The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-09-07
THE DEMOCRATIC CONSPIRACY OF
1868.
From the Correspondents Of the Cincinnati Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS. IND, Aug. 24.


luton. 1t was fact, well known 10 the
authorities in Indiana, that secret,
! traitorous organization. existed which
/ had assumed to control the action Of the
/ Legislature, Mr.. Cason, of Boone, in
! troduced resolution to raise committee
/ of inquiry as to its existncs and objects.
/ The Democratic members steadily scou-
/ ted the idea that snch a society existed.
/ They demanded in advance proof of its
existence before they would undertake
an investigation. Glancing over the
/ Legislative Debates of 1868, contain
/ ing an authoritative report of the dis
cussions by Democratic reporters, and
printed by them at the expense of the
State, | find direct evidence of its ex-
istence. and of the measures which it at
i tempted to force through the Legislature
+ in the interest of treason.
Page 6S. Legislative Report, contains
/ the following passage in the discussion OF
January u, 1868.
Mr. Hostetter said he had reason to
kno that there was a secret society OF
/ traitorous tendency in existence in his
+ county. His partner in trade was life
long Democrat.
Within two weeks this gentle
man had been invited by Democrats to
/ become Il amember Of a secret society, ex
! isting in Boone county. He asked the
+ object of the society He was answered
!, to suppress the rebellion which the Abo-
/ litionists had failed TO do How Will
/ you do it? lst, Refuse to pay taxes 10
/ support the Government. I'd, To resist
! futune drafts for the army. 3D., They had
i sent q delegate, representing five coun-
+ ties in a convention held in this city the
+ week before, to induce the President to
withdraw his emancipation proclamation.
/ They said if it failed, they would compel
! the majority to pass an ordinance OF Sc
cession to take Indiana out of the
/ Union"
/ The Democratic Representative of
/ Marshall county, Mr.. Packard, then re
! piled: 1T was the right of the people
to resist tyrants and usurpers; and he
] said, .,here, and now, he was ready to
JOIN any society to protect their rights
and liberties"
Mr. Burton (Democrat) acknowledged
the existence of secret Democratic socie-
ties.
/ Jason B. Brown, another Democratic
leader in the Legislature, became the
champion of the Order. He said:
He did not deny that, as the Enquirer
had said there were societies of as good
and loyal men as ever trod the soil of
this noble State. had banded together
for united protection; who had resolved
that they would spill the last drop OF
their hearts blood rather than that their
friends should be torn from their midst
by arbitrary arrests. 'These men had
declared that the outrages upon the
citizens by this corrupt and infamous Ad
ministration must stop.
The plea put forward by the Enquirer,
and by the members of the Legislature
for these societies, was the suspension of
the writ of habeas corpus, and arbitrary
arrests. Y ct the Committee on arbitra-
~ arrests were not able to find any glar
ing cases of arrest, which occurred prior
to the appointment of the Committee, and
did not report until weeks after the ses-
sion had closed. 1t was also admitted
by Mr.. Lasselle, a Democrat. in debates
on the habeas corpus law, that so far
there had been no violation of the law,
but they wished to amend the law so
, that there might be security against fu-
ture evasions or suspensions of the writ
There was then no cause for the crea
ton of this secret Order, but disloyalty.
Packard. Brown. Benton and Hanna,
reported to be members of the Order,
labored to enact laws acceptable to its
membership.
On page % of the Debate" we learn
that Mr. Cook. of Brown county, who
subsequently, offered the military BILL
requiring the militia TO take an oath to
support the State as paramount to the
United Stetes. offered a resolution of
inquiry in reference to amending the
military laws 50 .'as to place the military
power of the State in the hands of
majority of the following State officers
the Secretary of State, Auditor, Treas
urer, and Attorney General.
Mr.. Brown "was in favor of a Military
Board. taking out of the Governors
| hands the military power
This was the first admission IN the
Legislature that the military power was
10 be taken out of the handle Of the
Governor. SO that the Federal authority
might not be enforced in Indiana.
The debates under date Of Februa
~ ). 1868, state that b. W. Hanna in
troduced a bill '.to create an Executive
Council 1t constituted the four State
officers the Council, the Secretary Of
State being President, and the Attorney
General Secretary; permitting the Gov
ernor, if present, to preside, and in case
of tie, give the casting vote. No pardon
could be granted without the assent ot
a majority thereof" and 1.-The Council,
as such, shall discharge all other duties
imposed on them by law In case o.
emergency, it could meet at the call of
anv two members.
The bill was so notoriously designed
to strip the Governor Of his constitution
al powers. Mr. Branham moved to re
ject it Every Democratic member yo-
ted against its rejection In debate
the next day on the same bill, Mr.. Ander-
son, referring to the programme of
Packard & Co. said he understood that.
$50 far as the Executive of this State
was concerned, they intended to shave
him of his power by the appointment Of
Military Board. who would take the
military power out of his hands"