The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-23
A PARK BLOT.

(From the Montgomery Adver,iser)
Ia r,c,, issue OF the Portland Oregonian We
end an editorial on the subject OF ono OF the
darkest stains on the escutcheon OF our govern
men,. The editorial refers 70 the recent deatn N
Baltimore OF Samuel Arnold. who was me last
Of those who we're convicted BY military court
OF the murder Of President Lincoln. ne ore
CONAN says OF these victims
so convinced were many wsrm friends OF the
Union cause that Mrs. Surra,t at the worst only
believed that the original plot 10 sbduct Lincoln
was TO he carried out that they signed petition
10 President Johnson for commutston OF the
death penalty and it was carried TO the presl-
dent by her daughter, a beautiful young woman OF
admirable character Johnson refused TO- see
her and the writ Of habess corpus in the case, al
though allowed was suspended By order OF the
president The president was an ambitious and
bear,less denagogue and at that time was playing
the part OF a radical republican,. and he hanged
Mrs. Surratt because he thought, and perhaps cor
rcctly that maddened public sentiment dc
manded her death
As before stated this military court and its
results is dark stain on government There
was not a shadow of evidence that Mrs. Surratt
had any completely in the crime or that she
knew that it was contemplated. The most thor
oughy friendless vsgabond in the country could
not be punished on a charge Of petty larceny in
any civilized court on such evidence was adj
duced ia Mrs Surratt's case. She was the mother
OF John II. Surratt, one OF the alleged conspira-
tors who would have been hanged If he had not
made his escape. And yet. within three years af-
ter the shameful episode was over, John Surratt
was apprehended tried and acquitted showing
that even he was not considered guilty by court
sitting when the excitement had passed. For the
offence of being privy to the crime, Mrs. Surratt
died a felon's death OF the gallows.
What the Oregonian says Of Andrew Johnson
is entirely too mild He was as brutal as he was
ambitious, and as cowardy he was brutal, for
he was afraid Of public sentiment, His action
in this matter, and especially as regards Mrs.
Surrat would have dsgraced the brutal and
boodthirsty leftreys himself.
Nor was the case of Dr. Mudd any better,
though he escaped death. He was a thoroughly
respectable Maryland physician, to whose house
Booth came after he had escaped with broken
leg from the Richmond theater. DR.. Mudd set
the broken limb and cared for the injured man
day or two and then sent him on his way. He
did what any physician with a heart would have
done. and did more There is no evidence that
he knew Booth OF his crime. But for his act
of humanity, he was convicted and sentenced tc
living death the Dry Tortugas for life
along with Arnold and O'Laughln whose ALLEGED
connection with the affair we do not now re
member, but were probably guiltless as the doc
/ tor.
That even the thick skin of Andrew Johnso,
should have been penetrated by sense of th,
! injustice done, as soon as the crazy passions o.
| the people had subsidized IS not surprising, and i
gave him another occasion to play the demagogut
by pardonng the allesed conspirators OLaugh
lin died on the Tortugas, but Arnold was par
/ doued by the president in 1865 aud DR.. ATudc
soon after. But the late repentance of johnson
could not restore life to the woman SO unjustl,
! done to death, nor remove the stain from tn
memory OF Andrew Johnson and his willing co
! adiutor. Joe Holt Pity the whole miserable
business can not be expunged from history.