Year: 1865

The Work OF the WesnAn8Von nAAAsoEy


Comnission Not Yot Ended.


The arguments Of the counsel for the prison
ers are now being read before the Military
Commission at Washington, and 1t II expected
that the trial win be concluded early next
week. We hope, however, that the Judge Ad-
vocate General will not present his summing
up of the case without calling few more inn
portant wihesses in regard to the scope and
extent Of the rebel conspiracy, Of which the as
sassination Of President Lincoln was one OF the
most hideous details The close Of the war has
placed the proper Witnesses within the reach OF
the Judge Advocate General, and we propose
TO call his attention to at least one point which
requires thorough eluoidation, and which 1t is
within the province Of the Commission to In
vestigate.


The official reporter of the late rebel Con-
gress was present at all the secret sessions, and
has RECOLLECTION, more or less clear, Of all
the proceedings. This reporter has been
North, and his presence before the Military
Commission can easily be secured. he is, we
believe, prepared to testify that, as part of
the general rebel conspiracy after the battle OF
Gettysburg, propositions were made in the
secret sessions of the rebel Congress to buy
up leading newspapers and leading poll
ticians of the North. The idea OF
this was to divide Northern senti-
ment obstruct recruiting, cripple the ad-
ministration, break the war spirit and
strengthen the copperhead peace party. The
rebels hoped that with its border towns robbed
by raiders, its chief cities in flames, Its popu-
lation decimated by imported smallpox and
yellow fever and by poisoned water, and its
leading officials assassinated, the North would
be very ready to listen to the pleas for peace
put forth by q purchased press, and that the
recognition, independence and permanent
establishment of the so-called Confederate
States could be thus speedily secured.


Now, we know that all the other details OF
the conspiracy were carried out, and we ask il
it be not reasonable to suppose that the idea
of purchasing Northern newspapers was car
ried out also? Our border towns were robbed
by raiders; attempts were made to fire our
principal cities infected clothing was imported
into the country, but providentially failed TO
spread the contagion, and the lamented Presi-
dent Lincoln fell beneath the assassin's bullet
At the same time copperhead papers in this
city and elsewhere clamored loudly for peace,
and openly advocated the rebel cause. A
prominent abolition organ, whose loyal chief
editor is notoriously duped and de.
ceived by his subordinates, wheeled about
suddenly and also called for peace, as II
now calls for universal pardon. Here We
have evidence, not only that the rebel Con.
gress proposed to buy these papers, but that
they afterwards acted precisely as if they had
been bought But, as connecting link be,
tween these two facts, we have also check for
twenty-five thousand dollars drawn by Jake
Thompson, the rebel agent in Canada, in favor
of one of our copperhead editors, then mem.
Der Of Congress- This completes the chain Of
testimony which we desire the Military Com.
mission to take up. The proposition, the pay
ment and the result are equally clear, and the
Judge Advocate General can prove them .,
unquestionably as he has proven the guilt o.
the other conspirators. II this appendix to the
evidence already presented shall lead to the
hanging Of . copperhead editor or two nobody
at the North will object