Abraham Lincoln Related
1865 "Trial of the Conspirators for the Assassination of President Lincoln, &c. Argument of John A Bingham, Special Judge Advocate." 1st Edition Book Washington, DC
1865-Dated President Abraham Lincoln Assassination Memorial Period, First Edition Book titled: "Trial of the Conspirators for the Assassination of President Lincoln, &c. Argument of John A Bingham, Special Judge Advocate.", Choice Very Fine.
First Edition of Judge Bingham's powerful Argument in the trial of seven men and one woman accused of conspiring to assassinate Lincoln, delivered June 1865, only two months after Abraham Lincoln's death, arguing that the "intense hate and rage" of Confederate President Jefferson Davis made him as "clearly proven guilty of conspiracy as is John Wilkes Booth." This historic record is the Transcript of the Argument by John A Bingham, as Special Judge Advocate, at the Trial of the Conspirators for the Assassination of President Lincoln, & c., issued by the official Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 122 pages, with its titled original soft wraps. Bingham's "arguments" were in reply to the defense cases for Mary E. Surratt, David E. Herold, Lewis Payne, George A Atzerodt, Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel A. Mudd, Edward Spangler and Samuel Arnold, all who were charged with Conspiracy and the Murder of President Abraham Lincoln. These arguments were delivered June 27 and 28, 1865, before the Military Commission in Washington, D.C.. Historic, crucial and scarce, period Imprint with important "War Power" content. Acuses the Conspirators of aiding the rebellion and undermining the Constitution and the laws of the nation. Also makes accusations regarding the involvement and instigation of Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederate States) and other Rebel leaders. Asserts that everyone involved with the conspiracy is guilty by way of "common design." Bingham argues that there should be no distinction between those were simply involved in the plotting of the conspiracy and those who carried out the vicious attacks. Trivial edge chips to brown wraps from use, the binding is still tight and printing is excellent. A rare important period book on the Assassination of President Lincoln and subsequent trial of the Conspirators. A rare and essential addition to any serious Lincoln related library. We located one copy offered by a book dealer priced at $1,600. See: (Epps, 169). Sabin 5451. Harvard Law Catalogue I:172. McDade 625. NYU, 994.
First Edition of Judge Bingham's powerful Argument in the trial of seven men and one woman accused of conspiring to assassinate Lincoln, delivered June 1865, only two months after Lincoln's death and arguing that the "intense hate and rage" of Jefferson Davis made him as "clearly proven guilty of conspiracy as is John Wilkes Booth."
John Armor Bingham (1815 - 1900), was an Ohio Congressman and principle in the impeachment of President Johnson, was Judge Advocate General in the trial of the conspirators.
In one of the most dramatic episodes of that trial, Bingham played a leading role. It was his part as the Judge Advocate to bully the defense witnesses and assert in his summary of the evidence that the rebellion was "simply a criminal conspiracy and a gigantic assassination [in which] Jefferson Davis is as clearly proven guilty as is John Wilkes Booth."
In defending the legality of the military court commissioned by President Johnson, he argued that the Executive could exercise all sorts of extra-Constitutional powers, even to "string up the culprits without any court."