Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-16
sequenuy rs Judge-AdyOcateG General

On the resignation of Secretary Floyd
the President appointed me Secretary Of
War and gave me constant proofs of his
confidence and good will to the close of
his administration, and while hold
ing my hand, as | was taking my
leave of him when he was quitting
Washington, his last words were: Holt,
you have been true" These words were
pronounced with an earnestness which
left no question but that his heart was in
them; they were his judgment on my en-
tire official record. | will not insult the
public intelligence by noticing the drivel-
ing story about what Mr.. Thompson
thought, and everybody knew, would be
the fate of State bonds in the event of a
war.
The gravest of his accusations remains
to be responded to. Speaking of me he
says:
'He it was who bribed witnesses to testify that
was the instigator of the plot to assassnate Lin
.''lIave you any proofs?" asked the inter-
II have this ;" he said: 1.-The fellow who testi-
fed afterward confessed that he had sworn to n
lie mo such confession was ever madel, and
was proven that large sums of money had been
given the perjurer by Holt, my enemy
l recognize in this the resurreeted cry of
a rebel pack that was at my heels seven
teen years ago. Furiously and fast they
pursued, but their cry proved harmless
then, and it will prove harmless now. OF
the very large number of witnesses who
were examined on behalf of the govern
ment during the trial of the assassins of
President Lincoln before military COM
mission in this city, but two implicated
Mr.. Thompson in the general conspiracy
alleged to have existed for the commission
of the crime. These were Richard Mont
gomery and a man calling himself Sand
ford Conover. The first Montgomery
was unknown to me, but, as appeared by
his evidence, he had been previously in
the government employ. The charac-
ter of his testimony will be seen from the
following extracts copied from the pub
lished record of the trial!
visited Canada in the summer of 1854, and,
excepting the time have been going backward
and forward, have remained there until about
two weeks ago. l knew George n. Sanders,
comb, Beverly Tucker, W. C. Cleary, and Har-
rington. | have frequently met these persons
Toronto, st. GATHERINGS, and at Montreal.
Thompson passed by several other names, one of
which was Carson. Clay passed by the name of
In a conversation had with Jacob Thomson
in the summer Of 1864 he said he had his friends
(confederatesl all over the Northern States, who
were ready and willing to so any length To serve
the causo of the South; and he added that he
any other of his advisers that he chose put out Of
his way; he would have but to point out the man
he termed them, would put him out Of it, and not
let him know anything about it, if necessary; and
that they would not consider it a crime when done
shortly after Mr.. Thompson told me what he
was was able to do regeated the conversation to Mr.
our cause, aud ready TO go any longths.to do
anything under the sun TO serve our cause"
In January of this year saw Jacob Thompson
in Montreal several times. In one of these con-
yersations he said proposition had been made to
him to rid the world Of the tyrant Lincoln, STAN
ton, Grant, and some others. The men who had
made the proposition. he said, he knew were bold,
daring men, and able TO execute anything they
said he was in favor of the proposition, but had
determined to defer his answer until he had con-
was then only waiting their approval. lie added
that he thought il would be a blessing TO the peo-
pie, both North and South, to have these men
have been in Canada since the assassination.
few days after l met Beverly Tucker at Mon
treal. He said n great deal about the wrongs that
the South had received at the hands Of MIR. Lin
colin, aud that he deserved his death, and ii was
il was too bad that the boys had not been allowed
TO act whom they wanted TO. The boys was an
others in their employ wis engaged in raids, and
who were employed to assassinate the President.
with Mr Thap%pson to Me- cesr nSd %be sns
sort of conhdeutial secretary TO Mr.. Thompson,
and he told me that Booth was one Of the parties
to whom Thompson had reference; and he said.
in regard to the assassination, that il was too
bad that the whole work had not been done; BY
which understood him to mean that they in
tended to asSassinate a greater number than they
succeeded in killing. Cleary remarked, when
speaking of his regre, that the vile work had not
been done, They had better look out; we are
not done yet" And he added that they would
never be conquered-would never give up.
Cleary said that Booth had been there, visiting
Thompson twice in the winter, he thought the
last time in December. He had also been there
Thompson told me that Cleary was posted upon
all his affairs, and that if sought him lThomp-
sonl at any time and he away / might state
my business to Mr., Cleary and il would be all the
same; that could have perfect confidence in
him, and that he was very close-mouthed man.
During my stay in Canada was in the service
quire informa ton III regard to the plans and pur
poses Of the rebels who were assembled there, To
do sthis most ehectually adopted the name of
James Thompson, end, leading them to suppose
this was my correct name, / adopted some other
name at any hotel at which might be stopping
l was entrusted with dispatches from these Com
federates TO take TO Richmond. / carried some to
there. received reply 10 these dispatches,
which / carried back 10 Canada, bringing them
through Washington and making them known to
the United States government. i took no dis
patches from the rebel government 10 their agent
IN canada without first delivering them TO the
lfreqaently heard the subject of raids upon our
TreSnuer ana the burning Of cities spoken Of by
thompson, Clay, Cleary, Tucker and Sanders
MI, Clement Y. Clay was one of the prime movers
received his direct Endorsement He ropresented
himself % me as being sort of Representative oi
| the War Department at Richmond. The men
| have reference TO, more especially Mr.. Clay aud