Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-17
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
{" A PLOT; A PLOT"

Every reader Of English history is familiar with
the large space filled in it by "plots." Ihere
was The plot Of the MAN," in the time OF James
l. said to have been concocted chiefly by sir
Walter Raleigh and Lord Gotham for the placing
of Arabela Stuart on the British throne with the
assistance of the Spanish Government. Then
came the plot of the "Bye," otherwise known as
"TAe Surprise" or the Surprising Treason" led
by Bsoke aud Sir Griffin Markham, with design
to surprise and imprison the King aud to re-
model the Government. Fellest of all was "the
Gunpowder pot" engineered by Catesby and sp-
pointed to be "touched off, by Guy Fawkes-a
scheme for destroying at one blow the King, the
roysl IA nily, the Lords and Commons, when as
sembled on the frat meeting OF Parliament in the
year 1904. At later day, in the time Of Charles
III, "plots" became endemic In Eugand. Pros
pero in his enchanted island was not more haunted
by spectres than the British people by plots
There was the Popish Plot" of Titus Oates, ac-
coriing to which London was to be fired in several
places by mysterious fre-balls, (csed Tewkes-
bury mustard pills ia the secret dialect Of the
conspirators J the Protestahts were to be mas
sacred all over the kingdom and :" the Black
Bastard (that ia, in the dialect, the King)
was to be succeeded by the Duke of York on con-
drion of receiving the own gift of the Pope
This plot says Hume, had q great influence
upon the elections" insomuch that :" all the
zealots OF the former Parliament were returned"
Next followed the Meal-Tub Plot" invented by
one Dangerfeld and adapted to the creiuity of the
times, the PresbyteriaDs taking the place of the
Catholics, the supposittious devils of the
yiece" This "plot," too, we need not say, was
an electoneerng artfce of the Church and Court
party who in view of its terrible disclosures broke
out into purple rash of loyal addresses to his
Majesty, King Charles II, pledging the most du-
tiful submission to his prerogatives, the most i'm
pcit confidence in his wisdom, and the deepest
adherence of those who endeavored to encroach
on his supremacy by p.titioning for reassembling
Of the Parliament. Hence the division of parties
in Eogland At this crisis under the popular names
of the I" Abhorrers" and the Petitioners"
With so good cry as was furnished by the
"Mcal-Tub Plot il was no wonder that the " Alb
horrers" carried the day.
But all these {" plots" fade into obscurity when
com pared with one which has recently engaged
the attention of portion of our sagacious con-
temporaries. The first intimston We had of this
modern conspiracy was conveyed to US through
tue columns Of that enterprising journal, the New
York Tribune, when, just day before the slection
an Ne,o Hampshire, We were startled by the fol-
lowing announcement quote from the Tribune
of March 7th:
an IntsrDiep bsoesn Gen Lee and Cen. Me cleaan.
"a written COMMUNICATION sent to ths Secretary
Of War Saturday last by former member of the Ma
ryand Legislature and cousin of the rebel Gen Lee
stating that during the battle Of Antiesm Gen Lee had
his headquarters at his house, that the night after the
battle he sent messenger into lines 10 Gen McCle
Ian requesting interview at his heafquarters that
Gen Mcclellan, accompanied by some Of his staH rode
that night through the rebel nes and bad long inter-
view with Gen Lee, who, among other things informed
Mcclellan that bis army ssing the Potomac The
writer hiss been subp9naed before the Committee the
Conduct OF the war"
Confruatory evidence Of this dark transaction
was furnished two days afterwards by the au-
thor Of the exposure, who appropriately sought
the columns of the Washington Chronicle to put
the veracious history of the "plot' concocted
between Gen. Lee and Gen. Mcclellan on its true
foundation, He wrote (or somebody wrote for him)
as follows
"WAsHISGToN, Marco g. 1864
ITO the Editor Of The Morning Chronicle:
In the New York Tribune Of Monday the 7th instant
there appeared the following article:
"a Interrtfto GetDten Gtn. Lee and Gen. MeCleHaH
q" written communication WIS sent 70 the secretary of
War Saturday Fl by Io rnber II The haryand
Leg tue, and cousin Of the rebel Gen Lee stating that
during tle Of AniietaLD y Lee lad his hgHdqus
81 his bouGe thai The night att the battle he cent meg
senger into Ens 70 Gen Mcclellan requesting AZ ttsI.
view Il hR Ecat quagters; hat Gen Mcclellan
by some he san, rode that night through the ebe H. -
and had lorg interview viii Gen Lee v ho stnorg OH
thi ps Informed Mcclellan that his army wac crosang n.
Poomrc The writer bss been SUBJ uenaed the Com
mittee the Conduct Of the War"
"'I wsh 60 correct many errors therein l. / am rot
cousin a. Gen Robert Lee. 2 NJ int. ryew cou have
taken place betwe,n he pas during The battle Of An
tetam A. my house l live about tea mites from that
place. 3 The interview took place three or our dsys
aterward- aud rather At the suggestion Of mutns
friend than courted by either party At the time of
the meeting Geu Mcclellan alone, and Gen Lee esrlr
through the res Of the United States army under nv
escort, having received solemn ,ledge Of personal
safety from Grn Mcclellan Tor US both. s The cCmnu
nitAtlon was net made by self he ntsryi. lasted
some three hours, during short part Of which time
was present F. W."
1t only remained to lift the mask Of this /" Z
W" The North American, Of Philadelphia, a
most grave and oracular sheet, performed the Ser
vice for an impatient public. In its number Of
Saturday last, the 18th instant, it said
The statement of an Interview between Gens McCleL
lan and Lee, while their facing one another
is apparently gaining credbility The doubtful cirCum
stances Of the allegation aIso acquiring substance
The r. w. who Informed the War DepS ,nent of The in.
terview is found T. be a Mr. + Waldron He IL in Gus