The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-11-04

Dodd, Bowles aud Bullitt were pres
cnt. Dodd said they arranged there
to release the rebel prisoners ut John
sons Island, Camp Chase, Ohio,
Camp Morton, Indiana and Camp
Douglas, Illinos, and the released
prisoners at Camp Douglas were to
release those at Rock Island. At the
same time they were to rise in Louis
vile and seize the Government stores
and property. Bingham was aston
ished. Dodd wanted mass meeting
called, under pretensc of opposing
the draft and instructing the Chicago
delegates. Bingham refused. Dodd
wanted him to call Congressional
Convention to nominate a Congress-
man, rs cover for his revolution
Bingham refused. Dodd went to Nc
Donald to have him influence Bing.
ham to call the convention. Bingham
thought he ought to reverse the plot.
and tried Mcdonald with the watch
word, what success to know wheth-
er the secret had been intrusted to
him. He found it had not, and i'm
parted it to Mcdonald on August 4th.
They could not determine,what to do.
and agreed to meet again. Next day,
while going home, he met Mcdonald
Kerr, of New Albany, and said, What
success He answered, "Do you
know anythingp The people are all
alarmed in our part of the State, in
Washington, Harrison and Floyd
counties, with tic idea that revo-
luton is in progress. They are SELL
ing their crops because they think
greenhacks safer" Kerr went on and
revealed Dodd's scheme. Both then
went to McDonald's Kerr told him
this plot. Bingham did not then tell
Mcdonald of his withdrawal from the
Order, but was understood to still
belong. Kcrr's Information involved
DR.. Athon. Morton was to be put
out of the way, and Athon to be Gov
ernor. They went to Athon's house.
called him up, and he denied any
knowledge of the plot They met at
McDonald's office next morning and
invited prominent Democrats to meet
them. Mcdonald, Judge A. l..
Roche, VIM. Hutchinson, Aquilla
Jones, Samuel II. Buskorn, Jos.
Ristine, DR.. Ycagle, Col. Caldwell
and others were there. Kerr told his
story. They said the revolution must
he stopped. Dodd and John c. Wal
ker were called in. They did not
then acknowledge anything about it.
At first Kerr told Bingham that il
they would not abandon it. it was his
interest to inform the authorities and
have them arrested. Dodd and Wal
ker then spoke very earnestly about
ipublic aliairs saying the Government
could not be restorC d under the old
state of ,hings, and nothing would
save it but forcible revolution. An
appeal to the ballot. box was futile;
the people would resist the draft, and
they ought to direct the revolution,
rathe than let it direct them. Dodd
and Walker promised to stop it, and
it was understood they sent such or.
dcrs to the various counties Bino
ham didn't inform the authorities be.
cause he thought they knew it, be-
cause it was agreed that notice of the
uprising should be given by publish
ling barbecue near Louisville. The
revolution was to take place the day
after the barbecue. Kerr said Bul.
litt, and other prominent members of
the order were arrested because of
that notice; and that many left the
State for Canada. Bingham thought
this so i'm ,ortant- that he called the
Democratic Central Committee to-
gether August 18th, to consult on its
effect on the party. Another reason
why he did not inform the authorities
was because he didn't wish to iniure
his parry in the coming election. There
was danger of that, if the revolution
was made public. Dodd was here for
two weeks and Walker for ten days.
He told them he would be arrested
and they left. Dodd claimed that the
scheme was true until Kerr charged
it upon hun. At the two days meet
ing of the Central Committee, August
10Th, this revolutionary plot was dis
cussed. They said the plot must be
dropped. Walker was called to that
meeting and assured the Committee
that it was stopped, August 1lth.-
Walker told Bingham he must be at
the Bates House to meet the rebel of
ficers from Louisville, who were to
consult him while en- route to Chicago
to release the rebel prisoners there,
and notify them that the revolution
was postponed. In August, about the
time the arms were found in Dodd s
building, a messenger brought him q
communication, from Dodd and Wal
ker, then in Chicago, protesting to be
addressed to the Committee of thir-
teen, asking its publication in the
Sentinel. He examined it, and re-
fused to publish it. They proposed
to publish It at Dodd's Office, but
Bingham having an interest, said they
should not publish it, and seutit back
to Walker, who said he wrote the ad-
dress, and signed Dodd's name as
Chairman Of the Committee of thir-
teen. Dodd was Grand Commander.
The members were sworn to obey
him implicitly in this revolution.
Dodd expected assistance from mem
bers of the Order who came up to the
mass meeting of August 10th. Bing