Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-04-09
a NEW CONSPIRACY.
Er-Pge,iscr, pierce Implicated.

CONSPIRACY AGAINST GOVERNMENT
In the Senate. March 25th, MIR. Latham said :
have q resolution that I shall offer, and 1 beg
the indulgence of the Senate while l make a
brief preliminary statement, ss l shall ask Tor It's
immedi ts consideration In the Boston Journal
Of Saturday evening, March %, 1862, appeared
tine following article:
"TREAsONABLE PLOT IL MICHIGAN.-Ihe
Detroit Tribune publishes a curious document re-
vealiug an attempt in that State last fall to or
Eauize q league iyr the purpose OF overthr0"lns
the Federal government. This object IS PLAINLY
svowe5 in a secret circular, which declares the
purpose of the movement to be TO rise ana
unite. if necessary, with the a. (army) OF the
$ South overrun the n (North) like a
hurricane. sweeping the a-(admIniatraion) INTO
eternity, or. at least. driving them into complete
and unconditional submission Tn document
is dated October . 1861, and says the league IS
doing noble work In Maryland and among the
soldiers at Fort Monroe, and that President P
president Pierce) in his passage has drawn
many brave and influential men TO the league
The Tribune says the original OF the document Is
now IN the State Department at washington,
and that it led to the arrest and imprisonment OF
several persons in Fort Lafayette. 1t was Gis-
covered that secret organizations existed in many
towns IN Michigan, and NJ numerous places III
Canada West"
This morning I received the following letter
from ez- President Pierce:
CONCORD, \. H, March q, leo~
MY DEAR STE: 7 incl5se a short notice from the Sat
urIay evening edition Of the Boston Journal warren ~
the substance Of which II is quite probable you may
have seen before. Having originated in Michigan ana
been reproduced IN Boston, 1t can hafuy De uo"''
that it has already secured @ wide circulation
The subject is not new to me. Il was the occasion OF
a correspondence between the Secretary OF state anI
my-tlf 4e early As December last. 7 thought IT Etdrou
a5le 10 suppose, at the close Of that correspondence
that the matter would cease TO attract notice.
Thi expectation not having been realized ana ts
offensive charge alleged 20 be based upon a uoc uno
the original Of which d" is now in the State Department
at Washington having been revived and extensively
published, viii you do ne the favor to mtrod"Se IN INK
Senate a resolution calling for the correspondents u
which / have referred.
It viii strike YOU. am sure, both upon public and
personal grounds that such imputations should not De
permitted thus 10 circulate unchallengrd- especlMly "I'h
an answer 20 them, At least 20 tr as lam concerned uis
been for months upon the files Of the FIRST department. VI
lam, very truly, your friend; etc. -sr
Hon. Milton S. Latham United States Senate, Washing
ton, DC.
Mr.. President, 7 shall offer the resolution in
my hand, and trust the Senate will permit It's
consideration ugw, for / deem it nothing more
than proper, not only TO this distinguished ind
yidual, but 70 the country, that the truth IN reia
ton TO the charge should be known, ana II a
malignant and base c~alumuy, t hat 1t should be
branded as such:
Bes0tred, That the Secretary Of State be re-
quest q 70 transmit 20 this body copies OF any
| correspondence which have taken place between
Hon William II. Seward, Secretary OF State
and Hon franklin Pierce, ex-President of the
United States, having reference to a conspiracy
against the government.
AIr. Chandler Hr. President
I'F.. T4ua- p-aerAaU+ fba Senator will allow
the chair first to ascertain whether there is any
objection 20 the consideration Of the resolution
Mr. Chandler. / wish 90 make some remarks
IN regard 10 the resolution.
The Vice-Presidant. They ere not in order
u less the resolution is before the Senate.
Nr. Howard. 1 hope there viii be no obJee'
zion TO IL
The Vice-President. The chair has no OBJ
lection, and the resolution is before the Senate.
Mr.. Chandler 4 cory Of that letter wa:
furnished by me 90 the State Department,
think as early as November last, and it Ia,
been in my hands since the 9TH or Sth day o.
