Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-06-26
ANDY JOHNSON,S SECRET,

Said prominent public man in New
| York the other day: don't want to boast
but Il was prominent enough during the war
and the years which followed it up to 1870,
to be considered somebody at Washington,
and to have almost free access to Mr. Lin
coin, Mr.. Johnson and their respective cab
inets. And as to the execution of Mrs
Surratt, think know the inside history
of that most glaring wrong as we'll as most
people, even who took an active part in
comprising it. TO begin at the beginning,
Mrs. Surratt was tried by a military COM
mission for completely in the assassination
of President Lincoln and the attempt on the
life of Secretary Seward; and in accordance
with the findings of the commission, she was
executed in July, 1865, three months after
the assassination. Andrew Johnson, who
had become President, had been covertly
and openly importuned and petitioned for a
pardon, Communication, or even reprieve, and
the prayers of the unfortunate lady's daugh-
ter were joined by many in public and pri-
vate life but the conditions were such that
Mr.. Johnson could not see his way clear to
interfere. The appointed day arrived, and
Mrs. Surratt was executed, on Capitol Hill,
while her daughter lay fainting on the steps
Of the White House, repulsed from the
Presidents presence by bayonets ordered
by Edwin NJ. Stanton, Secretary Of war, and
refused word of favor by Preston King,
who since committed suicide in the North
River. l think it was in the month of
December, 1865, 1 was stopping at Willard's
hotel, in Washington. Dining one Saturday
evening with four friends, it was suggested
after cigars had been lighted, that we make
a call on President Johnson, the proposition
was agreed to by all except one of my
friends. Four of us-General James B.
Stedman, Felix McClosky Cornelius Wen
dell, public printer, and myself, sauntered
along Pennsylvania avenue, and by the
time our cigars were exhausted reached the
White House. We found the President
alone, but moody and evidently depressed.
Several unimportant topics were discussed.
I was speaking with Mr.. McClosky and
General Stedman, and President johnson
was talking in q low tone Of voice to Mr..
Wendell, when he suddenly turned and
said:
'It has been told me that there are ru-
mors about the hotels in the city that peti-
tion was sent to me in behalfof Mrs. Surratt,
praying for pardon, and that all the men,
bers of the commission which tried her ex-
cept one, signed it; have you heard of any
thing to that effect?" We answered in one
voice: "No, Mr.. President" Mr.. Johnson
continued that he was assured that such was
the fact, and that he would await develop
ments. "To-day," said he, Il have heard
of such petition for the first time. 1 re-
sisted the opportunities of private individ-
uals, and was greatly distressed, but could
not see my way clear to interfere" He
was right in his own mind, and he took
the only safe course, for there were 10000
men in and around the White House night
and day ready to kill Andrew Johnson had
he proceeded on his own motion, or yield
ed to the pressure that was brought to bear,
to even postpone Mrs. Surratt's execution.
Was there such petition? Certainly, 1 do
not know who started it, or whether it was
not of the Ground robin" nature where no
one in particular moves. In due course the
petition was placed in the hands of Joseph
Holt, head of the department of justice, to
transmit to the President, but he and STAN
ton combined to suppress it. 1t was con-
structive manslaughter, for, backed by the
word of those who tried her, and with
his own broad sagacity to see the injustice
of the whole proceedings, president John