Year: 1866

ing bitterly that MrS. DWlSSnelnl, WHO Helu
a clerkship in the Quartermaster's Depart
ment at Washington, was removed by order
of Secretary Stanton. Mrs. Swisshelm Is
the editress and proprietor of journal en-
titled the Reconstructiontst, and the article
on account of which the Secretary of War
dismissed her is as follows. If such a pro-
duction had been published in Richmond
paper General Grant would have ordered its
seizure.


from Mrs. swi sshelm's ReeonstrueIionist]


THE ASSASSINATION PLOT daI5


When President Lincoln was murdered,
nearly all loyal people believed that the
South had made serious mistake. A very
few thought otherwise. Of these, two said
to us, "You are mistaken They know
what they are about. Andy johnson is
their tool


The thought was too horrible to be enter
tanned 1t was too dreadful to believe that
the man who had just received such marks
of confidence from the loyal millions was
simply skillful actor playing patriot the
better to serve the cause of treason. But
these shrewd prophets shook their heads
and said, "You viii see. -


One thing was certain. The morning Of
the inauguration he was drinking freely with
blatant copperheads. His appearance on
that occasion is matter of history; and the
deep disgrace of it was never exaggerated
by any published account. His intempe-
rance was excused on the ground that they
had drugged his brandy, and it is possible
they may have done so, but certainly not
for since the beginning of the second month
of his pr esidency they have beenhis visitors
and apparently confidential friends. That
class of Washingtonians who never went to
the White House while President Lincoln
lived, but always refused to recognize him
as President, and spoke of him with scorn,
began at once to visit johnson, and were
gracioRslyreceived.


Can it be possible that it was part of the
assassination plot to get rid of one thus in
secret bonds of friendship with northern
leaders of the secession ranks, or was that
stupid, miserable wretch, Atzeroth, duped
into the belief that they wished him to COM
NIT crime they knew he had not the cour-
age to perpetrate, and which he should find
no opportunity to commit? That they IN
tended to get rid of President Lincoln and
Mr.. Seward there can be no doubt The at
tempt on Mr.. Stanton life was likewise in
good faith, but the chain links of the eYi-
dence were not closely followed on the trial,
and the necessity for his death was not i'm
minent, for he could be removed.


The business was to get the President, and
they got him. That it was the South which
nominated Mr.. johnson, through indirect
influence; that Mr.. johnson labored cum
ningly for that nomination by boisterous
professions of loyalty, and the thrusting for
ward of ultra pledges designed to be broken,
there is no longer any doubt. That he was
prepared beforehand to serve the purpose of
treason there can be no doubt that his ad-
ministration and its programme were part
and parcel of the assassination plot we have
no longer the shadow of doubt.


This does not make it necessary that he
should have known of the intended assassi-
nation. We do not think either Tyler or
intended numbering Harrison and Taylor,
but in all these cases the assassins knew their
men, and these three Presidents, made
Presidents by assassination, are each with
their administrations as much incidents OF
the rebellion-emanation from the brain of
the arch -fends and wholesale murderers who
plotted that rebellion-as was the starvation
of our men mt Andersonville, or the poison
ing of our armies Whether known or un-
known to Mr.. johnson, his veto message is
the further unfolding Of the assassination
plot.


That assassination was change of base in
the traitor war for the destruction of the
Union. The veto is the Sumpter guns Of
this second era of the war; and it will prob
ably be followed By Bull Run and Bali
BIuf-by disaster and apparent defeat to
the loyal millions whose weapons are once
more turned upon them by their trusted
agents. Andrew johnson has his plans ma
tured He Is in full sympathy with the
South, and viii follow up his present adyan-
tage to the bitter end. Let the people
nerve themselves to do what they can. They
can and viii save the government; but there
is great danger of repetition of the mis-
takes and delays and dreadful disasters of
the first stage of this war. There is great
danger of a akid-glove campaign under some
political Mcclellan.


Could the people be made to feel that the
assassins of President Lincoln are now the
honored guests of the White House, that
this veto is part of the murderous pro-
gramme, northern copperheads would not
insult loyal people by their insolent rejoic-
= Al ,r,o,,11 90, III