Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-11
Arnold's Story of the Lincoln
Conspiracy,

coin is interesting that the Inquirer
publishes the confessions of Arnold,
the sole survivor of those convicted
of completely in his death. A por-
tion of his story is undoubted his
tory and there are other portions
which consist merely of vindictive
comment on the way in which he
was treated. To-day we give por-
ton of his original statement made
while he was at the Dry Tortugas,
which will be completed tomorrow.
Then will follow much longer
narrative, written in recent years,
in which Arnold gives his alleged
experiences as he remembers them
now, says the Philadelphia In
quirer.
The story will be found an inter
esting one, even if it does not find
entire credence. The old man has
brooded many years over his alleg-
ed wrongs, and if he has exaggerat-
ed the facts it is not unnatural. 1t
is almost impossible that he could
remember clearly what occurred so
long ago; and the narrative, though
written in good faith, may easily
contain more of what ne thinks he
remembers than of the actual facts.
That is familiar experience even
with men of intelligence who have
plenty of data to refer to. Arnold
looks upon himself as a martyr in
spite of his confessions, and it is
quite likely that his fancied wrongs
have worked on his Imagination to
an unusual degree.
In the first place he confesses
that he went into a conspiracy to
kidnap Lincoln and hold him hos
tage to compel the exchange of pri-
soners. He was citizen of Mary
land who had been in the Confed-
crate army, but had left it. His
conspiracy was itself punishable by
death under all the laws of war, so
that by his own confession he is
guilty of capital crime, and it will
be seen later that he appreciated the
fact. He went so far as to make
the attempt, but was foiled. After
this it can be said that he is entitl-
ed to no sympathy, except as he
may have been brutally treated.
Whether his claim that he was so
treated is correct or not we do not
know, but it is likely that there
will soon be given official evidence
to settle the matter. We do not
think the situation was so bad as
ne represents 1T to be.
Finally, it must be remembered
that the greatest test this country
ever withstood successfully, the
greatest crisis through which re-
publican institutions safely passed,
arose out Of the events connected
with the death of Lincoln. In al
most every other country in the
world under such circumstances
every person accused of completely
would have been tried by drum
head court martial and executed and
National wrath would have wreak-
ed vengeance on many leaders of
the Confederacy. 1t is the highest
testimonial to the Nation and the
Northern people that they remain
ed measurable calm under the ex-
element of the hour and Justice
was carried out under due form of
law. Whether any of the alleged
conspiratorsw were unjustly convicted
or not has no bearing on the case.
The National dignity was main
tanned and the convictions were on
evidence deemed at the time con-
elusive.
Arnolds confession throws little
light on the actual events of the
time, but as a human document it
is interesting, showing a psychology
ical condition that is amazing. In
this day the narrative can be read
with calmness and even pity-pity
that u man could ever have entered
into such conspiracy and lived to
maintain that it was patriotic
move and to justify himself after
history has set its seal of condem-