Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-08
WILKES RoorH,s END.
A Diary OF His Last Days and Las
Thoughts--An Interesting Document.

. A Diary or His Last Days and Last
Thoughts-An Interesting Document.
The department of justice has in its
possession the diary which was found I'm
John Wilkes Booths pocket when he was
killed. From 1t the following extract has
just been made public
=" APRIL A-Friday, the Ides--Until to-
DAY nothing was ever thought of fsacrificing
10 our country's wrongs. For six months
we have worked to capture, but our cause
being almost lost something decisive and
greater must be done. But its failure was
owing to others, who did not strike for
their country with heart. 1 struck boldly
and not as the papers say. walked with
firm step through n thousand of his
friends, was stopped, but pushed on. A
per 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. I can
never repent 1t. Though we hated to kill,
our country owed all our troubles to him,
and God simply made me the instrument
Of his punishment.
"The country Is not what 1t was. This
forced union Is not what have loved. j
care not what becomes of me. l have no
desire tol outiive my country. The night
before the deed wrote long article and
left 1t for one of the editors of the National
IlteAiyeacer, in which fully set out our
reasons for our proceedings. He or the
South"
FRIDAY, 2l.-" After being hunted like a
dog through swamps, woods, and last night
being chased till ] was forced to return,
wet, cold and starving, with every mans
hand against me, ! am here in despair I;
and for why? For doing what Brutus was
honored for, what made Tell hero; and
vet 1, for striking down greater tyrant
than they ever knew, am looked upon as a
common cut-throat. MY act was purer
nit nf nnn hnr IN m
great himself; the other had not only his
country's but his own wrongs to avcnge.
i hoped for no gain. knew no private
wrong. ! struck for my country, and that
alone-a country ground beneath this ty-
ranny-and prayed for this end. And yet,
INC.
"God cannot pardon me if have done
wrong. Yet / cannot see any wrong, ex-
cept in serving degenerate people. The
little, the very little. left behind to clear
my name the government will not allow
to be printed. So ends all. For my conn
try / have given up all that makes life
sweet and holy, brought mysery upon my
family, and am sure there is no pardon in
the heavens for me since man condemns
me so.
~ have only heard what has been done
Except what ibid myself, and it fills me
with horror. God try and forgive me, and
bless my mother. Tonight | will once
more try the river with the intention to
cross, though i have a greater desire and
almost a mind to return to Washington
and in a measure clear my name, which
feel | can do. l do not repent the blow l
struck. i may before my God, but not to
man. I think l have done well, though
i am abandoned, with the curse of Cain
upon me, when, II the world knew my
heart, that one blow would have made me
great, though did desire no greatness.
"TO-night try to escape these blood
hounds once more. Who can read his
fate? =? Gods will be done. / have too
great a soul to die like a criminal. Oh,
may He, may He spare me that, and let
me die bravely. bless the entire world.
/ have never hated or wronged any one.
. This last was not a wrong, unless God
deems it so, and it is with Him to damn or
bless me-
"And for this brave boy Harold with
me- who often prays (yes, before and since)
in him! ESQ, why can he pray the same? !?
do not wish to shed drop of blood, but
must fight the course. 'Tis all that's left
me-"
These are the last words in the diary,
and probably the last he ever wrote, as he
was shot very shortly afterward.
81 wonder how it is that Lawrence Barrett
always keeps his voice so clear and resonant ~
"Why suppose, like every other sensible man,
he keeps supply of DR.. Bulls cough syrup"
Rheumatism had had hold OF me for two or
three years. l tried salvation Oil IL quickly
WM. CLARK,
Clifton, Baltimore County, Md.