Booth's Words

[Jenny]

Still agree with Laurie and Wild Bill.

(Not trying to hijack the thread here - just saw Pamela's signature and realized I never addressed it when she asked about my signature a while back.)

Pamela,

I get the impression that the "Right or wrong, God judge me, not man" was written at the point after Booth had read the newspapers and learned that he was pretty much screwed. He wasn't an idiot. He knew he would hang if caught. Of course he wouldn't want to be judged by man at that point.

Wouldn't you be praying that God would judge you instead of man at that point in Booth's position? I sure as heck would be if
I were him.

It can't be taken in such a simple context as "obviously Booth didn't give Lincoln the right to be judged by God over man while he gave the right to himself which means Booth was (insert negative adjective of choice about Booth here)." You absolutely have to consider the circumstances under which it was written.

Anyway I never got to answer this whenever we were on the subject last so here you go.