, 1864-03-23
INTELLIGENCE FROM nICaaI0ND


INTELLIGENCE FROM nICHsI0ND
PLOTS TO ASSASSINATE Or KID
NAP PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
Negro Slaves as EoldIers-The Spring
CampatGn-Destltut In
Richmond.
Correspondence Of the n. Z. Trihune.1
WARRINGTON, March Is, 1864
In former communication, stated that
plan had been submitted to the rebel War
Department, by Col. Margrave, who had been
for d considerable time an emfssary in the
North, to kidnap President Lincoln and carry
him to Richmond, OF II it should be found
impossible to escape with him to the rebel
Zines, to assassinate him. Owing to change
in the position Of the armies about this time.
the plan proposed was rendered impracti-
In the early part of November, md only
few days before he was sent North, Colonel
|. Margrave submitted nuother plnn, the details
Of Which.may be interesting to the reader.
To give the plan in minutin, would occupy
too much space, and digest Of 1t will prove
quite Ineligible.
One hundred @ and tifty picked @ men were to
Washington, GEORGETOWN, Baltimore, and
Alexandria, so rs to be able to communicate
daily with each other; and upon day fixed
By their lender, were to assemble In Wash
ington. for the purpose Of making the seiz-
ure. The President, it wos claimed, could
be easily seized at quiet hour, at the White
House, or In going to or returning from
church, or On some other favorable occasion,
and thrust into carriage and driven of
The carriage Was to be Joined, feW miles
ont Of the city, By twenty-five or thirty arm
ed men, on horseback It WAS proposed to
drive to Indian Point, about twenty-five
miles south Of Washington, on the Potomac
two Or three relays Of fleet horses being
stationed on the way-whtre. boat was to
be in waiting to cross the river, and land the
captive few miles south Of Occoquan,
when 1t would be m easy matter for his
captors to work their way with him through
tile woods By night into the rebel lines. 70
prevent pursuit, every bridge between
Washington and Indian Point WIS to be
mined beforehand, and blown up as soon as
the captiyc and his captors had crossed.
Huge trees were also to be ready cut and
thrown across the road In various places, as
soon as they had passed, By men stationed
to separate and escape as best they could.
The Secretary of War thought this scheme
might succeed; but he doubted whether
such proceeding would be Of military
character and justifahle under the 1asss Of
war. He promises, however, to consult the
clusion was arrived at am unable with Ger
taipty to say. About week, however, after
the plnn was submitted, mud the same day
that Col. Margrave left for the North, Iasked
Mr Wexford, who is familiar with all the
secrets of TIE Department, If the plan had
been adopted, and he answered, "fou will
zee Old Abe here in the Spring as sure as
God" a few days afterward was sent to
Atlantis, and never returned to Richmond to
hear about the matter.
But this is not the only scheme by any
means that has been devised for Kidnapping
our President. Last summer club or socfe-
ty OF wealthy citizens Of Richmond Was form
ed for the purpose Of raising q fund for this
object. Circulars were sent to trustworthy
citizens In every other city and town In the
Contederacy, inviting co-operution in the
grand undertaking, and IN immense sum Of
& Co., bankers, In Richmond, subscribed
so, ,0O, and Sumner Is ArentE, aucttouecrB,
subscribed s., 600; and have heard on good
authority that there were several in the capi-
tai who subscribed ereu more literally than
the parties named, but who they were I did
whose name have forgotten. subscribed
$4,000. It was proposed, when all was
ready, to obtain a furlough for Mosby, and
make him leader Of the enterprise
Whether these schemes have been ahan-
doned, or whether the Ednapperx are only
awaiting favorable opportunity to execute
them, remains to be seen; but cert lin It Is
that too much canton cannot be observed by
the President, or the military commanders
stationed at the Capital.
I hare Ind occasion in several Of my letters
to spenk OF Col. Margrave, and it may not be
a1niss to offer few observations specially in
regard to him. " "Marg1ave," have heard
ststed on good authority, Is merely non. de
gNts7c, assumed By him on joining Walkers
Expedition to Central America, and revived
by him at the commencement Of the present
war. He is a native Of South Carolina, and
Is Rlett. He was at one time member Of
Beauregard's staff, and ut the battle OF Shiloh
was shot through the body and carried of
the field for dead. Unfortunately, life Was
not extinct, and he is again working to de.
stroy bis country. nc Is, one M of Tue most s'L
one who can smile, and murder while he
smiles. For villainous and desperate en-
terprise, no better leader could be found. He
is now In the Canadas, and I verify believe
for the purpose Of heading gang Of dcsper-
ndoes to commit some depreciation on our
more, and heard MIN boast that he had put
up at the most public hotels, and walked the
most public streets Of TINT city, without the
slightest fear Of detection. ~
There has been a great deal Of discussion
In the rebel Cabinet during the past six or
eight months as to the propriety and 1eSpe~
dicncy Of arming the slaves. Cows. Shorter,
Of Alabama, Brown, Of Gcorgfa, Bohan1, Of
South Carolina, Pettus Of Mississippi md
many other distinguished rebels have I'D
dressed letters to the rebel President in fnror
Of the proposition. GOV. Brown urged that
the large accessfon6 to the slave populations
Of Lis State rendered 1t necessary that the
cmfgrants should beprovided for In some way
by the Government, as there was little or no
employment for them, and many of~them
We're in starving condition, and he knew Of
no way IN which they could be 50 prot1tably
ininger and Watts long ago declared them
selves IN fayor Of such measure, while Ben.
jamln, Mallory and Reagan expressed them
selves in opposition to It,
The opposition Of Mr.. Benjamin, however,
is not very great. He merely argues TINT the
necessity nee: hns not yet arisen from the adop.
when 1t is proved that they have not white
men enough to carry the war to success
tul issne, he will advocate the arming, If nee
essary, OF every ab1e-hodied negro In the
Contcderacy. 1t is understood TINT the
rebel Freaident's views on the subject coIu-
eide with those entertained by Benjamin.
There can be no doubt that rs d<rnter resort
the rebels will tn to experiment, dangerous
as it may be- Of a1ning their "negro prop
erty."
IN truth there are considerable number
Of negroes bearing arms in the rebel army
now. They are not SO employed by any Or
der of the War Department, nor are they gen
orally formed in companies BY themselves,
but when they fight they fight side By side
the most part belong to the officers and men
Of the commands to which they are attached.
In the Confederate service q private may, if
be choose, be accompanied By 4 servant, on
paying certain sum Tor his rations. This
Is not allowed by any regulation, but is a
privilege that has been permitted from the
beginning of the war and IN the ca7alry.cs
peeislly, large number of the men, as vel
and tnke care Of their horses. cook, and do
5nch chores as may b required Of them; sEe
been fayorites with their yo1ng masters at
home, and are greatly attached to them, ana
If given. q sWig or two of rebel lightning
corn whisky are ready to fight to the death
When an engagement is about to take place
such Of these negroes as are willing to .neht
are equipped and 70 into battle with their