The Lincoln Lectures - The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln

[Ebeneezerable]

I guess the borders, who were also in the house, must have known what was going on too if Mary S. just being in the house did.

[kcdkplays]

oops... it was Hinkley... not Fromme...

[kcdkplays]

sorry about the double postings!- for some reason Youtube is taking along time to accept postings, or internet service is breaking down..

[kcdkplays]

was supposedly mainly Southern sympathizers - I agree with you on Reverdy Johnson having a point, and he was passionate about it. All I am saying is I understand why they proceeded with it the way they did . The Supreme court ruling you refer to about Lambdin Miligan wasn't made until 1866- way after the Lincoln conspirators trial- ( in case you folks are wondering, Milligan was planning to lead armed revolts at  Union prison camps and free the rebel prisoners

[kcdkplays]

was supposedly mainly Southern sympathizers - I agree with you on Reverdy Johnson having a point, and he was passionate about it. All I am saying is I understand why they proceeded with it the way they did . The Supreme court ruling you refer to about Lambdin Miligan wasn't made until 1866- way after the Lincoln conspiritors trial- as a matter of fact Millligan and his cronies were tried by a military tribunal and sentenced to hang ( for you folks wondering what this about...

[kcdkplays]

when you attack or murder a head of state or other prominent heads of government it is considered an act of militant aggression , or of military action, so to speak, therefore it is constitutional to try the combatants in a military trial- at least that is what THEY determined and I couldn't agree more with them for doing so- you lose your civilian rights when you commit an act of war upon the governing body... I would say murdering the president to help the insurgent side is an act of war,yes?

[jmatrixrenegade1971]

@kcdkplays She's a civilian -- it could be treason, but not an "act of war" ... the murder of JFK wasn't a military act nor was the attempted murder of Reagan.

[kcdkplays]

@jmatrixrenegade1971

That wasn't the way they saw it back then, obviously. Oswald & Fromme were not trying to , in the words of J.W.BOOTH, " strike a blow to the Northern WAR effort" by killing JFK or Reagan to help a country at WAR with the United States government. Booth was and did so. The South was at WAR with the US government.

She was arrested, convicted, and executed for being an accomplice to Booth in the murder of the US President. Larson stated she started her book with the...

[jmatrixrenegade1971]

@kcdkplays The US Supreme Court in Ex Parte Milligan held that a civilian who was accused of aiding and abetting the Confederacy must be tried in civilian court if the courts were operating. Surratt's son benefited from the ruling when he returned from home. I read her book. Military tribunals are for actual military, not civilians, even those who help the military cause in some fashion, especially if they aren't working in concert.

[kcdkplays]

@jmatrixrenegade1971 intention of proving Mary Surratt was innocent, but once she read ALL the police interrogations, trial transcripts, and studied the evidence fully, she thought she was guilty. I know your point is not whether she was guilty or not, but whether she should have been tried as a civilian and not in a military tribunal, and as I said, they obviously thought back then that Booth, Surratt, & all the other conspirators actions were of a military nature- they were right

nature

[jmatrixrenegade1971]

@kcdkplays The fact they wanted to help the Confederacy doesn't make it "of military nature" for the purposes of making them liable for a military tribunal. A military tribunal would be to try solidiers or perhaps where the army is in occupation and not civilian courts were operating. The use they used it for was controversial. Reverdy Johnson had a point. 

[kcdkplays]

@matrixrenegade1971 so If an American citizen decides to murder our Commander in Chief, President Obama, in the name of Al Qaeda , he should be tried in a civilian court.? Aiding and abetting is one thing, murdering the Commander in Chief and the planned attempted murders of the Vice-President, Secretary of State, and even the Commanding General of the US Army Grant ( Booth was incredibly angry when he saw Grant and his wife leaving town that day-he had hoped he would be in the box at Fords

[kcdkplays]

with Lincoln) Mrs Grant described his face and stare as "chilling" when he approached their carriage on his horse and peered inside. I understand what you are saying about you only try an actual soldier- combatant in a military tribunal, not a civilian, but those are the actions of a soldier- enemy-combatant- or at least that's what they obviously determined- John Surratt got lucky by being in Canada during the murder- his aquittal in his civilian trial was a travesty- the jury ...

[connieusa27]

JohnJr could ve come back and Mary probably would 've lived, but she was a true Southern patriot and died without qualms.

[portsmouth11]

Actually, acowa, Larson addressed the tribunal twice (@ 40 minutes and 45 minutes). It that all you got, because your take does not come close to countering Larson's evidence that Surratt was guilty.

[acowa4104]

For someone who has obviously studied this in depth, the speaker misses the fundamental issue which is that Mary Surratt was never given a trial. She went in front of a military tribunal. BIG DIFFERENCE and the doctor should use the correct terminology. Judge Wylie issued a writ of habeus corpus which was overridden by then President Andrew Johnson. IMO, it is VERY suspicious that Johnson was the only assasination target who came away unscathed.

[stardaddyo9]

guilty

[freemarketfascist]

watch?v=Z_q1fX4cyZ0 - The Essence of American Power

[ClassicaFan]

This is great, i'm doing a project on her in school, i have to dress up and write a paper and everything. glad i found this.

[Benjodstand77]

very informative and enjoyed listening to it but i echo rradfreys comment that sex does not matter,its the crime that determines the penalty,if a man commits a criminal act he will often get a more severe sentance than a female commiting the same act, if Mary didnt deserve her sentance because her involvement didnt justify the penalty then argue away but if her death is questioned because she was female and shouldnt be as accountable as a man then that is fundamentaly wrong, good lecture though

[rradfrey]

Great research and recounting of history Dr. Lawson...and without any notes! My question, if I could ever ask you one, is why you feel that Johnson should have done something to intervene with the court's order to put Mary Surratt to death, considering her obvious guilt in playing a huge role in this conspiracy to kill the president. Why should Mary's life have been spared solely on the basis of her sex? This idea seems just a wee bit sexist to me.

[cking11111]

Meant to say "weigh" for themselves.

[cking11111]

A terrific presentation from the author of "The Assassin's Accomplice". While I have read Dr. Larson's fine book and yet disagree on some of her points re: Mary Surratt's culpability, I nonetheless consider it to be a critical and well-researched perspective for any Surratt buff to consider as they weight for themselves the guilt or innocence of Mrs. Surratt. Buy this book!

[kcdkplays]

@cking11111 I need to see your movie- the cinematography , music , ambiance looks first rate. I have also

read Dr. Larson's book and think she has done a great job. I appreciate your comment and of course, right

to question whether she had culpability proven beyond doubt. I don't know if you have had the chance to read

Lewis Weichmann's book " A True History of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln & the conspiracy of 1865"

Incredible read- it was not published until way after his death

[kcdkplays]

@cking11111 I am sure you know well of him being the main witness along with John Lloyd against Mary Surratt .

I think you would find it fascinating if you have not read it. Am looking forward to seeing your movie- thank you!