.
and TO direct all who did. il they had any
| fresh evidence or any new reason why The
sentence should not be executed. TO send
them to you Judge Holt that you might
hear their story and communicate it 10 him
am very confident. though not absolute.
| Is assured, that it was at this interview Mr.
johnson told Inc that the court had recon-
| nended Mr.. Surratt 10 mercy on the ground
OF her sex land age, believed. But / an
certain he did so inform me about that time
and that he said he thought the ground
URGED insufficient, and that he had refused
TO Interfere; that if she Was guilty at al
her Sex did not make her any The les,
guilty that he. about the time of her exc
cutun, justified il: that he told me tina
there had not been women enough hanged
in this war: that be dcScanted upon thu
ilo-icalneSS of a WOMAN committing tr2a
ION and then seeking to avoid il, peraty hc
cause she WAS a woman. am as sure is al
t!iat | am now penning this statement L
you.
.On Thursday there were many visitors
ard any letters. kilograms. &c. informed
all who called what Mr.. Johnson'S order
| were 10 me-. These orders [ regarded i
pcrcmporily fol bidding me Ia make any ar
peal to him in any ones behalf. Faihc
Walter (or Father Wi-cl. AIN not certain
which called. rs did the Misses llerod. and
believe. Miss Surratt. The reverend father
think. called twice. once 10 intcrccdc 10
Mrs. Surratt. Mr.. johnson was mad
|aware of his presence, but declined to sc
him. and babe me refer him. if he had any
thing to urge. to Judge Holt. and he reltt
rated his assertion. - | Cln sec no one %
this business. Let them see Judge Hol'
and if there is anything new, tell him'
| | desire TO say further. that on the morn
in- of Friday YOU called at the EXccutIv
mansion and saw the President.
recall also your speaking to me about Mis-
Surratt. then in the house, and | shall neve
lose the impression then made upon me G
|vour deep pity for her, and OF the pal
which her distress caused you.
| Further, ] would say that as soon Is a
even. n paper was procured upon that FIR
day | read from it 10 Mr.. johnson the IL
count of tbe q" Scenes at the White House.
H. The Execution DC. and that nclthe
then nor at any subsequent time during m
kussociation with him did Mr.. johnson eve
cyprcSS to me in any way even the slIghtes
di>approlrition Of my conduct IN relation L
the admission Of Miss SuTratt, nor did b
then or subsequently during that asSociatln
ever intimate that bis first knowledge c
Miss Surratt's presence at the EXecuhV
mansion on that day was ms reading II irot
the paper TO him that evening. l have II
| more doubt that he knew Of her being tber
| before he,cXecution than have that he wa
! born in North Carolina and lives in Ea>
| Tennessee.
If anv one is TO blame for the exclusion {
| Miss Surratt from an interview with Andre'
| Johnson to ntercede for her mother 1t
Andrew johnson himself.
The other story that you concealed irol
IIr, Johnson the knowledge that the coul
had recommended her pardon is also untrue
| OTHER STATEMENTS.
The letter Of the Rev. Or. Butler details
conversation had with President Johnso
the evening Of the day on which the ASA
: sins were executed. The President on thu
occasion appears to have spoken witho'
reserve of the earnest appeal which had bee
made 10 him on behalf of Mrs. Surratt b
cause Of her sex. and also 10 have mac
known. in terms as forcible as figuratiye, b
conviction of her guilt.
Attorney General Speed in his lette
while be docs not feel at liberty to diSclo
what was said at Cabinet meetings. asser
that before the execution Of the ASSASSIN
he saw the record of their trial in the Pres