WAS JOHN WILKES BOOTH A PAID ASSASSIN????

[Citiboy289]

Thanks for the colt info Citiboy, It is interesting that Texas Ranger Walker, was the man Texas rededicated Walker County to after Governor R.J. Walker backed out on supporting the Lecompton Constitution in Kansas.
L.C. Baker

--------------------------------------------------- Thanks Did not want to misdirect the thread but I like Colt History , The last Walker that sold at auction sold for 6 figures

 

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[L.C. BAKER]

This is from the diary of John Surratt, It is a very descriptive detail of who was in the room with him discussing Lincoln's demise. I can not imagine in any way that John Wilkes Booth was the man directing the group of Knights on what the plan was. He was in the room with his mouth shut and his ears open like the rest of the crew as they all received direction from those higher up in society.

"Solemn, very solemn, indeed, was the occasion —
horribly binding that obligation—fearfully terrible the
penalty ; but it is over now, and I know the secret
—
at least, am acquainted with some of the awful mysteries
which overshadow the whole.
What a crowd ! what a congregation ! The outside
world would never believe that, in that dark room,
there were to have been found men of all grades of
^society. But it is true ; and the mighty machine, when
it. begins to move, will permeate through all the stratus
of official life. Cabinet members, high in office, were
there ; and so, also, the unsuccessful actors, who seek
elsewhere the fame they failed to secure on the mimic
stage—eminent Judges, who now, by their decisions,
influence the destinies of the nation ; and editors, who
wield a mightier weapon than the sword, and hold a
lever that moves the world—Congressmen, who pretend
to make our laws ; and roughs, who never fail to break
them. All these were there, for I saw them. It was
a strange union of opposing elements; but they all
have their part to play in the drama of the " Coming
Future," and I, among the number." John Surratt

L.C. Baker

I saw, there, many a familiar face, both of politician
and prize-fighter; those who frequent the National
Capital during the sessions of Congress, hang around
the great halls of National Legislation, and appear
daily in such style on Pennsylvania Avenue. John
asserts that every one of these men will yet be needed
;
for, in the great cause, all are equal, and they will each
have their respective work to do. Had I but been told
one-half of what is now known to me, it would have
then seemed a fallacy, an impossibility.

July 4, 1864.—The North—The cruel, blood-thirsty
North—will find that in spite of all its boasts and
glorifying, the South is not yet dead. Lincoln may
advance his Hessian troops on every side ; but still he
will find a determined foe. It may take strongholds
and capture cities ; but that does not end the war.
While there is a man in the South, that man will fight.
They will not conquer the South, much as they may
rejoice to-day. We have yet a hope that the Democratic
party of the North will do us justice, and, in the
coming election, show Abraham Lincoln that his usurpation
and despotism is displeasing to the people.
[The entries under dates between August 13 and
August 23, are merely records of current events, and
a statement that he had visited Richmond ; but
no remark is made as to the object of that visit.

August 30, 1864.—Received a dispatch to-day from
Canada. Should have started but was warned to be
cautious. Shall leave to-morrow.
[Here one of those breaks that we have before
noticed takes place in the Diary, and is explained by
subsequent entries.
—
Editor.]
September 6, 1864.—Have learned something this
trip at any rate ; and, if only successful, we will bring
the war home to the hearths of the Northerners, and
cause them to feel a little of what the South has suffered.
The cities of Boston, Philadelphia and New
York are to be burned ; a raid is to be made from
Canada upon the shipping of the lakes, and a force of
men are to rush across the border and attack the
frontier towns. The prisoners at Johnson's Island are
also to be released, and join in the affair. The princi-
pal parties who are to engage in this work are now in
Canada, and I have seen the leaders. The whole of
this grand scheme is to be carried out on the same
day, if possible, so as to create an universal panic, and
to make the people call on the Government for peace.

September 7, 1864.—So the news has reached Washington
that Morgan has been killed and his band
routed. If the Canadian scheme is successful, that
death, with the many others of good Southern men,
will be fully avenged.

