The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-07

When Booth was captured, his diary
was found beside him. He had kept a
faithful record to the last moment. Inc
diary was deposited In the Department
of Justice. and is now there. We make
the following extracts: :,
APRIL I4.-Friday, the ides. Unfll
to- Law nothing was ever thought OF sac
r;tclng to our country wrongs For SIX
our cau.e being almost lost, something
decisive and great must be done But
its failure was owing to others who did
..ut strike Tor their country with q heart.
struck boldly, and not as the paners
Y. | walked with a firm step hrongh a
thousand OF his friends, was stopped, but
rushed on. 4 Colonel WAS at his side. !
shouted Sic semperl" before | 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 1t.
Though We hated to kill. our country
owed all her troubles to him, aud God
simply made me the instrument of bis
punishment. The country is not what II
was. This forced Union is not what
have loved. care not what becomes OF
me. | lave no desire t" Outlive my coun
try. The night before the deed | wrote
a lonp article and lett It for me of the
editors Of the National Mtrv,ye"cer. in
which | fully set out our reasons for our
proceedings. He or the South.
FRIDAY, 2i.-Ailer being hunted lke
q dog through swamps, woods, and last
night being chased by gunboats, till |
was forced to return, wet, cold and starry
ing, with every mans hand against me.
am here in despair. Aud for why!
ar doing what Brutus was hoDorrd for
what made Tell a hero. And yet |. for
$ riking down a greater tyr.nt than they
ever knew, AN looked upon as a eommon
cut throat. My act wa, purrr thaa either
of theirs. Que hoped to be great him
s.,i; the other had not only his country
,u' his W wrongs to avenge hoped
fpr no gain; | knew no private wrong
| struck tor my country. and that alone !;
u country groaned beneath this tyranny
.ul PRAYED for this end. And yet, now
.chold the cold hand they extend to me.
Tod canno. pardon me if | have done
wrong. Yet | cannot see any wrong ex
cept in serving a degenerate people. The
little, the very little. | lett behind t.
clear my name, the name. the Govern
ment will not allow to be printed. So
,nds all For my countr | have given
mp all that makes life sweet and holy.
brought misery upon my family, aud an
ure there is no pardon in the heavens
tor me, since man condemns me SO.
rave only heard what has been done, lex.
.ept what | did myself and it fills ut
sith horror. God, try and forgive NE,
and bless my mother. To night | will
once more try the river, with the inten
ton 20 cross, though | have a greater de
| sire and almost a mind to return to Wash
ington, and in a measure clear my name,
which | feel l can do. l do not repent
the blow | struck. | may before my God
but not to man. | think | have done
we'll, though | I'M abandoned with tn,
world knew my heart, that one blow
wonld have made me great, though die
desire no greatness. To night | try tt
escape these ~bloodhounds once more
Who can read his fate? Gods will b.
| done. | have too great a soul to die lik,
a criminal. Oh. may He, may He spar,
me that and let me die bravely! | bles
the entire world. l have never hated O
wronged any one. This last was not
wrong. unless God deems it 70, and it i
with Him to damn or bless me. And fo
this brave boy Harold with me, who Otter
prays, Eyes, before and since. with a tru.
| and sincere heart, was it crime in him
ffso, why can he pray the same? | d.
not wish to SIZED a drop of blood. but
must fight the course. IT'S all that
left me.
These are the last words he recorded
| or which it is SAID he recorded. The vii
lians who hunted him down for the SAX
Of the reward were vile enough to palm
| off a lie on the dead.