Abraham Lincoln Related
1865 "Reverdy Johnson" as a Senator Civil War Era Imprint "Illegality of Military Commissions in the United States, and Especially of the One Organized for the Trial of the Parties Charged with Conspiring to Assassinate the Late President"
June 19, 1865-Dated Civil War Era, Imprint titled, "An Argument to Establish the Illegality of Military Commissions in the United States, and Especially of the One Organized for the Trial of the Parties Charged with Conspiring to Assassinate the Late President, and Others" by Reverdy Johnson attorney for Abraham Lincoln Conspirator Mary Surratt, and "Reverdy Johnson" Signed Address Panel, Fine.
1. Original historic rare Legal and Governmental Power related Imprint measuring about 5.75" x 9" with 31 pages, Baltimore, Printed by John Murphy & Co. This complete 31 page Pamphlet, which includes its original wraps, is fully titled, "An Argument to Establish the Illegality of Military Commissions in the United States: And Especially of the One Organized for the Trial of the Parties Charged With Conspiring to Assassinate the Late President, and Others, Presented to That Commission, on Monday, the 19th of June, 1865, and Prepared By Reverdy Johnson, One of the Counsel of Mrs. Surratt."



In essence, the content represents Johnson's closing argument for his client, Mary Surratt, that the military commission hearing the case was illegal. Imprint has tape at the top of the front and back wraps (to hold the wraps together, as the front and back wrap are otherwise separated, albeit complete). The binding of the other pages is intact and strong. The inside pages have a faint water stain towards the outer edge that runs through all the pages and some old clear tape reinforcements at the top wrapper outer edge. Johnson's defense of Mary Surratt, as laid out in the pamphlet, does not focus on Mary Surratt's particular situation but seizes on the only chance she had -- that of arguing for the illegality of the military commission that is trying her case. Johnson argues that even if the President could suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus, all other rights remained to the defendants, and they should thus be tried in the Civil Courts. He also argues that the War Power that the Prosecution cites to justify any military commission is not a prerogative of the Executive branch of the government, but lies only of Congress. A very rare and important legal argument on governmental separation of Power. The first we have offered.



2. Includes a 7" x 3" Free Franked Address Panel removed from an envelope boldly written in deep brown ink on light orange wove period paper Signed, "Reverdy Johnson" as a U.S. Senator. Addressed to Jonathan Meredith, Esq., who was actually Jonathan Meredith, Jr., a Baltimore attorney and friend of Johnson who happened to be in Newport. (2 items).
REVERDY JOHNSON was born in Annapolis, MD, the son of John Johnson, a former Maryland Attorney General and Chancellor of Maryland. He graduated from St. John's College in 1812 and became an attorney in 1815. Among his legal associates at Baltimore were Roger B. Taney, later Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.



From 1821-25 Reverdy was a Maryland State Senator. From 1845-49 he was a U.S. Senator. From March 1849-July 1850 he was U.S. Attorney General (Zachary Taylor cabinet). Although personally opposed to slavery, in 1857 he represented the defendant (slave owner) in the famous "Dred Scott" case.



In the 1860 election he supported Stephen A. Douglas. He was a delegate to the Peace Convention of 1861. From 1861-62 he served in the Maryland House of Delegates. He used his influence there to help keep Maryland from seceding, even after the Civil War began. In 1863 he unsuccessfully defended General Fitz John Porter's at his court-martial for disobedience (following Second Bull Run). After the capture of New Orleans, Lincoln commissioned Johnson to revise the decisions of the military commandant, General Butler, in regard to foreign governments.



From 1863-68 he again served as a U.S. Senator. In 1865 he unsuccesfively defended Mary Surratt before a military tribunal. She was convicted and executed for plotting and aiding Lincoln's assassination. In 1866 he was a delegate to the National Union Convention that sought to build support for President Johnson and his policies. His report on the proceedings of the convention was entered into the record during President Johnson's subsequent impeachment trial. He also sat on the committee that drafted the Fourteenth Amendment... but he voted against the amendment.



In 1867 he was the only Democrat that voted to pass the Reconsturciton Act. From Sept. 1868 to May 1869 he was U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom. In February 1876, during a dinner party at the Maryland Governor's mansion, he tripped and hit his head, dying instantly. He was the last living member of Zachary Taylor's cabinet. In the 2011 film "The Conspirator," Johnson is portrayed by actor Tom Wilkinson.