Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-07-31

The Charges Against Governor Seymour.
Some days agoRs madementiOn offs very
grave and startling charge made against
Governor Seymour, by one Of his appoint
ees to Colonelcy, to wit That he de-
signed to get the State militia into his
hands and then use it to resist the draft.
It was asserted by one Captain sakhlenOn
and Lieutenant Petit who declared
that Colonel McRae had 50 expressed
himself to them. The Colonel denies that
he made any such declaration. Where
upon, the officers publish in the LockpOrt
Journal, afidavits, setting forth the facts.
The captain narrates the circumstances
under which the conversation was had,
and then adds:
HThe following is the conversation as
near as I could remember, copied in my
memorandum few hours after it occurred
H He said to me about noon, did not
want the Office of Colonel in this district,
but as it was pressed upon me by men that
I knew to be right for the Governor, 1 &C
cepted. I will say to you but confidential
ly, lat this time looking over his shoulder
toward the room in which Mrs. NJ. was at
work, and drawing his chair closer to me,
speaking in lower tone than he had been
| using) the object of this is TO get the
| militia force into our hands-have proper
men appointed-so if the Governor wishes
to resist the National Draft, which he in
tends to do, as he thinks it unconstitu-
tional he can do SO safely, for he then will
have proper men in Office over this Nation
al Guard, SO as TO control it to his wish, re-
sist the draft, and the people cannot help
themselves as they will have 10 military
that they can control to their wish. Ihave
this from headquarters, from gentlemen
/ who saw the Governor on this subject. II
is not only my own view of the matter, but
/ the Governors and onr party
"And deponent further says that al
though answers to several questions ask
ed him at various times and places have
received different interpretations, he has
on no occasion since, used any language
to any one, denying the substance of the
above conversation. And further, depOn-
ent says, that he never applied in any
manner or at any time for a position on
| Colonel MeRae's staff, but on the contrary
Il AuIludllOuB WGEB klNgA ny NulonCA AAOANtAC
that he, Captain Sakhlenou, might expect
position in case of his cooperation with
the proposed regimentsl organization.
STEPHEN SAKHLENOU.
Sworn before me the 9th OF July 1868
A. HOLMES, County Judge.
Lieutenant Petit, of Wilson, makes the
| following affidavit relative to a cOnversa-
tiyn had with Colonel McRae on the
same subject
STATE OF NEW YoRK, ....
NIAGARA COUNTY.
William o. Petit being duly sworn,
says that I saw William MeRae in she ev-
ening of July seventh. 1868, at the Onta-
rio Aouse in the village of Wilson. De-
ponent Gays, in a private conversation,
Mr.. McRse said in substance as follows
l did not want the office Of Colonel in
this district, but as it was pressed on
me by men that knew to be right for ouI
Governor, accepted. will say to you
| but confdentially, the object Of this is tC
get this militia force into our hands, have
proper men appointed, so if the Governor
| wishes to resist the Rational Draft which
he intends to DO, az he thinks it uucOnsti-
tutiOnal, he can do so safely, for he then
will have proper men IN Office over this
National Guard, SO as to control it to his
wish, resist the Draft and the people can
not help themselves, as they will have nc
military that they can control to their
wish. l have this from Headquarters,
from gentlemen that saw the Governor on
this subject. 1t is not only my own view
of the matter, but the Governor and our
party" VIM. o. PETIT.
Sworn to before me this 23dl
day of July, 1868.
]. H. WILLY, Justice of the Peace.