September 8, 1864.—no news yet of the proposed
scheme. It cannot have failed. What can cause the
delay ?
September 12, 1864.—Have been on to New York.
Have learned that they have received instructions to
to await more direct orders from Canada, before commencing
the work. The movement on the lakes is to
be tried first. It would have been better to have
carried it out all at one time ; but it is feared that they
have not sufficient force to engage in all the enterprises.
Have received despatches to that effect for
Richmond.

Should the elections fail us, we shall have to resort to
some more efficient method to get rid of Lincoln.

November 5, 1864.—New York seemed almost certain
for us, and we counted on her ; but a change in
the programme of Lincoln may lose us that city, as
there is some military movement going on that
neither Booth nor I can readily make out.

November 6, 1864.—Butler has been ordered to New
York City. What for? Is our plan known ? It would
be useless to attempt anything while he is there.
" "Watch and wait" must be our motto for the present.
November 10, 1864.—The armies are going into Winter
quarters; the dreaded Butler has left New York,
and now is our time to begin. I must leave for
Canada tomorrow for instructions.

November 23, 1864.—Have seen T and Mel)
in Canada. The work is to commence at once.
says I am to remain at Washington and operate thence,
if an opportunity can be found. I would have liked
to have been engaged in the New York work; but it
is thought in Canada that I should do better Here.

(This is about the time that the money and Knights came to New York City)

November 25, 1864.—A telegram just received from
Mrs. that "Rob. and his men have work, which
is expected to pay well." Good! Then this night
will tell the tale.

Every failure which may attend ova operations now,
will add all the more to the final day of reckoning, when
the Western wood-chopper will have to pay up for all
the short comings.


Vecerfibetr 10, 1864.—The Richmond authorities are
far from pleased at the course tidings have taken, and
threaten to stop the supplies unless something more
definite is carried out. Have despatches ready for
Canada.


January 15, 1865.—Booth and Mudd were with me
today at the "National." That fellow W was
there. I would like to trust him, hut dare not. We
have planned out the roads to he taken, if we only
succeed in capturing Lincoln.

March 1, 1865.—The inauguration must take place.
There are no means of reaching him before. The best
laid scheme seems blocked on every side. But the
opportunity will yet come. Well, better late than
never.

March 2, 1865.—Have arranged all our plans, and
secured the desired assistance. Booth is desperate
so are the others. They all seem ready to do any
thing to secure success. I don't think that young fellow
Harold has much courage ; but, then, he may be made
of use by-and-by. The risk is great, but the reward
greater. We have all we want for the work—everything
except the opportunity.

March 5, 1865.—Lincoln attends a review on the
7th. We have it all arranged now, and nothing
can fail. He goes out unattended, and we shall be
enough—seven of us. The suddenness of the whole
thing will prevent any attempt at rescue until it is too
late. And once safely in Richmond, the independence
of the South is certain, and my fortune made.

March 18, 1865.—Booth called to-day and told me
that he had gotten together in Washington all who
were necessary for the purpose intended ; that they
could be ready at a minute's notice. He had a long
conversation with Mother, at the end of which he said
that "if anything was to be done, it should not be delayed,
otherwise Tt would be too late." He declared
his intention of going on to New York at once to perfect
matters.
March 19, 1865.—Secured rooms for "Wood" at the
" Herndon." That is as good a name as any other for
him to go under here. W and I went together.
It was a good idea that we had of saying the rooms
were wanted for a sick man—his non-appearance at
table will not therefore excite suspicion. If seen, he
would not be thought very delicate in health.
Booth left to-day for New York. We agreed upon
a first rate cypher to send by telegraph, so that we
might know what each other was doing, without
letting any one else into the secret. All seems likely
to go on well.

March 21, 1865.—No news yet received from Booth.
I do not understand this. What can he be doing? (receiving instructions in New York?)


April 11, 1865.—Have received the necessary funds,
and shall start tomorrow for Washington, to join
Booth in his scheme.

