The Washington critic., 1888-02-11
Wan DEPARTMENT,
Nm IN ION.
WAN nDKrAnr,IENr.

To TIE lion. Edpdtds Plei71p0Ht dnd ne non. r.
y. CnitlAg,-Neip iork;
have proof OF express personal malice
against me by Greeley, and believe that | can
establish combination between him and
others, which may end In accomplishing my
death, as It did against Mr.. Lincoln and Mr..
Seward. This is my reason for distinguishing
his case from Others OF general vltuperation.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON
Curious to see what could have
called forth such dispatches, | made
hasty examination Of the files of the
Tribune, and saw at once that the Of
fense Of Mr.. Greeley lay in his con-
demnation of the Administration, and
particularly of Mr.. Stanton, on ac-
count of what he regarded us uncon-
stitutional and tyrannical treatment
of certain persons arrested on the
charge of treason, and especially in
ordering a secret trial of the assassins
10y military court instead of by
regular jury trial, the war being over.
II may be remembered that the
trial was commenced with closed
doors, and that Greeley denounced
the acts of the prosecution as "Secre-
tary Stanten's Star-chamber pro-
ceedings." His paper at this time
was filled with articles relating to the
assassination and other startling
events constantly transpiring. He
may have INDUCED in other more
singing remarks than any which
caught my eye, but the following
from his paper of the 18th of May,
shows plainly how he felt toward
''the great War Secretary :"
Under the head of Secret Military
Trials" he said: "There is q curious
old document in existence known as
the Constitution of the United
States" and cited the 9th, 9th, 9TH
and Sth sections of the amendments
| thereof; continuing, he observed,
under the rule Of our present Cab
cession , TO oGd sh1e 1einee js. Mr.. stsnt9n's ao-
partment, it has become y 3 l{t. u a. .aaiI ne :
obsolete. There being apparentlyr.l
copy in the Federal city, we quote
| (as above cited) from one in our pos
! session for the instruction and adj
monition of our magnates." I'VE
warn all who take any voluntary part
in these strange proceedings that the
rebellion is suppressed, the war at an
| end, and the right to suspend the
| privilege of habeas corpus and make
| the will of O Secretary of War the
| supreme law of the land, has expired
| If our present Secretary cannot be
made to realize these grave truths, il
is high time he had q successor
All who were in the city at the time
of the trial and execution of the assas-
| sins will remember the intense excite
| la1
immovable President Johnson was in
his refusal to interpose his authority
to arrest the judgment OF the military
commission, even suspending the writ
of Judge Wylie, directing that 1.-THE
| body Of Mary l.. Surratt" be brought
| before the Criminal Court. 1t is said
on good authority that he afterward
expressed regret that he had not lis
tened to the appeal in her behalf fol
mercy and committed her sentence,
Gin consideration Of her sex and
age" to Imprisonment for life, as rec
commended by five members of the
commission that unanimously pro
nounced her guilty.
1t was after this change Of feeling,
it will be remembered, that he denied
ever having seen that recommenda.
ton, and tried in vain to show that
| Judge-Adyocate-G General Holt, who
presented to HIM the findings of the
court, not only omitted to call his at
tention to, but puposely withheld il
from him. There was bitter con
troversy on the subject between Gen
eral Holt and President Johnson, re-
sulting in General Hollis proving tC
the satisfaction of every unprejudiced
person that he faithfully performed
his duty in the matter as the sworr
officer of the Government. That Mr.
Johnson had the recommendation fol
communication before him, and tha
General Holt called his special atten
ton TO it, is absolutely true. Al
eight years afterward he denied it
the only charitable conclusion is tina
he forgot 1t.
Judge Bingham, who, as Assistan
observation-disclosures, took lead
ing part in the prosecution, stateC
positively that before the Presiden
! had acted upon the case he calleC
Secretary Stanton's attention to thu
petition, and that soon after the exc
cution Of the assassins both Secretar.
Stanton and Secretary Seward tolC
him ''the petition was presented Z
the President and was duly CONSIDERS
by him and his advisers before tn
death sentence upon Mrs. Surratt wa
approved, and that the President an
Cabinet, upon such consideration
were a unit in denying the prayer {
the petition, Mr.. Stanton and MI
Seward stating that they were pre-
ent."
James Harlan, Secretary of th
Interior, certifies to the same fac
and James Speed, Attorney-G Genera
in a letter to General Holt, likewiS
/ states that ''after the finding of I'll
, Military Commission that tried IL
:, assassins of Mr., Lincoln, and befol
: theh execution, / saw the record (
Q the case in the President 5 Office, an
attached to twas paper, signed I
some Of the .Aembers of the eommi
sion, recommending that the senten
+. against Mis-, SuTralt be committed