"Alias Paine"

[BettyO]

(01-18-2013 05:04 PM)antiquefinder Wrote:  

(01-13-2013 12:25 PM)BettyO Wrote:  Thanks again, all for all of your kind words about Alias. I'm plugging along on the 2nd edition as we speak! I'm also finding MORE new things which I'm dying to put into it....

Quote:He expressed regret for hurting Fred Seward but I haven't read that he expressed regret for assaulting Secretary Seward. Powell believed he was following orders in trying to assassinate Seward.

One of Lewis' last requests, according to Gillette, was "a word of regret be sent to Mr. Seward."

Quote:Should Doster have said that Powell had realized the errors of his ways and was now contrite for his actions?

Yes. I think that he should have stated how contrite the boy actually was. I'm surprised that Doster didn't mention this. Seemingly, the attorney (and he was a good one!) seemed to be attempting to get Lew off on the basis that he was A) Insane (didn't work) and B) his youth which he seemingly played up quite a bit in his argument, repeatedly saying "let him live...." I also wonder how much emphasis a bit of heartfelt contrition would have played in his argument before the commission? Really though, I fully doubt that it would have had any affect whatsoever. The commission was set on hanging Powell from the very start. In the absence of Booth, Powell was the only one of the eight who had actually struck at his target. Therefore, folk wanted to see punishment. The crime was treason and the Constitution states that the penalty for treason is death.

Betty- what do think would have happened to Lewis if he had chickened out and not attacked Seward? Do you think he still would have been hanged?

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It depends on if he were caught. Had he chickened out like Atzerodt and done nothing; but still been "fingered" as a part of the plot - I believe that like Atzerodt, he would have been hanged.

Poor Atzerodt did nothing, fled Washington for Port Tobacco, was caught, tried and still hanged. I believe that as an ex-Confederate soldier, that Lew would have had the very same treatment.