April 15, 1865.—Lincoln is gone at last. Booth has
carried out his oft-repeated threat, and has, so it is
said, really taken the life of the tyrant. It seems too
good to be true. But the " assassin"—Savior—is being
pursued. If he takes the road planned out, he
will certainly escape. He has indeed gained an
immortality of fame.


[From this time forward the diary is very. irregularly
kept, at times full of records of events and passing
thoughts, at others containing brief entries, with long
intervals between them. Regrets and self praise,
together with eulogies of the Confederates in Canada,
&c, form the greater portion of the work, showing
that, whenever distressed in mind or elevated in spirits,
he generally relieved both, by writing in his Diary.
Only those items that have been considered of general
interest have been selected, in order to trace the career
of the Conspirator, and to show the state of his mind
from the time of the Assassination until the close of
the Record. The rambling remarks and unimportant
entries are therefore excluded.
—
Editor.] Sounds like any further comment has been censored from the diary to me. L.C. Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

As you can see, it is possible to track the movements of the K.G.C. and their meetings that took place and in what cities and at what times they took place. There is no minutes of what was discussed at those meetings, but there is no doubt about what they were discussing. If you start checking travel records against the same time line for other suspected conspirators and they too were in the same places at the same times, it leads you to believe that those knights were there to be part of the assassination in some manner. Why else would a high ranking K.G.C. member have travel to New York City in the Fall of 1864 across the country. It is obvious that if Booth and the other conspirators were meeting in that city at that time to discuss the kidnapping/assassination, then a higher ranking member of the K.G.C. traveling to that city with a large sum of pooled funds to support the cause would definitely be involved with them.
L.C. Baker

 

[Rebel - KGC]

As you can see, it is possible to track the movements of the K.G.C. and their meetings that took place and in what cities and at what times they took place. There is no minutes of what was discussed at those meetings, but there is no doubt about what they were discussing. If you start checking travel records against the same time line for other suspected conspirators and they too were in the same places at the same times, it leads you to believe that those knights were there to be part of the assassination in some manner. Why else would a high ranking K.G.C. member have travel to New York City in the Fall of 1865 across the country. It is obvious that if Booth and the other conspirators were meeting in that city at that time to discuss the kidnapping/assassination, then a higher ranking member of the K.G.C. traveling to that city with a large sum of pooled funds to support the cause would definitely be involved with them.
L.C. Baker

MORE likely to be COPPERHEADS!

 

[L.C. BAKER]

COVER UP STORY.
"April 26, 1865, John Wilkes Booth, mortally
wounded, was dragged from a flaming tobacco shed on a farm near Bowling Green, Virginia, and carried to the porch of the
farmhouse, where he was propped up against a doubled-over mattress. He had in his possession a knife, a pipe, a pocket compass, a pair of pistols in holsters on a belt, a carbine with cartridges, bills of exchange on
a Montreal bank, about $100 in United States greenbacks, and a small pocket diary"



FROM THE MILITARY REPORT.
"The assassin Booth lived about two hours. In the meantime a doctor was procured, who remained with Booth till he died. I procured a wagon, sewed up the body in a blanket myself, and placed it in the wagon. I then proceeded to Port Royal, where we arrived at 9 a.m. April 26, 1865, and crossed the river in a scow." (NO MENTION OF A DIARY)


L.C. Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

I don't want to say that history repeats it's self but....remember when they found that terrorist's wallet outside the World Trade Center....after the buildings burned and collapsed....say....wasn't that the same U.S. Government that found J.W. Booth's diary and bank book outside of that burned up colapsed barn .....must be a lesson for cover up in some sort of War Department operations manual...HA HA! L.C. Baker

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I don't want to say that history repeats it's self but....remember when they found that terrorist's wallet outside the World Trade Center....after the buildings burned and collapsed....say....wasn't that the same U.S. Government that found J.W. Booth's diary and bank book outside of that burned up colapsed barn .....must be a lesson for cover up in some sort of War Department operations manual...HA HA! L.C. Baker

DIFFERENT time/DIFFERENT space...

