Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-01-07
The Cathcart Conspiracy.

kF'o" "s No'nmuhs EAPfeosl
When, on the week subsequent to our State
Election, our State Commissioner Of Com
mon Schools, (Cathcart, and others, were
arrested on charge of reasonable conspiracy
against the Government, some persons oi the
copperhead persuasion we're disposed to
make merry over the affair, and to laugh at
what they facetiously called the Great
Scare" We confess that at first we were
been made week before the election in
stead Of week after, we might have yield
ed somewhat to the suggestion that the at
tiuns for effect upon The elections But
when. on the examination before the u. s.
Com missioner, Mr.. .Cathoart, who Was prin-
cpally implicated, failed to procure bail,
and in default was committed to prison, we
began to think the affair rather serious, and
not 30 much laughing matter as his friends
had seemed to suppose.
Directly our Government was officially
advised, through the British colonial au-
thorities, Of the existence in the Colonies OF
formidable conspiracy to oinvsde our North
ern frontier, and commit vast sp0Iiation up
on the cities bordering upon the Lakes, and
release the rebal prisoners on Johnsonis
Island. The affair then began to loom up
! ~ oil its proportions--and those who laugh
! cd at the beginning, have sisce maintained
. more digni6ed silence on the subject.
1t now appears that the conspiracy was
concocted, and carried forward under the
immediate auspices OF the so called Confed
crate Government, and is officially avOwed
by the functionary styling himself Secretary
OF the Navy. Here is an extract from bis
Report made ut the recent As sembling oil
tho Rebel Congress at Richmond:
During the months of July and August
| sent twenty-seven commissioned officer.
and forty trustworthy petty officers to tn.
British Provinces, with orders to organize
| an expedition and co operate with army Of
Acers in an attempt to release the Conied
in Lake Erie. From time to time I Learned
that the arrangements were such as to in
sure the most complete success. A larg,
amount OF money had been expended, an,
4 just ~ our gallant naval officers were abou
to set sail on this expedition, the Englisl
authorities gave information TO the ene,n.
and thus prevented the execution of one O
the beat planned enterprises OF the presen
wnr."
/ There can be little doubt that rebel ennis
| saTios uIe scnt through hH TIC prlncipa
towns, and that they are in constant com
nunication with their fellow rebels outsid
Of our military lines. The seizing and plum
dering OF the steamer Chesapeake, and tn
murder Of her engineer, was unquestionabl
u PAN OF this systematized mode Of proceed
ing. 1t may be a very smart thing for thos
who are open and avowsd rebels TO engag
in these daring enterprises. They have, I
paliate their enormi'y, the meIi, ofcourage
But how should the exposure of their plan
bring shame to the cheeks Of their confsd
erates, who dwell among US, aud claim ant
receive the protection Of the very Govern
ment they seek privily to zap and oyer
throwl What must be the self searchin
and conscience-reproving reflections Of ma
J who is really a n,dn-that lives in con
stant intercourse with his neighbors, enjoy
ing their confidence and participating i
their welfare, and yet stealthily, trsachel
ous'y, conspiring to compass their ruin2-
! No one not a traitor to God, to bis Country
and his fellow-man, could endure tho o.
deal. -,