East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-04-01
X. q. c. CALUMNY EXPOSED.
Report OF the Committee Of the
Illinois Constitutional COnyem-
tion ON the Golden Circle Cal
umny.

In the Illinois Constitutional Conven.
tion, on Wednesday, the 10Th inst, Mr.
Thornton, from the special committee tc
whom was referred the subject of investi-
eating the charges made in the editorial
columns Of the Chicago Tribune, and in
its correspondence from Springfield, that
some Of tho delegates were Knights Of
tn. Golden Circle, &C., made the follow
ing report. 1t will be observed that the
committee thoroughly Investigated all
the charges which were made, sending
for witnesses from all portions of the
State, and examining nearly every mem.
Der Of the convention
"The special committee to whom was
referred certain preamble and resolutions
in relation to the disloyalty of the mem.
bers of the convention, having had the
same under consideration, examined a
large number of witnesses, and exhausted
all their sources Of information in the in
vestigation of the charges, have instruct
ed me to make the following report:
"The reporter to the Chicago Tribune
who wrote and published the charges was
examined at great length by your CON-
mittee, and his sworn statements and
suggestions, though only amounting to
the yaguest rumors, were carefully inves.
tigateu
1.-The reporter used the following Ian
guage, viz 1t is rumored that within a
few of majority of the members of the
convention are members of the Knights
of the Golden Circle. In the Chicago
Tribune of the same date in which the
foregoing was published, the statement
was made in the editorial that one MEM
Der had been engaged in reasonable
correspondence with the rebels against
the government.
"The committee was instructed to in
vestigato the charges and report to the
at was not thought prudent to present
the numerous unfounded rumors and
baseless insinuations, aud thus pander to
a vitiated taste by publication of frivo-
lous matters affecting the fair name and
the loyalty of delegates. In justification,
however, Of some members, it was tho't
necessary to produce some of the evil
dence. A letter was handed to the COM
mittee by the reporter of the Tribune,
Mr.. Jos. X. G. Forrest, dated February
10, 1862, beginning with the words, Sc
cessionists in the State Convention 1t
then charges that 'R. M. Wilson, dele
gate from Tazewcll county, said, few
days since, in a conversation at the rail
road station (Cruger), that he hoped our
government would speedily acknowledge
the independence of the Southern Con-
federacy, aud that Illinois would go with
her.
"The writer of this letter was address
ed by the chairman Of this committee,
and the following is his reply of date,
February 26, 1862, viz:
"'The letter written by me to the
Tribune was done by invitation, and was
based upon the statements of others. l
have seen the delegate, Mr.. Wilson, and
would refer you to him for information.
As to the truth Of those charges, am not
prepared to say. But, from what have
heard since, / am Of the opinion that the
language was not used on that occasion
that it is attributed to the honorable del
cgate.'
"Beside the denial contained in this
letter, the affidavit of the author Of said
letter was obtained, in which he stated
that in justification to DIR. Wilson, as
the matter has been understood by me
since writing the foregoing letter, (mean-
ing the letter to the Tribmas,) it contained
an incorrect statement of facts as they
occurred In addition, the committee
was furnished with the atfidavits of three
persons who heard the conversation at
the railroad station mentioned in the
letter, and one Of them was the person
with whom DR.. Wilson was engaged in
conversation while he was waiting for
the train. These affidavits show conclu-
sivcly the falsity of the charge against
the delegate from Tazewell, and the ia
cility with which conversations may be
grossly misreprescnted.
"Mr. Forrest, in his testimony, detailed
the various rumors he had heard; that one
member Of the convention had commits.
sion from jefferson Davis for position
in the rebel army; that lady had assert.
ed the same as fact; that within three
of majority of the convention were
members of the Knights Of the Golden
Circle; that one member made the dccla-
ration to a friend that the convention
was LAP up which, as interpreted by Mr..
Forrest, was the watch-word of the or
der; that the Governor of the State had
letter proving reasonable correspond
cnce on the part of one member; that
there was list at the United States
Marshal's Office which embraced the
names Of the secession members and
other reports Of a moro trihing character.
"Your committee instituted an inquiry
into the the truth of each Of the afore.
said rumors. The testimony Of every
person whose name was suggested and
who it was supposed had any knowledge
in regard to such rumors was procured.
Almost every member Of the convention
was sworn and examined thoroughly
The lady referred to as having stated
that delegate was, or intended TO be, a
commissioned officer in tho rebel army,
Indignantly denied any knowledge Of any
snch matter. His Excelcncy, the Gov