Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-01-20
The Crisis sfou Revelations u TIssson.

Seen after the meeting Of the Indiana
and Illinois legislatures, the discovery was
made that plots were maturing to assisin-
ate Gov. Morton of the former and Gov.
Yates of the latter State, that various acts
of treason were about to be perpetrated,
among others the Selling of the Indianap-
els Arsenal and the several repositories OF
arms in various parts Of Illinois; also, that
laws were about to be enacted by the
legislatures Of those States which would SO
embarrass the array absent from and rep
resenting those States as to greatly hinder
the war. It was also discovered by let
tiers intercepted from leading men OF Pen
sysvania and Ohio that corresponding plots
oft reason, were at work in those States,
among other things the calling Of con
vention at Louisville to devise terms OF
settlement with the rebel Stats by a sep
aration Of the West from " England
and arrangements by treaty b jeff Da-
Wis (which the free navigation of the
Ohio should be allowed, conditioned that
the North Western States recall their men
from the army. 1t had been so managed
that the plot should ripen at any time of
some great failure of the federal arms and
a depression of spirits among union men,
at which time Vallandigham was to make
a great speech against the union cause IN
Congress while the so-called democratic
legislatures of Indiana and Illinois weret to
chime in by some astounding disloyal leg
islation. 1t was thought for some days
that the reyerses at Yicksburg and Spring
field Mo-, afforded sufficient discourage
ment to make a general rally Of treason in
the North quite successful; but it seems
The plottes got divided upon this and part
If them thought best to wait little longer.
VaIIandqham however made bis speech,
thinking the times ripe enough. ButWilat
more Immediately caused the failure was
the great discovery at Indianapolis OF the
whole plot to assassinate. Selling OF the Ar
senal and call of the rebel boosters to
arms. Some Of the union men have man
aged to get initiated into the secret club
meetings of the Knights of the Golden
Circle and be present when the full pro-
cramme Of treason was agreed upon. The
same happened at Springfield, Illinois, so
that tl,l cry next day the papers published
the details Of the plots entire, and the re-
suit was that the union members OF the
Indiana legislature retired in body and
left the legislature without quorum; Gov.
Morton strengthened his guards about the
Arsenals and hedged himself about with
union muskets. Gov. Yates defed the
assassins and told them plainly that he was
as ready as they for the worst. It seems
the plots were we'll known at Washington
through the agency of men engaged as ae-
tive workers with this secret orter Of trea-
son, but unreal friends of the order-men
who faithfully report all disloyal transac-
tions at Washington. 1t has been ascer-
tanned that there disloyal lodges are gain
inc in numbers and widening through the
country, having already active members #
not lodges in every county ofthe Northern
States. The numbers, names OF members
and locality of lodges are accurately known
at Washington, with every move Of mis-
chief. Such is their organization that near
IL all the democratic conventions OF last
FIJI were ruled by them and members of
the order were generally the candidates.
Ia the absence Of the Douglas leaders Of
that party who are generally in the army,
the Breckenridge men have seized upon the
democratic organization aud carried it cap
tive into open hostility to the union and
secret friendship for the rebel confederacy.
We think the late revelations will beget a
split among the masses of the party, who
are yet quite generally loyal. In the Sc
cret LODGES it is well known that the mass
es Of the party cannot lie relied upon at
present to cooperate with the leaders; Iut
they believe that by persevering clamor
AGAINST the admin stration, and particular,
" against the Proclamation, the party may
be pretty well united in few months for
an open war upon the union. It's some
what 10 doubt whether Gov. Seymour co
operates with these Northern traitors, for
he has kept his mind. Western democratic
leaders are claimed to a man for the trea-
son, but those Of New York and northern
Ohio are considered sAaky.