Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-09-25

fRurehaNiuH ABenN fOT hAuaHotN.
In the early stages Of the rebellion, afier
South Carolipa bad pnssed her SECESSION or
Edinanet and theiofhef Confederate States had
initiated secession measures, and the forts, afsen-
ais and 'Odstoh' Houses hAd beon seized, but
while yet most Of the conspifators held their
seats in Congress, and there prosecuted the
plot the following lettef froui Mr. Vallhndigbam
was received by the house Of b. Kittridge 4 Co.,
Of this city, alhigltly honorable ,6rm, doing
large business in the gun trade, and, previous 10
rebellion, hnving a heavy tfade with the South;
r HoUsE OF RErHssxra11vEs, ..s61
a WAsHISeros, D o. January l6 1861 s.
Kittridgs d o., Ci,Icinnati, Ohio: ff
GESrs;--A friend Of mine, member Of the
House. desires to purchase seventy five or more
Mimic muskes of the same kind you furnished
Col. King, of Dayton, for the Zouaye Guards,
and at the same price, $9 If you can furnish
seventy five, or perhaps a good many more, send
me one hereby express as a sample, at once.
q. L. .VALLANDIGHAM
\ P. Slow about the accoutrements2 f
I The intelligent reader willnotice the compile
hensve points in this ostentatiously casual, and
laboriously off hand note. The firm which has
handed us this letter append the following ex-
PLANTATION: sslf ~ -vlN q
CISolNSATr, Sept. IL.
DDs. GAzErrE:-we think the inclosed letter,
with a word Of explanation, viii convince any
one who at present doubts the fact that Nallan-
| digham is really engaged for the rebel cause.
| First it must be borne in mind that when
this rebellion broke odt, NE had the reputation
of being largely engaged in supplying arms to
the South. 1t must also be borne in mind that
for some time after tlierebellionwas in progress,
by the river and otherwise, this city was uIire-
stricted by direct military or civil orders, from
trading with the South Then, we ask, what
friend Of Vallandigham who was member of
| u
this negotiation with as? Is there any other
! fair presumption than that he was Southern
member2 If this memberwas a Northern man,
would he have applied to Vallandighain for in
formation, or would either he or Yallandigham
have applied to us instead of applying to the
| New York or Philadelphia dcalers2
1t win be observed that seventy-f guns
are named, {" or more" aud then, TO imply
| large transaction, perhaps good many more"
Our Mr.. Kittridge had been engaged in the gun
| trade in New Orleans since 1852. And so gem
eral was the belief that we were supplying drms
! 10 the South, that we received a very large num-
Der of orders daily from the slave States, so
large that we were obliged TO employ a special
correspondent to answer such letters When it
was apparent TINT we could not openly ship
arms South, we were asked TO smuggle in vari-
Gus ways, such as TO pack army revolvers in dry
goods to pack them IN tin cases. put the cases
in lard oil barrels, and then fill the barrels with
OIL ETC., etc, Great faith was placed in both-opr
inclination and ability 10 get the arms through
4 in the most unlimited quantity, even long after
the fall of Fort Sumter Especially when we
received Vallandghams letter, it was the cur
rent belief both North and SoutlI that we were
ready for unlimited negotiations of this charac-
i ter. The Gdzette and other papers had long
editorials on the enormity. The Indiana Leg
islature thought it a fit matter for special legis
lation, until finally mob came to destroysour
stock.
I 4 .Hr t .r . n q % H.. . .
This =, friend of mne,'' tire member of the
House, who wanted seventy-6ye muskets, is
represented as having fancied the muskets
; Kittridge & Co. sold Col King, of Dayton.
That of course, was the reason why he wanted
to purchase at Cincinnati instead of at the near
er and perhaps larger markets of Philadelphia
and New York. Bat it seems that the friend
of mine bad not seen the muskets and Mr.
IVallandigham wants a sample one sent by ex-
press, If Kittridge d Co. can furnish seventy
five or perhaps good many more,,' Here
I Messrs Kittridge d Co. had the vista of big
trade, with Mr. Vallandigham as agent for all
the friends of mine who wanted Mimic
muskets, with sample rnusket in his room, and
the price at which any number could be fur
: nished. lla as ,ia Gp = 10 viais
There We're a good many of the friends Of
mine " who wanted muskets at that time"
good many more than they could get and Mr..
lVallandighaIn was Just the person to act as pur-
chasing medium between them and the North
ern merchants, to supply the rebel conspiracy
| with arms. ee F.g .l.no4ff e.sef s75ll
I But the postscript is peculiarly feminine.
/ . How about accoutrements 2 . A mere casual
inquiry--an after thought, suggested by the
mention of muskets Announcements follow, of
course if muskets are to be bought. Say sc-
coutrements for twenty-five, or perhaps good
many more. How about them2 This was ex-
pec,ed to bring sample of accontrements by
4 express with the price of which Kittridge &
] Co., would furnish seventy five, or perhaps a
/, great many more. " A 'esi
Thus Mr.. Y Yallandigham expected to be set up
in business as agent for supplying this Confed '
eracy with arms. Messrs. Kittridge & Co.,
having been largely in the Southern trade in
guns, he supposed in accordance with the gem
: leral Democratic idea of tho influence of the
Southern trade, that their patriotism and their
souls had gone with it, and that they would en-
brace the opportunity TO enter into confden-
tal commerce with the Oonfedefates. But he
was mistaken in the men, and thus his fiattering
anticipations of aiding the rebellion fell through.
|, His noble ambition to exhibit a sample MIME
lnusket with complete accoutrements, in his
room at Washington, to the leading conspirators,
and to state to them the price at wh ieh Gin
Ginnati house would furnish any number, and
to transmit their orders, was disappointed, and
it is impossible to tell how much the rebel cause
has lost thereby. d9'aN sful a5sN
This letter is an illustration of the character
= Ol llle NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.; SuSakilR
2, cowardly, working industriously to commend
$ hinselfto his Southern masters, ambitious to
become panderer to their conspiracy, but always
: cautious to provide dodges and loopholes fol
escape a T.,
We suppose that in every honest mind the
evidence of this letter will convict Mr.. Vallan-
: digham of guilty completely with the rebel
conspirators, and ofap intention to furnish arms
e 10 them, 10 be used in levying war upon the
Government. How far this would go with a
jury we cannot say, but in the general judgment
OF honest men it will convict him of crime
whose deserts and legal penalty is hanging,
Yet we do not suppose that this conviction win
at all dsqualify him as the candidate of the foul
combination that has seized the machinery Of
It the Democratic party and put him in nominal
e tion. lr-,s-r1r .f
Y Ono Reason for Going 20 Church.
It Another reason why you should go to ChurcT
a on Sunday is that you need the intellectual
nourishment and stimulus which you can only
get there. / suppose that you do not often
consider the fact that the greatest amount OF
A NJ f6o sa L.,