President Johnson never saw this memorandum. It was secretly removed in the War Department, and only replaced after he had signed the death warrant.
In vain Annie Surratt, the weeping daughter, flung herself on the steps of the White House on the fatal day, begging and praying to see the President. She could not believe they would allow her mother to be murdered in the face of a recommendation of mercy. The fatal hour struck at last, and the girl left the White House with set eyes and blanched face, muttering incoherent curses.
The Chief Magistrate sat within, unconscious of the hideous tragedy that was being enacted in his name. When he discovered the infamy by which he had been made the executioner of an innocent woman, he made his first demand that Edwin M. Stanton resign from his cabinet as Secretary of War.
And for the first time in the history of America, a cabinet officer waived the question of honour and refused to resign.
With a shudder and blush of shame, strong men saw that day the executioner gather the ropes tightly three times around the dress of an innocent American mother and bind her ankles with cords. She fainted and sank backward upon the attendants, the poor limbs yielding at last to the mortal terror of death. But they propped her up and sprung the fatal trap.
A feeling of uncertainty and horror crept over the city and the Nation, as rumours of the strange doings of the "Bureau of Military Justice," with its secret factory of testimony and powers of tampering with verdicts, began to find their way in whispered stories among the people.
Public opinion, however, had as yet no power of adjustment. It was an hour of lapse to tribal insanity. Things had gone wrong. The demand for a scapegoat, blind, savage, and unreasoning, had not spent itself. The Government could do anything as yet, and the people would applaud.
Mrs. Cameron had tried in vain to gain a hearing before the President.
Each time she was directed to apply to Mr. Stanton. She refused to attempt to see him, and again turned to Elsie for help. She had learned that the same witnesses who had testified against Mrs. Surratt were being used to convict Doctor Cameron, and her heart was sick with fear.
"Ask your father," she pleaded, "to write President Johnson a letter in my behalf. Whatever his politics, he can"t be _your_ father and not be good at heart."
Elsie paled for a moment. It was the one request she had dreaded. She thought of her father and Stanton with dread. How far he was supporting the Secretary of War she could only vaguely guess. He rarely spoke of politics to her, much as he loved her.
"I"ll try, Mrs. Cameron," she faltered. "My father is in town to-day and takes dinner with us before he leaves for Pennsylvania to-night. I"ll go at once."
With fear, and yet boldly, she went straight home to present her request.
She knew he was a man who never cherished small resentments, however cruel and implacable might be his public policies. And yet she dreaded to put it to the test.
"Father, I"ve a very important request to make of you," she said gravely.
"Very well, my child, you need not be so solemn. What is it?"
"I"ve some friends in great distress--Mrs. Cameron, of South Carolina, and her daughter Margaret."
"Friends of yours?" he asked with an incredulous smile. "Where on earth did you find them?"
"In the hospital, of course. Mrs. Cameron is not allowed to see her husband, who has been here in jail for over two months. He cannot write to her, nor can he receive a letter from her. He is on trial for his life, is ill and helpless, and is not allowed to know the charges against him, while hired witnesses and detectives have broken open his house, searched his papers, and are ransacking heaven and earth to convict him of a crime of which he never dreamed. It"s a shame. You don"t approve of such things, I know?"
"What"s the use of my expressing an opinion when you have already settled it?" he answered good-humouredly.
"You _don"t_ approve of such injustice?"
"Certainly not, my child. Stanton"s frantic efforts to hang a lot of prominent Southern men for complicity in Booth"s crime is sheer insanity.
n.o.body who has any sense believes them guilty. As a politician I use popular clamour for my purposes, but I am not an idiot. When I go gunning, I never use a popgun or hunt small game."
"Then you will write the President a letter asking that they be allowed to see Doctor Cameron?"
The old man frowned.
"Think, father, if you were in jail and friendless, and I were trying to see you----"
"Tut, tut, my dear, it"s not that I am unwilling--I was only thinking of the unconscious humour of _my_ making a request of the man who at present accidentally occupies the White House. Of all the men on earth, this alien from the province of Tennessee! But I"ll do it for you. When did you ever know me to deny my help to a weak man or woman in distress?"
"Never, father. I was sure you would do it," she answered warmly.
He wrote the letter at once and handed it to her.
She bent and kissed him.
"I can"t tell you how glad I am to know that you have no part in such injustice."
"You should not have believed me such a fool, but I"ll forgive you for the kiss. Run now with this letter to your rebel friends, you little traitor!
Wait a minute----"
He shuffled to his feet, placed his hand tenderly on her head, and stooped and kissed the shining hair.
"I wonder if you know how I love you? How I"ve dreamed of your future? I may not see you every day as I wish; I"m absorbed in great affairs. But more and more I think of you and Phil. I"ll have a big surprise for you both some day."
"Your love is all I ask," she answered simply.
Within an hour, Mrs. Cameron found herself before the new President. The letter had opened the door as by magic. She poured out her story with impetuous eloquence while Mr. Johnson listened in uneasy silence. His ruddy face, his hesitating manner, and restless eyes were in striking contrast to the conscious power of the tall dark man who had listened so tenderly and sympathetically to her story of Ben but a few weeks before.
The President asked:
"Have you seen Mr. Stanton?"
"I have seen him once," she cried with sudden pa.s.sion. "It is enough. If that man were G.o.d on His throne, I would swear allegiance to the devil and fight him!"
The President lifted his eyebrows and his lips twitched with a smile:
"I shouldn"t say that your spirits are exactly drooping! I"d like to be near and hear you make that remark to the distinguished Secretary of War."
"Will you grant my prayer?" she pleaded.
"I will consider the matter," he promised evasively.
Mrs. Cameron"s heart sank.
"Mr. President," she cried bitterly, "I have felt sure that I had but to see you face to face and you could not deny me. Surely it is but justice that he have the right to see his loved ones, to consult with counsel, to know the charges against him, and defend his life when attacked in his poverty and ruin by all the power of a mighty government? He is feeble and broken in health and suffering from wounds received carrying the flag of the Union to victory in Mexico. Whatever his errors of judgment in this war, it is a shame that a Nation for which he once bared his breast in battle should treat him as an outlaw without a trial."
"You must remember, madam," interrupted the President, "that these are extraordinary times, and that popular clamour, however unjust, will make itself felt and must be heeded by those in power. I am sorry for you, and I trust it may be possible for me to grant your request."
"But I wish it now," she urged. "He sends me word I must go home. I can"t leave without seeing him. I will die first."
She drew closer and continued in throbbing tones:
"Mr. President, you are a native Carolinian--you are of Scotch Covenanter blood. You are of my own people of the great past, whose tears and sufferings are our common glory and birthright. Come, you must hear me--I will take no denial. Give me now the order to see my husband!"
The President hesitated, struggling with deep emotion, called his secretary, and gave the order.
As she hurried away with Elsie, who insisted on accompanying her to the jail door, the girl said:
"Mrs. Cameron, I fear you are without money. You must let me help you until you can return it."