Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-12-20

uH diso Knew ne mtirb ODtls
The conspirators had approached Ma
jor Anderson in every conceivable man-
ner--they had feasted and flattered him;
but he could not be seduced from his
allegiance. He was watched and could
make no movement. The public arms
aud property of the Government in the
city of Charleston they would not per
nit him to touch, and he saw that If
any movement was made TO save the
honor of the Government, il would
have TO be done by strategy and on his
own responsibility, "a responsibility which
You and 1 most heartily thank him for
having assumed. (Applause.) He was
| invited to dine with q number of the
chief oonspirators on Christmas last and
accepted. After dinner toasts and
speeches were the order of the evening.
All the power of the conspirators was
exhausted to induce the Major to be-
come traitor, but to no purpose. Re
port has it that he feigned intoxication
sowell that he was conveyed in car
riage to his headquarters at Ft Moul
trie. The rebel consDirators returned
to concoct new schemes to seduce this
loyal and patriotic soldier, and while
they were thus conspiring--in the dark
ness of the night, he quietly gives his
l'orders and few small boats are made
ready-all the provisions and munitions
they can carry are put on board and af-
ter spiking the cannon in Fort Moultrie.
be, with his little band of brave spirits,
step on boarQ their boats, and with
muffied oars pull off to Fort Sumpter,
and when the conspirators awoke in the
morning the National flag is seen float
ing from that supposed impregnable for
tress. loud applause) When the
rebels saw this, they were amazed and
swore more terribly than the. army in
Flanders. The telegraph soon brought
I this glorious news to Washington and l
need not tell yo@bow it made glad the
/ hearts of all true Union men. Party
was thought of no longer The rebels
telegraphed to Mr.. Buchanan and de-
manded an order for Major Anderson's
Immediate return from Fort Sumpter to
Fort Moultrie, and to our shame be it
! said that many northern men united
! with the rebels in seconding their de-
! mands Among this class of men none
9 were more Extensively conspicuous than
4 Senator Bright, of Ind.
;: On the simple proposition OF relnfor-
! cling Major Anderson and preserving the
. national honor, a division arose IN the
Cabinet,--a majority voting with the
! President not TO reinforce. You will
I agree with me / know, when say that
every man who so voted was either a
: rebel conspirator OF tool in their hands.
=; When this disgraceful decision was made
! General Cass, to his honor be it said,
! refused longer to remain in the Cabinet
! of President who proved himself to be
a traitor or q coward, and perhaps both.
! applause This unexpected resigna-
! ton of Secretary Cass, was soon follow
ing by the resignation of the traitor
: Cobb-and subsequently by the resig-
: nation of Floyd and Thompson--owing
: to the disclosures made by a eon6den-
u tial clerk of the theft of the $SOO,O00
of Indian bonds. Happily for the coun-
{ try, Dix and Holt, Stan on and King,
/ loyal and true democrats, were called
L to fill these unexpected vacancies in the
e Cabinet, and thus the scheme to seize
le w ashington City and inaugurate their
" rebel government there, was defeated,
I because the patriot Holt was Secretary
! of War, and a majority of the Cabinet
= were now true to the Union. (Applause.)
Being thus unexpectedly foiled, the
conspirators abandoned their design of
' seizing Washington and preventing the
inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln, and resor-
ted to every expedient to deceive the
7 country and throw the people off their
guard as to their real intentions. For
. this purpose the most noisy and unscru-
y pulous did not hesitate to declare in the
7 House and at the public hotels, that
q Mr.. Lincoln was the constitutionally
Y elected President, and should be inaug-
= urated if it had to be done over their
! lifeless bodies
Mr.. Breckenridge also united with
= them indeclaring publicly that he would
not only count the electoral votes as
! prescribed by law, (you will remember
, that the secession papers, North and
z South declared that they would not be
u counted,) and proclaim Mr. Lincoln the
2 constitutionally elected President, but
, that he intended to take his seat in the
/ Senate of the United States, to which
= he had just been elected by the loyal
! State of Kentucky, and swear to sup
= port the constitution and the constitu-
7 tional government, and saw him with
: uplifted hand take that oath.
This deception blinded many of the
= Northern representatives. and people,
. who unitedly praised Mr., Breckenridge
. for his patriotism and loyalty. How
7 worhily it was bestowed, let his subse-
T quent conduct in the Senate and else
I where, and his present position speak
@ AT last, the 4th of March came and
II Mr. Lincoln was peacefully inaugurated
J on the eastern portico of the national
u Capitol in the presence of thousands of
loyal citizens and friends.
= The eonspirators now escorted to new
q strategems to deceive and mislead the
= government They approached Mr..
o Lincoln as Union men, protesting devo-
o ton TO the Constitution and great anx-
> iety for the success of his administra-
y tion. But they all, with one voice, uni
u ted in declaring that any attempt on
u the part of the government to send sol
! diers to any part OF the South to pro-
u tect the National property. would Dre-