Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-08-12

Mr.. Hoss shows that after the battle, one
OF the soldiers was declaring his intention
TO adopt that course III his own future OPP
eralious, and referring to the Reverend
Bishop as authority tor his conduct.
HORACE MAYNARD
July 90, 1858,
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Jane %, 1868
Hon. II. Maynard:
DEAR SIR:-I take pleasure in comply
ing with your request TO give the sub
stance, and as nearly as possible, the Ian
guage, OF Mr.. -, Of Loulsiau9, In con-
versation which occurred between bin
and myself about three weeks before the
last Presidential election. | met with Mr..
- in the cars, some miles beyond
Jonesboro, Tenn, IN October, 1860. He
was then returning to his home In Louis;-
ana, from the city Of Washington.
BY accident, ] took seat Immediately
behind that occupied by Mr.. -, when
ne at once turned round and began to
make inquiries respecting the prospects OF
the different candidates for obtaining the
electoral vote of Tennessee. He express
ed great pleasure when | assured him that
Breckenridge could not possibly obtain
the electoral vote of this State and his
reasons tor il will give you as nearly as
may be in his own words. 81 am glad, y
says he, "that Mr.. Bell will get the vote
OF Tennessee, although | cannot vote for
him. l am Douglas Democrat, and
am fastening home to see what can be
done to prevent nay State from casting its
electoral vote for Breckenridge. / have
been in Washington since the first day OF
July, and tell you, now, sir, there is at
this moment on foot at \, ashington the
most damnable conspiracy to break M
this government that was ever known in
any civilized country. ! do not speak
from hearsay, sir, fer / have been III their
/ caucuses almost nightly for the last three
months, and | know the programme from
* to Z. And it is this If they can by any
means (Which IS utterly impossible secure
: majority OF tile electoral votes for Breck
inridge, ghen the scheme is, as soon as he
| Is lnaugurated and put in possession OF
all the resources OF the government,
to divide the country along Mason and
DiXOn's line, the Ohio river, and 90 deg.
80 min. north to the Pacific Ocean. In
otasr words, they intend TO cut loose from
all the free States, and TO build up great
slave COniederaey in the South, and to &C
c0mplIsh this purpoSe they will use all the
resources of the Government proper
But should they tail in this, Gas they as
suredly will, the plan Is for South CARROLL
ma to secede 5jrSt-tGe other cotton States
are to follow O think he mentioned the
order in which they were to go out but am
not pOsitive), the border States are 10 be per.
shaded or forced to join them in their I'M
holy cause, and then we are TO have such
8 civil war as this world has never wit
Vl-4EE - II q alnGi 81 / bod Lar,aI
a month or elk weeks ago, that MIR. Brock
inridge was ignorant OF all this matter
but have had evidence, as clear as the
MONDAY sun, that he is as deeply impli-
Gated as Yancey himself, and more than
that, Mr. Buchanan is into their scheme
up TO the eyes"
| have given the above statement in
almost the identical language used by Mr..
-. The whole affair was of so start
ling a nature that it made deep impress
sion upon my mind, and none OF the facts
have slipped NY momory.
In regard to a conversation which passed
between q rebel soldier and myself, sub
sequently to the battle OF Stones River,
| can only say, that he was advocating
tue propriety of raising the black. flag, and
declaring that he did not intend TO take
any more prisoners. | replied TO him, that
war was horrible enough under any cir
cumstances, but if waged on the principle
he advocated, the Southern people would
be regarded as worse than savages. To
this he replied by quoting Bishop Polk as
endorsing his views, saying, General
Polk told the boys, if they found any
trouble with the prisoners, he (the GeneraD
would not be angry If they did not bring
them IN" Whether he protested that be
heard this from Gen. Polk, or heard it
from others, l do not remember.
l have written this in great haste. But
feel sure that the facts are correctly stated.
hope 1t will prove satisfactory to you.
Your friend, truly,
ALFRED Hoss.