, 1863-03-16
AN INFAMOUS PLOT DE-
FEA'EEDs
How tlac Indiana Coppcrheads tried
TO open the way for tic incuEs1on OF
Kentucky Guerillns.


RI,
It Is proper that the people living in the
understand tho Infamous plof cnrcactn5 -,
the late Legislature by which they were to hn m
made Il sacrifice to the Kentucky onc-;1,as w
In the month Of December tic Goyernor lsits sta .
1iored Ten conpan!es Of thu 9th Indiana Cav
airy at convenient points on tue Ohio 3.::rer
to protect the State from invasion by Ken
lucky gucrillas. A resolution, prepared By
Mr- Nfblack, passed the House calling upon
the Governor to withdraw such portion Of the
9th cavalry as was stationed in Spencer
county, and declaring that the Legion Of that
part Of the State was sufficient for its protec-
tion. Afterwards, on the 18th Of February.
the Democratic members from the counties
bordering on the Ohio river, from New Al
hany down, presented to the Governor the
following written request:
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. Is, 1863.
The undersigned Senators and Representatives
from the Firet and Second Congressional Districts
Of Indiann. respectfully request his Excrllency
Governor Q. r. Morton to, ilse his Influence to
hare the 5th Indiana Cavalry removed from the
border counties Of eail Districts.
J.W. Lemon. G. II. Finch.
Thos. = Garvin, John Lcmmon,
Ei;jah 5H5 l. f. r.: sp,snecr, "a: "a hoEsrd, 9"i
S.M, Holcomb. nos. Ryan,
y. q. DrBrn1er, Il. J. Hardin,
~. Fn5Iaa WILLIAMS 5tn;a 5imeson A., Lee; sS:r
The argument by which this Eas enforced
was, that the Legion was entirely sufficient to
protect the border counties from all violcuce
lcging that the presence Of tie 5th cavalry was
a source Of irritation among the people where
they were stationed. The 5th cayalrT being
greatly needed In the field, and In pursuance
q 4 request upon the part Of Major General
Wright, the Governor thereupon ordered them
to Kentucky.
At that time the Military bill had been
brought into the House, but 1t was declared
hy the Democratic leaders generally that it
would not pass and should so no further. On
the 18th Of February, eeyen days after this
transaction, the Military bill was suddenly
dc!cd to be cngrosEed by 4 strict party vote,
and would have been passed immediately had
not the Union members withdrawn.
Every member of the House who signed the
application to withdraw the 5tll cayAlty voted
tor the cnErossment Of the bill. The 2lth
rcsoking all commissions and dissolving all
companies under that law. The 22d section
required the Assistant Quartcrnaster on the
staff of the Major General to disarm every
military organization in the State, call in all
the arms and hold them In his possession,
subject to the orders Of the Attorney Gene.
raj. Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor Of
State. That part Of the section reads US fol-
lows;
And should any difficulty arise in tho co11cc-
HOE 81 such arms, aerontTrments, OF munitions,
the MAJOR General, OF any member of his staff,
may Fepesy the sanc. in the name OF and on behalf
Of the State Of Indiana. The arms. accoutrements
asd munitions belonging to the Stale, shall Be Kept
N coed order, and in safe place, By the said AS
sittaut 4uatfcTmaster General, aud Issued by him
in accordance with the directions Of the officers Of
State; the expense thereof on account rendered
and verified BY affidavit shall b. paid out Of the
State Treasury on the warrant Of the AUDITOR
The dimensions of the plot can now be
seen. First, the cavalry were to be with
drawn; then the Legion was to be disarmcd
and the arms carried of and placed under the |
control Of the Attorney General and COM
Pany; and thus all the military force would |
be removed By which the incursions of the
Kentucky rebels c0uld be repclled, and the |
people would be left helpless before their |
enemies. 1t has been said in circles here |
since the Legislature has been in session that |
time had come when Democrats had nothing |
to fear from a rebel invasion, that their per
sons and property would be scrupulously re-
sPectcd, and that robbery and murder would
Union citizens. In the light Of this sugges- |
tion NC can read the history of the internal |
plot The evidence is upon the record, aud |
is conclusive, and we ask the people Of tho |
border counties what they think Of the plot |
and plotterse What do they think of the
men who can deliberately conspirc to expose |
Il part Of their fellow citizens to robbery and |
murder By withdrawing from them all protcc-
tion while their ferocious enemies are stand
ing impatient]y upon the opposite shorc Of |
the river, awaiting the hour when they can