Johnson at odds with Holt & Stanton in June of 1865

[RJNorton]

(02-21-2015 10:02 AM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Did they discuss the general idea of clemency/sentence reductions for Mrs. Surratt (and perhaps others) or did they discuss the actual written recommendation for clemency for Mrs. Surratt from the commissioners? This might be a minor difference but I think important. To generally discuss what sentences were recommended and pros and cons is one thing, but to have actually have discussed the written recommendation from the commissioners would definitely show that Johnson lied. He said he never knew of the commissioner's recommendation for clemency prior to the execution.

Scott, I agree with you. You make an excellent point. It's hard to tell for certain based on the way Harlan worded things. As far as I can tell only one other Cabinet member spoke/wrote about the meeting, but he didn't feel right discussing specifically what was said in Cabinet meetings. This man was James Speed. Speed wrote Holt on March 30, 1873:

"After the finding of the military commission that tried the assassins of Mr. Lincoln, and before their execution, I saw the record of the case in the President's office, and attached to it was a paper, signed by some of the members of the commission, recommending that the sentence against Mrs. Surratt be commuted to imprisonment for life; and, according to my memory, the recommendation was made because of her sex. I do not feel at liberty to speak of what was said at Cabinet meetings. In this I know I differ from other gentlemen, but feel constrained to follow my own sense of propriety."