 

[L.C. BAKER]

To redirect:

Cover Up:

"Following the assassination, Booth fled on horseback to southern Maryland, eventually making his way to a farm in rural northern Virginia 12 days later, where he was tracked down. Booth's companion gave himself up, but Booth refused and was shot by a Union soldier after the barn in which he was hiding was set ablaze. Eight other conspirators or suspects were tried and convicted, and four were hanged shortly thereafter."

Truth:

Booth stopped, after jumping down on the stage, to address his audience "Sic Simper Tyrannous!" (Does this sound like the words of a man that just broke his leg?) he then exists the stage on the left and moved behind some scenes that had been placed for him to create a hidden passage in which Booth fled to a stage door that opened to the alley. where his getaway horse was held for him by Joseph "Peanuts" Burroughs. J.W. Booth would then ride to a U.S. Military guard post at the river and gain passage out of town from the Military guards who aloud him to cross it. In this same manner Booth would continue his escape with the help of one K.G.C. hand to the next all the way to Texas.
L.C. Baker

 

[Rebel - KGC]

To redirect:

Cover Up:

"Following the assassination, Booth fled on horseback to southern Maryland, eventually making his way to a farm in rural northern Virginia 12 days later, where he was tracked down. Booth's companion gave himself up, but Booth refused and was shot by a Union soldier after the barn in which he was hiding was set ablaze. Eight other conspirators or suspects were tried and convicted, and four were hanged shortly thereafter."

Truth:

Booth stopped, after jumping down on the stage, to address his audience "Sic Simper Tyrannous!" (Does this sound like the words of a man that just broke his leg?) he then exists the stage on the left and moved behind some scenes that had been placed for him to create a hidden passage in which Booth fled to a stage door that opened to the alley. where his getaway horse was held for him by Joseph "Peanuts" Burroughs. J.W. Booth would then ride to a U.S. Military guard post at the river and gain passage out of town from the Military guards who aloud him to cross it. In this same manner Booth would continue his escape with the help of one K.G.C. hand to the next all the way to Texas.
L.C. Baker

Hmmm... INTERESTING!

 

[L.C. BAKER]

Strange eyewitnesses that were there say all Booth said was "I have done it" as it exited the theatre. I believe the other was added later like all historians do.

Remember who chose those eye witnesses.... "The Guilty Party" They took the testimony of all those present, and then wrote their report, which was in turn handed to the War Department.."Stanton"...It was he that wove the final cover up to protect the parties involved, including himself.

16th New York Cavalry was assigned to the defense of Washington, D.C. for the duration of the war. They were the military posted at the bridge when J.W. Booth come riding up after shooting the President. When Booth road up to the guard post I would make an educated guess that it was at a very rapid pace. This alone, should have aroused suspicion of of the guards on duty. I believe the guards were expecting him and as ordered by Andrew Johnson, they let Booth pass. That would be the next time that the hand of the K.G.C. helped Booth escape.
Edward Paul Doherty was sitting with a fellow officer of his regiment on a park bench opposite the White House, when he received orders from a messenger to assemble a detachment of twenty-five men and report to Colonel Lafayette C. Baker, Agent of the Department of War. He and his men were to hunt down John Wilkes Booth and any co-conspirators. Two days later, the men of the 16th Regiment, accompanied by two detectives of the intelligence service, Luther Baker, cousin of Lafayette C. Baker,

All of these men received money for Booth's capture. That is the Booth they sewed up in a blanket so nobody could see him....

L.C. Baker

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Remember who chose those eye witnesses.... "The Guilty Party" They took the testimony of all those present, and then wrote their report, which was in turn handed to the War Department.."Stanton"...It was he that wove the final cover up to protect the parties involved, including himself.

