, 1865-05-26


question was suggested whether arms were to
be bought, and my answer was-No; if anybody
desires arms, let him arm himself for though it
might be abstractly legal, it would bear the ap-
/ pearance OF an unlawful purpose said there
was no occasion for arms. The contingency
under which alone it would be proper to resort
to their use was remote, namely the suppress
sion of the elections never heard, until read
ing the developments of this trial, Of any at
| tempt to release the Chicago prisoners during
| the convention, and was as much surprised al it
as any one could be. 1t was not one Of the OBJ
jects of the Order to furnish arms or supplies to
! the Southern COnfederaCy The establishment
| of a Northwestern COnfederacy was not one Of
its objects. | never heard the subject Of q
1 Northwestern Confederacy mentioned in connec-
tion with this Order until yesterday. My opin-
! ions on this subject were expressed in Congress
and are not think, pertinent in this examina-
ton. If they are, they are easily accessible. 1t
was not one of the purposes Of the Order to get
up an insurrecton or revolution. Our system
of government provides q peaceful revolution
through the balot-box, and frequently said to
members and officers of the Order
The Judge Advocate objected that this matter
was not competent testimony.
i Judge BARLEY argued that as Commander Of
the Order his instructions were competent.
The Judge Advocate replied that any official
orders in writing issued in this capacity as Su-
preme Commander, would be competent.
Witness-I never issued any order in writing
nor any formal order to be promulgated to the
Order; but simply wrote instructions to officers
and members of the Order on one occasion
when number Of them were together. I told
them that inasmuch as we had peaceful mode
OF revolution, it was better to acquiesce in arbi-
trary arrests, or the temporary suppression of
the liberty of the press, and all else complained
OF by the Democratic party, rather than resist
forclbly; that when the destruction of that mode
of peaceable revolution came, believed the con-
tingency would have arrived to resist by force
of arms.
The witness stated in answer to Judge Bart
ley that he Travelled in Illinois, and madespeech-
es for Mcclellan; that he spent considerable
time in Chicago prior to the election; that he
heard nothing said about the contemplated re-
lease of prisoners or sackng of the city; never
saw any of the gentlemen whose names have
been mentioned nthe testimony Of this case as
officers of thesOrder there; never knew until af-
ter his arrest, that Judge Morris was a member
ofthe Order; saw him but once during the con-
Yention
Q.-Was FOUR connection with the. Order, and
your situation at Chicago, such that if this Or
der had had plot to release the prisoners in
Camp Douglas, you would have known it?
Al had right to know it, and ought to
have known it. However, other men might
have been engaged in it, and knowing my hos
tlityto 1t, and determination to break it up, it
might haWbeen concealed from me; but did
not knowSahear, or suspect, anything of the
kind We
The attentDn Of the witness was called to the
address put in evidence by the prosecution,
written by P. G. Wright. He said he had never
seen it before, and never heard Of il tin refer
ergo WaS made t6@itin the testinlonT Mr..
a.
Supreme Commander Of the Sons Of Liberty,
though have understood he was Supreme
Commander of the American Knights. The
doctrines and obligations in this address were
made the ground Of membership in the Sons of
Liberty.
Q.-Have you any knowledge of any such or
der in the Northern States as the Knights of the
Golden Circle.
Al never heard of such an organization
having existence in the Northern States.
heard Of them as far back as fifteen years ago, !
but never met any one who claimed to be n
member Of the orders though | have seen my
own name mentioned as a member. have no
knowledge of the objects of that order, except
such as l have seen stated in connection with !
Mexico years ago.
Q.-What knowledge have you of the military
department of the Sons of Liberty?
Al have none so far as a national organi- |
kind. l have seen it stated in testimony here
as heresay Of third person, that had staff |
never had anything Of the kind, nor thought Of
it; never saw Piper or Stidger nor had any COM
munication with either Of them; never saw Doc |
little. ! have understood that there was mill |
tary organization in some Of the States but |
never knew Of any. IF Stidger stated he was a
member of my staff, he said that which was pos /
itiyely and unequivocally false. / did not see
Of fbo fa1 Of
murder Of Coffin; never heard Of him or the mat |
ter referred to, until I saw it in the testimony.
Q.-Stidger said the uprising to take |
place on the Sd, or the 18th or 18th Of August, !
as you might decide; was there anything Of this? |
-Emphatically, there never was any time |
when had any conception of such thing, and |
never heard of it till it was published. If any
thing had been left to me, it would very speed |
lily have been determined. l would have bro
ken it up, if necessary, by informing the Fede- |
raj officers of the fact