Lincoln’s Assassination Advertised? May 22, 2017
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
A busy day in paradise today. Exams. However, Beach ran, a few months ago across this story and wondered whether this was just journalistic bluff, sheer coincidence (very possibly) or a little bit of Civil War history that had been lost. The Evening Bulletin of San Francisco, dated February 24, 1885, is said to have had the following paragraph, which took on a rather special meaning after Lincoln’s assassination.
A Wicked Jest.— The Selma (Alabama) Dispatch publishes the following as an advertisement ‘One Million Dollars Wanted to have Peace by the first of March’. lf the citizens of the Southern Confederacy will furnish with the cash, or good securities for the sum of one million of dollars, I will cause the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Wm. H. Seward, and Andrew Johnson to be taken by the 1st of March next. This will give us peace and satisfy the world that tyrants cannot live in the ‘land of liberty.’ If this is not accomplished nothing will be claimed beyond the sum of 50,000 dollars in advance, which is supposed to necessary reach and slaughter the three villains. I will give myself 1,000 dollars towards this patriotic purpose. Everyone wishing to contribute will address Box X., Gahaba, Alabama.—Dec. 1, 1864.’
The European papers that picked this up noted: ‘It is curious coincidence that Wilkes Booth, immediately after murdering Mr. Lincoln, applied to him the word ‘tyrant’ contained in this shameful advertisement, which contemplates the death of Seward, who has, in point of fact, been nearly assassinated by one of Booth’s accomplices.’ Has this ever crossed the radar of civil war historians: drbeachcombing AT yahoo DOT com
Invisible writes, 27 Jun 2017: I was fascinated by your post on the Wicked Jest about a million dollars for peace. While there are plenty of “supernatural” prophecies and premonitions about the event, this was new to me.
This advertisement was brought out at the investigation into Lincoln’s assassination and was published, with extra details, in The Assassination of President Lincoln: And the Trial of the Conspirators,Benn Pitman, United States, Army, Military Commission, 1865
After that the passage appears to have only been quoted in Anatomy of an Assassination, John Cottrell, 1968 and American State Trials, John Davison Lawson, 1972.
MILLION DOLLARS FOR ASSASSINATION.
John Cantlin.
For the Prosecution.—June 27.
I reside at Selma, Alabama, and am a printer. I was foreman of the Selma Dispatch in December last.
(The following advertisement, purporting to have been clipped from the Selma Dispatch, Wm then read by the Judge Advocate, and offered in evidence:]
“one Million Dollars Wanted To Have PEACE by the 1st Of March.—If the citizens of the Southern Confederacy will furnish me with the cash, or good securities for the sum of one million dollars, I will cause the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Wm. H. Seward, and Andrew Johnson to be taken by the 1st of March next. This will give us peace, and satisfy the world that cruel tyrants can not live in a ‘land of liberty.’ If this is, not accomplished, nothing will be claimed beyond
the sum of fifty thousand dollars in advance, which is supposed to be necessary to reach and slaughter the three villains.
“I will give, myself, one thousand dollars toward this patriotic purpose. Every one wishing to contribute will address Box X, Cahawba, Alabama
“December 1, 1864.”
That advertisement was published in the Selma Dispatch, and, as far as I remember, at the date named. It was inserted four or five times; the manuscript passed through my hands, and was in the handwriting of Mr. G. W. Gayle, of Cahawba, Ala. His signature was on the manuscript, to indicate that he was the author, and was responsible for it. I am familiar with his handwriting.
The Selma Dispatch had a circulation of about eight hundred copies, and exchanged with most, if not all, the Richmond papers.
Mr. Gayle is a lawyer of considerable reputation, and is distinguished, even in Alabama, for his extreme views on the subject of slavery and the rebellion, and as an ardent supporter of the Confederacy.
- D. Graves.
For the Prosecution.—June 27.
I reside in Selma, Alabama, and am a printer. I was engaged in the office of the Selma Dispatch in December last, and remember seeing an advertisement published in that paper, signed “X,” bearing date December 1st, 1864, headed, “One Million of Dollars Wanted, to have Peace by the First of March.” I saw the manuscript from which the advertisement just testified to was set up. It was in the handwriting of Colonel G. W. Gayle; lam well acquainted with it, having seen it frequently in articles we had published before.
The Assassination of President Lincoln: And the Trial of the Conspirators, Benn Pitman, United States, Army, Military Commission, 1865
From the introduction of the Pitman book: “To satisfy the present public desire, and for future use and reference, it is certainly desirable that an authentic record of the trial of the assassin of the late President, as developed in the proceedings before the Military Commission, should be published; such record to include the testimony, documents introduced in evidence, discussion of points of law raised during the trial, the addresses of the counsel of the accused, the reply of the Special Judge Advocate, and the findings and sentences.”