16th New York Cavalry was assigned to the defense of Washington, D.C. for the duration of the war. They were the military posted at the bridge when J.W. Booth come riding up after shooting the President. When Booth road up to the guard post I would make an educated guess that it was at a very rapid pace. This alone, should have aroused suspicion of of the guards on duty. I believe the guards were expecting him and as ordered by Andrew Jackson, they let Booth pass. That would be the next time that the hand of the K.G.C. helped Booth escape.
Edward Paul Doherty was sitting with a fellow officer of his regiment on a park bench opposite the White House, when he received orders from a messenger to assemble a detachment of twenty-five men and report to Colonel Lafayette C. Baker, Agent of the Department of War. He and his men were to hunt down John Wilkes Booth and any co-conspirators. Two days later, the men of the 16th Regiment, accompanied by two detectives of the intelligence service, Luther Baker, cousin of Lafayette C. Baker,

All of these men received money for Booth's capture. That is the Booth they sewed up in a blanket so nobody could see him....

L.C. Baker

Hmmm... (tugging at beard...).

 

[L.C. BAKER]

Sorry i meant to say ordered by Andrew Johnson not Andrew Jackson. I have edited the original post.
Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

In Finis Bates' book "The Escape and suicide of John Wilkes Booth, there is a very descriptive detail of the escape route that Booth took. It is complete with some fictitious names of those who helped him along the way.(to protect the guilty)
Those fictitious names that Booth used while reciting his escape, did not help Finis Bates when he tried to prove that Booth was still alive. There was no evidence of their existence, which makes them fictitious as if they never existed. Even on his death bed, Booth would not turn his back on the K.G.C. and spill the beans on anyone involved in Lincoln's assassination other than his self. The fake names Booth used were of the K.G.C. members who had helped him get away, surely he would not want anything bad to happen to them for helping him escape. If these people would have been identified, they could have been incarcerated and questioned. There is a reason that secret organisations are secret.
If the K.G.C. had screwed him over, he would have told every name that he knew that had a part in the assassination. This proves in a round about way that he was paid off as agreed. If the K.G.C. had not held up their end of the bargain then Booth like any other disgruntled employee would have had revenge on them by implicating their involvement in the plot. At the very least, the names that he knew for sure. It is possible to write a letter while on the lamb, Jesse James done it quite frequently, even to newspapers. Booth got his gold and his fame = Happy Employee.
Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

In his own words.
L.C. Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

From the horses mouth,




I am putting this on here so you can be well versed when the truth comes out.
L.C. Baker

 

[Rebel - KGC]

WHEN...?

 

[L.C. BAKER]

Just as soon as I find what I am looking for I will publish my book and open a can of worms that has never before been looked into. I know it is the truth so I may seem a bit smug, but it is not intentional. It is because of the K.G.C. map and way-bill that we have unearthed, that those implicated are going to be exposed. It is the link in a chain of K.G.C. that can not be disputed, and will not be disputed after the truth is known. I will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Franklin Pierce and many others were indeed Knights of the Golden Circle, and in doing so i will expose the men that had Abraham Lincoln shot and killed. I will also cast new light on Finis Bates claim that John Wilkes Booth lived out his life as John St. Helen. It is just a matter of time.
L.C. Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

It has also been documented that John Wilkes Booth had called on, and met with, Vice-President Andrew Johnson on more than one occasion, his last visit or attempted visit, with Johnson was at the Washington Hotel, just seven hours before Booth would kill President Abraham Lincoln. J.W. Booth had written and signed a message for Vice-President Johnson that day, the message would later be turned over to the United States Secret Service agents investigating Lincolns assassins. The note, written by J.W. Booth was found in Vice President Andrew Johnson’s mail box at the Kirkwood House Hotel in Washington D.C., where Mr. Johnson had taken up residence. The message left by Booth was not found until the day after Lincoln’s murder, and it read as follows;

"Don't wish to disturb you Are you at home?
J. Wilkes Booth."