October. / should desire to read to the Senate
the whole of the letter. Of which that is al
extract bUt it is at my room and have not gu
il with me q this time. The organization wa
most reasonable and infamous; it was wide
spread: and il received the attention of the
Stale Department, rs L think it should have
done. The writer of that identical letter-a DR.
| H0pkius-aas ON his way 70 accept a commits
sion as surgeon in tho Federal army when he
was arrested aud sent to Fort Lafayette. About
thsa time tue Knights of the Golden Circle,
as ! was informed and Hrmly believe, came Il
the resolution that iuey would be more patriotic
than anybody else chat they would rush int
the Federal army that they would put men, i
possible, In every regiment Of the Federal army
H - T-.-1.l- IL ia 900
Ia getting a large number of the worst traitor,
iu the United States into the Federal army, an.
they are there now. This man Hopkins sckuo~l
edged the writing Of the letter, bat undertook
20 cali it a joke. Well, sir, it was a pretty
serious joke. il had, perhaps, more intorma
ton than il IS necessary for me 10 dIvulge at thi
time in reference 90 the matter.
Mr.. Latham. ] DO not gaiusay anything tht
2 utlemau has said What | wish, and what
feel is due to the e vernment and the country
is TO know whether a person who has filed TIM
highest office within the gift Of the American
people, an x-President of the United States
is in any manner ~couHected with such an organi
cation It is due to him, and it is due to tn
country, that it should be known whether sucI
is the facts and that is simply the object of m.
resolution.
Mr.. Howard. L am very glad, Mr. President
that the Senator from California has presents
This resolution. 1 think it is alike due to ex
President Pierce and to the country that tn
facts, so far as they are attaiuable at the Stat
Department. should be obtained by the Senat
and spread before the country do not under
take TO say, nor TO intimate, that the papers Z
which allusiOn is made by the Senator TOr
California, will in any way implicate eX- Pres
dent Pierce. I do not know how that may be
viii not undertake to say. That there is sue
! . Laft.r A. noe hnar ras4~r.# IN nv INV aDIIa4 Orf
is c-Ituniy true; for I have syen the origins
with my own eyes, or that which is called Oh
original. I DaEeve, however, thai the r6sOrUtio
of nay friend from California does not require
copy Of that particular letter-the letter Of D
Hopkins l would inquire OF him whether it
broad enough TO cover that letter. Il calls sin
ply for any correspondence { at may have take
race between ex-Plesideut Pierce and the Stat
Department, and / think stops there; but l ma
be mistaken.
Mr.. Latham. Az the suggestion of the hor
0rabIe Senator from Michigan, l will amend m
resolution. so as 10 add at the conclusion of il
& and all other papers relating to the same -
Mr. Howard. hope that amendment viii b
made, 80 that We may have all the document
before the Senate l will GO farther-I do no
know that my friend from California william
suggest to him to extend his resolution so far a
b require the production of any written G
printed document in the possession Of this gov
eminent relating TO the organization and Pun
poses OF a secret combination known commoul
AS the Knights Of the Golden Circle. l will nc
move such an amendment now myself; but
suggest it to him, and if be viii move it, I sha
be very glad 10 have him do that also.
Mr. Latham. / think the resolution Is broa
enough as il is. That might involve matter
which the State Department might not deer
c1nduciye to The public interest to lay befor
f this body. I should certainly vote for such
resolution if it were brought in independently {
nay own bat think it is embarrassing the r,
solution J now offer.
Mr.. Howard. 1 will not offer it myself.
am quite satisfied with the extent Of the resolu
ton as amended by my friend from California
[ hope It wIl pass.
Nj. Chandler. viii the Secretary read th
resolution as 10 now stands
The Secretary read it, as follows:
Res0i5cd, That the Secretary Of State be d
rected to transmit to this body copies of an
c~orrespo adencs which may have taken plac
between Hon. William II. Seward, Secretary {
State. and Hon. Franklin Pierce, * president O