Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-09-16
THE PLOT DIvULGED.

ports Mcclellan for Che Presidency-ha an ar
ticle in which it ayows that, the restoration of
the old Union is an impossibility, and only aza-
mywould dream of its being restored. The Mer-
curry says that fact was duly recognized by
those who formed the Niagara conclaye, Messrs.
| Clay, HolcOmbe and Sanders. 1t adds:
| The problem they set to work to solve was to
reconstruct the Union on a plan satisfactory to
all sections, and to convince the democratic par
ty of the necessity of adopting this plan or one
of similar import. After long and earnest de-
liberation, in which Messrs. Clay, Holcombe
and Sanders participated, the following general
conclusion was reached, and was tacitly agreed
TO by the National Democratic Convention at
Chicago.
at was, that what was once the United States
| be divided into five separate confederacies each
independent of the other in the management of
it's local affairs, yet bound to each other in GER
tain respects, of which we shall speak hereafter.
| These confederacies as divided, were TO consist
of the following states:
| 81. The Cotton and South Atlantic states.
"2. The Trans Mississippi states.
| %. The states of the great Northwest
| a. The Middle states.
| "5. The New England states.
! AIN relation to the states comprised in this
last division, there was no little debate rs 20
the prOpriety or expediency of admitting to the
general Union at all Whether Justly or not, it
cannot bc disguised that they are no favorites
with majority of the people which composed
the old Union. The reason for the hostility Of
feeling which the rebelliOus states bear to them
is too apparent TO need specification What are
known as the loyal States have many reasons
for disliking their New England associates. .
| That is the plan of reconstruction which the
Mercury Mcclellan paper, says was concocted
by Clay, Holcombe and Sanders and tacitly
agreed to by the Chicago Convention. There
was another feature which provided for the-an-
nexation of the British Provinces, on the North,
and Mexico on the South. The Mercury says
these separate confederacies were TO be bound
! by alliances offensive and defensive A general
council was to be formed composed of repre-
sentatives from each, and the whole form grand
confederation of confederacies bound by a COM
mercial bond and being nearly IDENTICAL with
the Iollverein or Customs Union of the German
States. Tine same paper goes on to say; "
| "This project received the endorsementof of the
leaders OF the Democratic party and by them
was interviewer with the action of the Chicago
Convention. 1t is understood that the Hnn
Auguste Belmont was the first to develop the
| plan probably because of his intimate acquaint-
ance with the German States. At first it was
received with surprise; but the more it was dis
cussed, the more favor it obtained, until at last
it was decided to incorporate the idea with the
proceedings Of the Democratic Convention
More than that, undoubted evidence was re-
ceved that the plan is agreeable to the views of
| jeff. Davis, though, for obvious reasons, he
would refrain for the present from divulging it
] to the Southern people. Anxious for peace, but
opposed to the restoration of the old Union, the
Southern leaders to whom this project was
broached, at once assented to it, and are now
desirous for the election of the Chicago candi-
date, in the hope that it may result in recon-
structIon of the Union basis satisfactory
and honorable alike to the North and South
"Of course it was not deemed prudent to make
all this apparent in the debates of the Gonven-
tion, still less in the platform it adopted; but
you may rely upon it that the leaders were well
informed of it, aud are pledged to carry it into
execution in the event of the success of the Dem
ocratic party at the polls in November. Time
and circumstances will doubtless cause certain
changes in the minor details of this scheme but
they will not alter its important features"
We quoted, some days since, from the doings
and sayings of the Democratic Association at
Washington. Let as again recall those doings
as showing that the Democrats are all driving
to that one end-division of the old Union and
construction of separate confederacies. At that
meeting DIR. Allen said: .,If 81. Il
He would make every proposition to the
South to come back again, but If they failed he
would not prosecute war against people who
had right to declare what form of Government
they would live under.
Old Amos Kendall, who was ON the platform
at Chicago as one of the hackers of Gov. Sey-'
mour, its presiding officer, and who brought up.
on that platform the manifesto of the Conserva-
tive Democracy, who, the Saturday previous
had recommended the nomination of Mcclellan,
followed DIR. Allen in that meeting at Washing
ton and said: =
Let us first elect our men; unite to put down
the iniquitous Administration, and ive can do
Ibis or d'ey other thing that may be practicable
And Kendall was followed by T. b. Florence,
as much a secession as Wigfall This man
Florence was one of the manipulating spirits
of the Chicago Convention Florence at that
meeting at Washington said '-.". .''i"'
He was for peace UNCoNDTrIoNALLY. If it
could not be brought about by compromise he
was for peace anyhow. Break up the present
Administration and then it could soon be settled.
If We could not agree to live together we could
agree to be fraterpal people, and he was for this
with all his heart.
Now, in conclusion let us see how certain of
the leaders and nominees in Chicago ConYen-
ton are complicated in this matter of Oonfeder-
acy of Confederacies, or as Vallandigham has it,
in the record of Chicago resolution, @the Federal
Union of the States" c1l
Mr.. Yallangdigham in Congress in 1861, on
the 7th of February, introduced in the House of
Representatives joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution, which was to
divide us into four confederacies, one to Include
all the seaboard free states aud to be called 'he
North; another to include all The states between
the Alleghanies and Rocky Mountains north OF
the Ohio, to be called ~the West" third to in
clude the territory west of the Rocky Noun
tains, and to be called "the Pacific aud fourth,
to include the slave states and the adjoining ter
ritories to be called 'the South ,-...
Vallandigham, was awarded the platform at
Chicago, when no one else could getit, and was
allowed by Gov. Seymour to take the words
right out ofthe mouth of Stuart of Portage coun-
ty aud move that The nomination of Gee Clellan
be unanimous. Was not all this machinery run
in accord with this scheme of separate eonfed-
eracies? What converted ValIandighaIn to Me-
Clellan unless that it was that the platform was
satisfactory, and that platform not breathing
syllable of love for the Union as it was or the
Constitution as it is2 H.. Ell
And what said Mr.. PendIeton, the nominee
for the ice Presidency, January Is, 1861 in a
Congressional speech: fH
my voice to-day is for Cancellation, my voice
isfor compromise, and it is but the echo of the
voice of my constituents. beg you, gentle
men, who with me represent the Northwest;
You who, with me, represent the State of Ohio:
You who, with me- represent the city of Cincin-
natl; | beg you, gentlemen, 10 hear that voice.
If you will not; if you find conciliatiOn mpos-
sble; if your differences are 80 great that you
cannot or will uot reconcile them then, gentle
men let the seeding States deDart in peace.