This is not the kind of note you leave for someone in their mailbox. This was the Kind of note that you would send up to someone’s room or apartment, by way of a messenger. A person that you are familiar with could possibly be at home, but not wanting to receive any visitors. The person would make it appear as if he was not at home, but a special guest, like Mr. John Wilkes Booth the famous actor, may still have been received upon their hand written request presented by a door man or servant. This note would have had no purpose when left in a mail box where it was found on April 15th 1865 the day after the president was shot. What good would “ARE YOU AT HOME?” be to Booth if it was answered the following day? The message was obviously left in the vice president’s mailbox upon returning from Johnson’s empty room by whoever Booth had sent the note up with, to see if the vice president was in his room. Upon that person’s return to the lobby of the hotel they would have verbally told Booth that Johnson was not answering his door and then they would have left the unopened and unread note, now in their possession, in the vice president’s mailbox as soon as Booth had turned away from them and left the building. It is also very possible that Vice President Johnson received John Wilkes Booth as a secret visitor that day, and the note was placed into Johnson's mailbox after its use by the hotel employee that had delivered it to Johnson‘s door.
Possibly one of the few mistakes that John Wilkes Booth made, was not taking his note back from the person he sent it up with. It was because of this note that implications and accusations against the Vice President were made that placed Johnson into the conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. After all, Vice President Johnson stood to become “President Johnson”. What more motive could you have.
Booth had went to the hotel to see Andrew Johnson just a few hours before the assassin would carry out Lincoln’s murder.
It would be fair to say, that John Wilkes Booth had familiar knowledge of Vice-President Andrew Johnson’s habits. It is also highly likely that Booth had came to see Andrew Johnson before April 14th, 1865 in a similar fashion. Booth would have known that Johnson may have been home sometimes when he was said to be away from his residence at the Washington Hotel. Prior meetings between Booth and Andrew Johnson would have gave Booth this knowledge, along with a method of announcing himself upon his arrival at the hotel, without announcing his arrival there to the general public. Booth was one of the most famous actors of the day, and highly recognizable. The person at the hotel he would use as a contact would not have been at the front desk, and may not have been an employee of the motel. This person could have been just another K.G.C. contact at the hotel. Perhaps it was another guest in the same hotel that was higher up in the K.G.C. than John Wilkes Booth. It is most likely that this person of interest would be found out after the assassination of Lincoln, and certainly at the very least, taken into custody by the secret service.
As it would turn out, the hallways, bars, and rooms at the famous “Kirkwood House Hotel” were crawling with conspirators in the years, months ,weeks, and even the day before and the morning of the assassination of President Lincoln. Do you think it was just a coincidence that Andrew Johnson was living there too? He was practically an arms reach from the assassins while they were housed, and visiting the hotel, to attend secret meetings planning Lincoln‘s demise. It would seem highly likely that Andrew Johnson was one of them. Just look at what he did , or tried to do, after he took over the presidency. He was sworn in as president in his residence at the Kirkwood House Hotel. This was not a very large establishment by today’s standards. It did not have endless wandering hallways. To imagine all of these men staying under the same roof and not passing in the halls or meeting in the hotel bar is a ridiculous assumption. They drank and dined in the hotel lobby , dining area and bar. Maybe not every meal or every day but over a period of months, that would add up to a lot of days and nights of hotel living. “Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with a night cap or a few evening cocktails in the hotel bar to wind down a nervous conspirator?” Not that hard to imagine them at least making acquaintance daily.
On the morning of April 14th, 1865 George Atzerodt rented room number 126 in the Kirkwood House. Luis Payne had also stayed in a room at the Kirkwood where meetings between John Wilkes Booth, David Harold, and George Atzerodt and himself had been taking place.
Johnson had made an impromptu (unnecessary and unasked for) drunken rambling acceptance speech that actually delayed the swearing in of Abe Lincoln. After this speech he dropped out of sight, went to the Kirkwood Hotel and stayed out of sight there for the next six weeks, until April 1865 when Lincoln was shot. He was sworn in at the Kirkwood and then moved into the white-house after he was made president. I believe Andrew Johnson knew he was going to be the president when he was sworn in as vice-president.

William A. Browning had been Andrew Johnson's private secretary since

1861. The son of a tailor, his testimony in the trial regarding Booth's

calling card was a political misdirection ploy. His suggestion that Booth's

card was actually a mailbox mix-up was critical in diffusing its political

impact and keeping secret the fact that there were actually two seperate

calling cards.

