(11-11-2014, 02:24 PM)L Verge Wrote: The conspirators would not have been permitted to testify in a civil court at that time either. Only the State of Maine granted defendants that right in 1865.
Yes that was still the case when John Surratt was tried in the civil court system
(11-14-2014, 07:08 AM)John Fazio Wrote: Laurie:
As to why Confederate Cabinet members and Lee were not tried, a few points:
1. As for Lee, my understanding is that he was indicted, but that he informally appealed to then-President Grant, alluding to their agreement at Appomattox as being dispositive of the matter. Grant, so the story goes, was very upset with the prosecutors (Attorney General's office?) and threatened to resign if the indictment were not withdrawn. It was withdrawn. My understanding, further, is that Lee applied for a reinstatement of citizenship, but the application was lost until found in, I believe, 1975, at which time action by the Congress was taken to approve it. Corrections to this history are welcome.
Hello John - long time, no see! I think you mean "then-General" Grant. Johnson was President when the indictment was dropped. Otherwise, your history is validated here:
http://www.aleksandreia.com/2009/09/16/g...e-treason/
