New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-19
Plots to AssassiEEase or kid-
nap President Lincoln.
NEGRO SLAVES AS SOLDIERS
THE SPRING CAMPAIGN
DEsTiTuTiON RICHMOND.
carsrron..enos Of Tho N. Y. Tribune.

A few weeks ago had the pleasure Of expos
log bogus letter Published by The Daily HeDs, pur-
pcriing to have been written by I. Butler King Of
Georgio This letter, as then stated formed part
bit only part of a scheme devised by Rebel politi
eass IN Richmond and Coppehcad leaders in the North
70 make political capital for the great Peace party.
They knew t would be readily Inferred by the NORTH
trn people tina: distinguished statesman and shrowd
politician as air. King would not, especially while
candidate for Office openly write letter expressing
desire on certain TO sheath the sword and restore
he UlioD pDlcss there thousands upon thousands
" others tbe Contedoracy entertaining similar seni
ents and they expected AFTER creating this impress
sion 10 be able by publishing from time TO time ether
bogus documents Of similar tenoi, 20 convince great
no.s of the Northern people that his Administration is
prosecuting the unnecessarily and that peace and
the Union could be restored without further boodshed
hy elecing Peace candidate t. the Presidency, &c.
Among the other documents prepared and sent North
with this letter petition what purported 10 DC
che 70 be presented 20 Congress, signed by large
namber Of SouthcrHers praying that Commissioners be
.ort or received by the Federal Government, or thai
AZ the States might be conyoked ia Convention to ne
sotats terms Of peace the basis Of reconstruction
TLis petition after a long preamble, continued There
fore We the undersigned loyal citizens Of the United
states pray" &c.
To obtain signatures for this document petition OF
very different import apparently designed for presenta
top 10 the Rebel Congress, prepared with several
cages OF .ooscap pasted together attached 10 H. upon
which the signeTs to put their names. Duplicates
were made and len at several barrooms in Richmond,
ard nan Was stationed with in the yestibue OF
the Post-ofee ~ s.ieit -gDstuIesj cad copies pre-
paved Ia the same syls wee sent to 7usty persons il
a. The principal cities Of the South sgners were re
ssested 10 write their places Of residence opposite the
sames, which was uniformly DONE In this manner
several thousand signatures were procured from oil
parts Of the Con,edcracy Tkey eiersard detached
,,cs. n. petition chick they he'd been sgHed andGp-
stassG The PeicS for peaes be presented 70 hs FED
t'el CeRs-ess
The documents were prepared with the same genera
Wow but it probable that the sad fate Of the Ksg
,er viii induce their possesors to Use them for waste
Isper or leave them 20 rust and midew in obscurlty
Iwin not Spend time TO describe them. have reeTred
e. ~; ,..;on in connection with the King letter the
mora ty W show the duphcity and srrant knaveIy OF
,he Copusrhead politicians and the @aehaveiian and
.ssporsble devices their Rebel friends are ready TO
resort to % assist them in their efforts TO baineoore anu
b.tray r-edulous and unwsry electors in the North
IN former communication stated that plan had
been submitted TO the Rebel War Department ~ Ooi'
xayeraye WHO Nsd beer Cor q considerable time "
eu,isssry In the North, to kcnap President Lincoln
and carry him to Richmond or ii II should be iouna
impossible TO escape with him to the Rebel hne' 70
ssssssinate him Owing to change IN the position oi
e armies about this time the plan proposed was rem
dsrsd impractiesble.
In the early part " November, and only rev dsys
before be was sent North, Col. Margrsve submitted
h A.. Of vhteh b1 interesting u
tie reader TO give the plan in mnutl@ would occupy
foo much spoce and digest Of il will prove quite intel
4gibe.
One hundIe ed and fifty picked men were TO 90 secre'!
North and take quarters in Washington, Georgetown
Ba,tiuore aud Alexandria. as TO be able to eommu
uieste daily with each other and upon a day liked by
rter leader were 70 assemble in Washington for the
p1rpose n making the seizure. The President u was
claimed coud be easily seized at quiet hour al the
White House or in going 10 or returning from cburch'
or On some other favorable OCCASION and thrust INTO
carriage aud driven off, The carriage was to be joined
few miles ont Of tie city by twenty-five OF thirty
armed men, on horseback 1t proposed 70 drive to
Indsn Peilt about twenty i've miles south Of Wash
iag;on on tie Potomac-two or three relays OF nee;
horses being stationed the wsy-wlere boat was to
be in waiting to cross the river ard land the captive
few miles south Of Uccoouan, when 1t would be an easy
matter for his captors TO work their wsy with him
through the woods by night into the Rebel lines To
prevent pursuit every bridge between Washington and
Indian Point was 10 be mined beforehand and blown
I'D as soon as the captive and his capors had crossed
Hgge trees we're also to bo ready cut and thrown across
the road in various places soon as they had passed
BY aen stationed along for the purpose who were aieF
wards 10 separate and escape as best they could
Tie Secretary Of War thought this scheme might
succeed; but he doubted whether such a proceeding
wculd be Of military character and justifable under
The laws Of war; He promised however ~ consult the
President and Mr. benjamin; but what conclusion was
arrived Of sm unable with certainty to say About
week however after the plan submitted, and the
same day that Col Margraye left for the North asked
Nj Wexford. who is familiar with all the secrets Of tAc
Department, II the Plaza bad been adopted. and he
answered You will see Old Abe here ia the Spring
sure 90 God" A few days afterward was sent u
Atlanta and never retusned to Richmond to hear abou
tie matter.
But this is not the only scheme by any means that ha
been devised Tor kidnapping President. Last Sum
club society of wealthy citizens OF Richmond
was formed for the purpose OF raising fund for this
object. Circulars sent to Trustworthy citizens II
every other city and town in the Confederacy. iny
ing cooper alton in the grand Undertaking and an i'm
snense sum OF money subscribed The firm Of
MsaIy & Co.. bankers. in Richmond. subscribed slo
90, and SuInncr & Arents, auctonecrs subscribed
s. O0C and have heard good authority that there
we've several in tie capital who subscribed even mort
literally than the par es named. but who they were
Gid not learn One man OF Charleston, 5 c.. whose
np.ne have forgotten subscribed $4,000 II was pro
posed when ali Was ready. TO obtain iarough fol