Nine months after testifying, Browning died suddenly at the age of thirty

in Washington D.C.. Johnson's son Robert then filled his position as

secretary.

 

[L.C. BAKER]

Booth's escape:






Who would expect an old negro of harboring a fugitive like John Wilkes Booth? Hidden away in a false bottom wagon covered with pots and pans and chickens? "BRILLIANT!"
L.C. Baker

 

[L.C. BAKER]

Andrew Johnson saw Abe Lincoln as a traitor to his own family and his own race. Johnson was a lot older than Abe Lincoln, and had been affiliated with the Lincoln family for a long time before Abe came along.
Johnson helped organize a mechanics' (working men's) ticket in the 1829 Greeneville municipal election. He was elected town alderman, along with his friends Blackston McDannel and Mordecai Lincoln. Following the 1831 Nat Turner slave rebellion, a state convention was called to pass a new constitution, including provisions to disenfranchise free people of color. The convention also wanted to reform real estate tax rates, and provide ways of funding improvements to Tennessee's infrastructure. The constitution was submitted for a public vote, and Johnson spoke widely for its adoption; the successful campaign provided him with statewide exposure. On January 4, 1834, his fellow aldermen elected him mayor of Greeneville

Mordecai Lincoln was the brother of Thomas Lincoln, who was Abe Lincoln's Dad.


In 1835, Johnson made a bid for election to the "floater" seat which Greene County shared with neighboring Washington County in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Soon after taking his seat, Johnson purchased his first slave, Dolly, aged 14. Dolly had three children over the years. Johnson had the reputation of treating his slaves kindly, but the fact that Dolly was dark-skinned, and her offspring much lighter, led to speculation both during and after his lifetime that he was the father.

He was elected to the Tennessee Senate in 1841, where he served a two-year term. By this time, he had also acquired additional real estate, including a larger home and a farm (where his mother and stepfather took residence), and among his assets numbered eight or nine slaves.

In Washington, he joined a new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. Johnson advocated for the interests of the poor, maintained an anti-abolitionist stance, Johnson believed, as did many Southern Democrats, that the Constitution protected private property, including slaves, and thus prohibited the federal and state governments from abolishing slavery.

Johnson supported the Polk administration's decision to fight the Mexican War, seen by some Northerners as an attempt to gain territory to expand slavery westward, and opposed the Wilmot Proviso, a proposal to ban slavery in any territory gained from Mexico.

Johnson supported the Democratic candidate, former Michigan senator Lewis Cass.

In his campaign for a fourth term, Johnson concentrated on three issues: slavery, homesteads and judicial elections. He defeated his opponent,

Henry Clay introduced in the Senate a series of resolutions, the Compromise of 1850, to admit California and pass legislation sought by each side. Johnson voted for all the provisions except for the abolition of slavery.

The campaign included fierce debates: Johnson's main issue was the passage of the Homestead Bill; Haynes contended it would facilitate abolition. Johnson won the election by more than 1600 votes.[48] Though he was not enamored of the party's presidential nominee, former New Hampshire senator Franklin Pierce, Johnson campaigned for him. Pierce was elected.

His position that the best interests of the Union were served by slavery in some areas made him a practical compromise candidate for president.

He was never a major contender; the nomination fell to former Pennsylvania senator James Buchanan. Though he was not impressed by either, Johnson campaigned for Buchanan and his running mate, former Kentucky representative John C. Breckenridge, who were elected. A true Brother of Lasting Faith, will always uphold another Knight in battle.

After his death, one Tennessee voter wrote of him, "Johnson was always the same to everyone ... the honors heaped upon him did not make him forget to be kind to the humblest citizen." Always seen in impeccably tailored clothing, he cut an impressive figure, and had the stamina to endure lengthy campaigns with daily travel over bad roads leading to another speech or debate. Mostly denied the party's machinery, he relied on a network of friends, advisers, and contacts. That were most likely all K.G.C.

Just open your eyes and see the truth, Andrew Johnson was a Knight of the Golden Circle.
L.C. Baker