Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-04-09
Copperhead Preparations for ! Flre-in-the-Rear.


unprincipled men who have seized the direc-
ton of the Democratic party and have rush
ed it from one calamity to another. These
Democratic leaders, having pushed their des-
perate fortunes to the worst extremity, now
propose the last measure-in fact, they pro-
pose to rise or fall in the last ditch, and that
ditch is the organization of the Democratic
party in armed hostility to the federal gov
eminent. We invite a careful perusal of the
following extracts.
The Cincinnati Commercial says, editorially:
Governor Seymour will not follow the
counsels of the ultras of his party, and seek
an opportunity TO make war with the general
government. He has been vigorously press
ed to resist the draft, and drift into war
with the national authorities. Deputations
of Copperheads from the west have visited
Governor Seymour at Albany, and brought
pressure upon him, to take the head of
Northern instruction. 1t is proper to say
that Mr.. Daniel w. Voohees, of Indiana,
member of Congress from the Terre Haute
district, called to see Governor Seymour on
this business, and was exceedingly disguised
because he did not find the Governor ripe for
the rebellion"
The Washington correspondent of the same
paper, who is well known at Washington, un-
der date of March Sd, says:
avery little has been heard of this organi-
cation knights of the Golden Circle) of late
but they deceive themselves who think it is
not still in existence, or that it will not put
forth efforts more vigorous than ever, during
the approaching summer and fall, to accom-
plish its mission, which is directly the disaf-
lection of the Northwest on the subject of
the war and the restitution of the Union, and
Indirectly the establishment of the Southern
Confederacy, and the annexation to it of the
States of Indiana Ohio, and Illinois. Will
liam r. Morrison, Democratic Representative
from the Twelfth Congressional District of
Illinois, stated this fact to friend yesterday
Mr.. Morrison was for two years Colonel in
the army, and though now peace man, re-
fuses to join the Knights" though he has
been importuned to do so. He is well ac-
quainted with the leaders and principal men,
bers of the traitorous cabal, and knows
whereof he affirms when he says they will try
to get control of the elections in the North
western States next fall.
"a large number of Copperhead members
from Indiana and Illinois have gone home
within the past two weeks, and for no other
purpose than to organize the knights"
Among those who have gone is VIM. j. Allen
Representative from one of the southern dis
tricts of Illinois, the successor of Gen. Logan
This gentleman. it is well known, wanted to
organize the men of southern Illinois and put
them in the rebel army. He rendered the
command of them to Logan-so Logan charg
es him at anyrate-and it is not a secret that
in his district he did raise several companies
which he sent south, via Paducah, and which
were mustered into the rebel service in I'm
ion City. During General Grants campaign
in the Mississippi, l met rebel soldier who
told me that he was from southern Illinois,
and that he belonged to company raised by
Mr.. Allen.
"Senator Hendricks though, perhaps, not
member of the organization is pledged to the
establishment of a Northwestern Confedera-
cy, and the same may be said of every In
diana Copperhead in Congress, and of all the
leading members of that party at home
Judge Eckles, Jesse d. Bright, and all such
men,"
In this connection it may not be inappro-
pirate to quote the following from an edito-
rial in the Richmond Examiner of the Goth
ult.:
"While the political leaders are thus dill
gently arranging their platforms, Indiana,
we learn, has become more disloyal this year
than ever. So this year again
there are signs of trouble in the great North
west-not signs of peace with us, but of dis
Indignation and dislocation at home; gracious
this election may bloom and blossom into the
bloody fruit of revolution"
Col Morrison is well known in Illinois, and
if he has stated what this letter represents,
he has not spoken without knowledge. He is
not "war Democrat" though he fought
bravely and gallantly in the war, and at DON
elson received the wound that compelled him
to leave the service. He has been supposed
to have "peace" procivities, and his votes
in Congress have had that tendency. But
we quote his letter from the Commercial, be-
cause its statements are for the most part con-
frmed by private letter received few days
ago by the editor of this paper, from Dem
ocratic member of the House of Representa-
tives, in which he says:
| am informed by those who
know, that, on the - inst, the dark lantern
wing of our party, which is now, they claim,
| the most of 1t, meet at - to consider mat
| tiers of political concern. l would be glad to
know what these fellows do, for if they want
to go to hi, would like to have reasonable
notice. Let me know what is done. mean
what is done of political nature; what they
do towards instruction in the manly art of
self-defense,' and all that sort of stuff, that
am told they talk about at their meeting, is
| no matter. and -, and the whole
| tribe, will run at the first fire. But, if the
concern has the strength claimed for it, why
| it may do damage, by leading mentnto crime,
| folly, murder and ruin"
The extracts we have taken from the Re-
publican paper we give for what they are
worth but this letter is from person in
whose word we have the most unbounded
, confidence. We have suppressed the date
and place of meeting and the names of par
| ties mentioned, for reasons which may be
| given hereafter. Suffice it to say that the
convention of certain leaders of the Demo-
cratic party who have in view the destruction
of the country is fixed fact. They have
several schemes all tending to the same end.
| They desire, first, the defeat of our forces in
| the field They desire the overturning OF
the finances of the country in order to has
ten the public mind in an acquiescence in a
| general breaking up. They propose to force
| the Democratic party at the Chicago Conven-
ton into measures that will produce these re-
suits, and part of their scheme is to educate
the Democratic party to resist, by force, eve-
| ry act of the governments officers in the exc
cution of military power in the Northern
| States. If no collision of this kind can be
produced, or if produced, itfails to arouse the
| people generally, then Vdl2and,gbdna is to BE-
| brought back, and his re-arrest to be resisted By
force and If necessary By blood and revolution.
| The complexion of the National Convention
that meets here on the 4th of July will deter
mine the order of proceedings. If that Con-
| venton promises to be war convention OF
the Horatio Seymour kind, then an attempt
will be made, by previous violence and coils
4 To-, NTH 4La EadaraI nffiearS m foraa hal