Booth's Words

[Pamela]

Carriage or not, why not kidnap Chase? He was a worthy substitute--part of Lincoln's cabinet and wouldn't have brought as much fury and pursuit raining down on them. He would have had considerable value for prisoner exchange. They were fully prepared for a kidnap, according to Surratt. Why not go through with it? It' s like organizing your gang to rob a train of a million bucks and deciding to pass on it because you discover there's only half a million. From the Rockville lecture, "We had all arrangements from Washington perfected for the purpose. Boats were in readiness to carry us across the river." If the conspiracy was really all about kidnapping for prisoner exchange, they would have done it.

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Booth's statement, " God judge me, not man." It's too bad Booth didn't apply that elevated philosophy to Lincoln. Had he done so we wouldn't be discussing this tragedy today.