The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-08-26

cause of Canadian complications. It
would,have been fatal to urGovernment
and would have resulted in indiscrimi-
nate butchery."
"What ia this secret 2"
ut relates to the assassination plot"
was the reply. "rhat conspiracy was
Matched before Lincoln was inaugurated
the second time. It contemplated the
abduction Of Lincoln for the benefit Of
another man. refer to Vice President
Johnson. He was to be made the great
man Of the war. Lincoln was to be got
out Of the way. johnson was a South
crn man; the struggle Was then an adj
mittel!y hopeless one for the South, but
it was desirable to have a mar who
could he depended on for satisfaction, IA
Lincoln, with Stanton behind him,
could not be expected to be leniont.
Remember do not say that johnson
Was n party to the conspiracy, but I ask
you to read Gen. Buffers arraignment
of johnson during the impeachment
trial. Read it carefully between the
lines. and see what it means. tell you
only this, that the list of men privy to
the abduction Of Lincoln would. If
printed Tomorrow, convulsc this nation
to it's centre. I have seen myself a
note from johnson to John Wilkes
Booth asking him to meet him at the
Kirkwood House, Don't drav any in
%ferences; l merely mcar that they were
On intimate terms"
when and where was the conspiracy
organized Pr, was asked.
ut was the outgruwth Of Stewards
direct interposition in the case Of Benl,
the man convicted of the plot to liber-
ate the prisoners OF Jonhson's Island in
Sandusky Bay. Lincoln was appealed
to and promised that Bral should not
die. Seward personally interferred and
finally secured Deal's execution. A
meeting was held at St. GATHERINGS,
Canada, a few weeks afterward. The
plot was hatched there. 1t was born of
personal malice rather than Southern
sympathy. The Beal case and it alone
.'accountsse for the: attack on Secretary
Seward. But this malicious scheme Of a
small cabal of v:ndictive men grew
into n wildly ,amified conspiracy. Most
dreadful it became known among large
circles in Washington. There were
plenty men in the Capitol on March 4,
who went to hear a different man than
Lincoln make the inaugural address. 1t
is terrible even to think how rotten
the heart Of the political centre Of this
nation then was. The surrender at APP
potnattox was a chrushing blow. It came
sooner than was expected. Lincoln's
death had been resolved upon and the
date fixed. But only a comparatively few
knew that this change had been made
in the scheme.
| have often wonieIed il Gen. Lce
had not obtained an mixing of the
terrible crime in contemplation and
fastened the cnpitulation. lie never
would have sanctioned n dastardly act
After the shooting, the abjcct fear mani.
Tested by some people in Washington
who had not been attacked is remcm,
bered yet. Too many people were
hanged or not enough. The most OK.
perienced lei in the service were pu,
on the case. But one by one they were
withdrawn. | was detailed for special
duty, but struck to conspiracy. l found
l was shadowed by other people. ]
have always suspected there was a con.
ference n very dark night between
Stanton. Wade and Grant that referred
to the secret information obtained about
tho conspiracy. | was not present,
though | WAS in tho honse when j,
occurred. Tho archives Of the House
Judiciary contain, or did contain, some OF
the most startling testimony imaginable.
Gen. Butler and. George s. Boutwell,
knew all that Gen. Grant knew. II
either man would tell what he knows
though it is not all the story we might
have the revelation yet. What I have
merely limited at shows how wise Gen.
Grant was to keep this awful secret SO
ling, and how indiscreet he would
have been to contide it to anybody"
Tho EIfodal ancd