Speaking of David Rankin Barbee.....

[John Fazio]

(09-19-2015 09:24 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I am delighted that Scott Taylor used his historical talents to assemble such an exhibit. I have dealt with him several times when he was assisting Nicholas Sheetz at Georgetown. Nicholas has now retired, but both men were/are excellent at their jobs. They also forgave us when James O. Hall decided to give his research files to Surratt House. Georgetown and several other higher profile institutions had coveted them.

Paige, with your skills and knowledge, you really need to make time to investigate those assassination archives at Georgetown.

Finally, I hope everyone reads Carter's letter to Dr. Richard Mudd carefully and understands that Carter DID NOT PARDON Dr. Mudd. I swear that half the visitors to Surratt House believe he did. I also hope that President Carter has taken time to read the work by Steers and others to see that there is a second side to the Mudd story. IMO, President Andrew Johnson did not pardon Mudd because an injustice had been done. He did it because Mrs. Mudd was excellent at nagging for her husband's freedom and because pardoning the Lincoln conspirators was one way of Johnson slapping at the Radical Republicans who were doing him dirty!

Laurie:

I believe the petition prepared by the inmates, which attested to Dr. Mudd's selfless service during the yellow fever epidemic, also figured into Johnson's decision. Interestingly, Dr. Mudd himself contracted the disease, but survived (unlike his predecessor, Dr. Whitehead), due at least partly to the care he received from Spangler, who, for some reason, did not contract the disease. Dr. Mudd, of course, later repaid Spangler by giving him a home and a purpose on the Mudd farm. Pardoning Dr.. Mudd, he could hardly have left the other two (Arnold and Spangler) behind, so he pardoned them too. I agree completely, however, that Johnson's principal motivation was to get back at his tormentors in the Congress.

John