Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-02-02

promuigate q revolutionary NoVsrnheht
from the steps Of the Capital was well mo-
tured, aud complete in every part. Itrest
ed upon the confident expectation Of the
secession Of both Virginia and Maryland
before the lst of March. aud the continu.
aRce in Office of the traitors who have been
elected from the Cabluent Floyd was the
undoubted center Of the conspiracy, aud s1.
peclsd 10 remain In Office aud superintend
its eousumstion. The plan has long been
the subject Of conversetion 10 Washington,
and we are able to lay its details before
our readera
Immediately after the secession OF Virgin.
ia aud Maryland, q concentrated movement
was 10 be made Just previous to Lncoln's
Inauguration. by which hostile force was
to be suddenly thrown into Washington 70
seize upon and garrison ell the public build
ings, expel Congress, and hold the town.
A declaration to the effect that the regular
Government bad been superseded was next
to be Issued, and Provisional President
aRd VicsPresideal to proclaimed on the
Ath Of March. The Departments, contain.
ing archives Of the government. were at
once to be occupied by provisional heads
aud orders promptly issued thereform to the
Army and Navy. caliming from officers every.
where obedience to the authorizes 10 pos.
session Of the capital TO the Government
De faes0. At the time, the foreign Ministers
were to be called upon to rsecguize the new
authorities, aud TO announce the saccess Of
q peaeefui revelation 10 the United States,
to their several Governments .as zee as
II was expected that this progrsmme,
which, but FORTS pretnsture expofuro. might
have been easily carried oct, would divide
the allegiance of the Amy snd Navy ev-
erywhere, eoufounding the officers by, its
audscity, so that all whose sympathies or
procllviiIes were with the South, woold
have reasonable ezcnse 10 ke oser to The
revolutionary Government withOat being
amenable to the charge Of deliberate trsa-
sou. In this way the Southern Slavehold-
ing Confederscy expected to get its start
before the world, aud be ready 70 maintain
its claim TO the Asg. aud to be considered
the actual possesser Of the Government Of
the United States II would have the
great advantage of being in coatrol Of the
National csaital and National archives, snd
Whatever portion Of Army aud Navy II
might be able TO sedace. Whatever con.
tests, successful or otherwise. might have
grown out Of this attempt, q great object
would have been gained. The military and
naval force Of the country would have been
divided. and foreign nations made to doubt
and hesitate aud delay, before being able
to decide whether the de jKfe or the de foe
to Government Of ths United States was
actually in power. v7ll- A aa.i =
If as we have said, the plot had not been
unexpectedly exploded, BY the discovery oi
terror, where Floyd was implicated. and by
Major Auderson's occupation Of Fort Sum
ter, it might have been executed with Just
as much ease and saddenness as the seizure
of the Florida, Georsis, Alabama, and
Louisiana forts has been executed by the
rebels in those states. It here to be re-
marked that the revela tion Of the conspira
cy by Floyd was accidental and unpremedi-
tated Through fear that his confederates
would distrust bis good faith 10 The com
mon treachery he demanded Anderson's re
turn to Fort Moultrie, and as q means o
extortiug that concession from the Presi
dent, he resigned, supposing FROM previous
experience that Mr.. Buchanan would give
way. Bnt it so happened that he did not
Floyd Immediately saw bis mistake, and Of
fered TO remain, as Is stated ly the Presi
dent in bis letter accepting Floyd's resig
nation. But it was now too late. II wa;
said at the time, and has been said ever
since, that the conspirators was thunder
struck at this faux pas Of Floyd. at any
rate, they we're loud in its condemnation
They supposed it would prove fatal to theiI
cherished plans, aud the event has showI
that there was reason in the opinion.
But the conspiracy is by no means de-
stroyed It's total defeat, even now, de
rends upon two grave contingencies, ye
undecided. One is, whether Maryland vii
be held back from seeding and the othe
is, whether the military preparations IL
Washington are adequate to the emergency
The rebels are desperate, as they have beer
from the start or course, they now labo
under the great disadvantage of seeing
their plans exposed, and Of being oustec
+. from their Influential positions in the Gov
ernment. Still, what they can do they will
do and if they can yet succeed 10 taking
Maryland out, along with the other seceed
ing states, they viii unquestionably under
take to carry Washington with them also
Then it can only be preserved by force o
arms. And how are troops to be conveyed
to Washington from the North, with Mary
land engaged in the rebellion, Baltmort
10 the hands Of an armed mob, and railroaC
communication cut of 7 1t is even posi-
ble that the defense Of Washington may
have TO be begun on the soil Of Maryland
Such is the outline Of the atrocious con
spiracy to overthrow the Government anC
take possession Of the capital, as it cireu
lstes 10 the highest political circles of Wash
ington. We know that no doubt is ther
, expressed of it's being substantially correo
by those who have the best opportnnitie
! of knowing the truth. And we repea
that there is no certainty that some suo
: scheme Will not yet DO carried cu
The most determined efforts are still Q
} foot to force Maryland TO ssoede, and u
} movement is extremely threatening and 70
+ midable. If 1t succeeds, nothing Is certaI
r in the future but hght With the rebels fC
: the possession Of tho Federal capital. .-