The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-06-13
Wilkes Booths Diary.

diary Vas deposited in the Department
of Justice, and is now there. l make the
following extracts
"ApRIL 14.--Friday, the Ides. Until
to-day nothing was ever thought of sac
rificing to our c0untry's wrongs. For
ak months we had worked to capture,
but, our cause being almost lost, some
thing decisive aud great must be done.
But its failure WAS owing to Others who
did not strike for their country with a
heart. struck boldly, and not as the
papers say walked with firm step
through thousand of his friends, vas
stopped but pushed on. A Colonel was
at his side. I shouted Sic Semper!
before l fired. In jumping broke my
leg. | passed all his pickets, rode sixty
miles that night, with the bone of my
leg tearing the flesh at every jump.
can never repent it. Though we hated
to kill, our country owed all her troubles
to him, and God simply made me the in
strumcnt Of his punishment.
The country is not what it was. This
forced Union is not what | have loved.
l care not what becomes of me. l have
no desire To outlivc my country. The
night before the deed wrote long ar
ticle and left it for one of the editors of
the National Intc!LigCncsr, in which l
fully set our reasons for our proceedings.
He or the South.
"FRIDAY, 2lst.-After being hunted
like dog through swarps, woods, and
last night being chased by gunboats till
| was forced TO return, wet, cold and
~
me, am here in despair. And for why9
For doing shat Brutus was honorcd for
what made Tell "a hero. Aud yet |, for
striking down greater tyrant than they
ever knew, am looked upon as com
mon cut,throat. My act was purer than
either of theirs. One hoped 20 be great
himself; the ether had not only his coun-
try but his own wrongs to avenge.
hoped for no gain; | knew no private
wrong. | struck tor my country, and
that alone; country gr0aued beneath
this tyranny and prayed for this end.
And vet, now behold the cold hand they
extend to me. God cannot pardon me if
have done wrong. Yet cannot see any
wrong except in serving a degenerate
people. The little, the very little, left
behind to clear my name the government
will not allow 20 be printed. SO ends
all. For my country have given up all
that makes life sweet and holy, brought
misery upon my family, and am sure
there is no pardon in the heavens for me,
since man condemns me so. have only
heard what has been done Except what
| did MYSELF and it fills me with horror.
God try and forgive NE and bless my
mother Tonight will once more try
the river with the intention to cross,
though have a greater desire and almost
a mind to return to Washington and in a
measure clear my name, which | feel
can do. do not repent the blow |
struck. may before my God; but not
to man. | think have done well, though
| am abandoned with the curse Of Cain
upon me, when, if the world knew my
heart, that one bow would have made
me great, though did desire no great
ness. Tonight try 10 escape these
bloodhuunds once more. Who, who can
read his fate: Gods will be done.
have too great soul TO die like "A crimi-
nal. On, may lie, may He spare me that
and let me die oravcly. | bless the en-
tire world. never hated or wrOngcd any
one. This last was not a wrong, unle G. u
deems it S., and it is wiJh Him to damn
or bless me. Aud for this brave boy,
Herold, with me, who often prays lyos,
before and sincel, with true and sincere,
heart, WAS it crime in himt If so, why
can he pray the same! do not wish to
shed drop of blood, but must fight the
course. lis all that's left me. w
These were the last words he recorded.
What "a picture is here presented of the
state of mind under which the great c!imi-
nal laboredl How he still seems to have
tried to keep up the delusion that he had
performed an heroic act! Not even to
himself would he admit the panss of re-
morse Evidently he felt that he had
sinned against the laws Of God, aud
scarcely dared To plead for forgiveness
His PRAYER was answered that he might
meet his fate bravely, Hunted like IL wild
beast, lie sought refuge IL barn, retus-
ing to surrender even after having been
wounded. He defended himself to the
last, and cheated his captors out # the
Triumph of being taken to Washington
alive The Secretary Of War saw lit Ia
invest the death and burial of Booth with
mystery, so that for several years it was
not known where the body was buried
The commonly received story at that
time was that after the remains were
brought to Washington the Secretary ex
amined them, had the head cut of, the
body mutila,ed, and then caused weights
to be attached to the feet aud the man
cled remains conveyed to the deepest
part of the river, and there sunk iathoms
deep This report was not denied until