The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-30
Ghr aBfstrrn gRmofrat.
STARTLING STATEMENTS.
CHARLOTTE, N. G.

We place but little faith IN sucn statements
as the folio wing, but We publish them to let our
readers see what is going on
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, October 22.-When Presi-
den. johnson was on his late trip in the West,
a limited States Senator and two Major Generals
of the army, who belonged to his party, were
approached at indianapolis by prominent con-
servative republican, who bad been Colonel OF
an Indiana regiment during the late war and
who is now a Captain ia the regular service, and
who made the following startling statement:
he bad been making speeches for the Repubil-
cans in Indiana 10 August last, and at the re-
quest of Governor Fletcher, of Missouri, visited
that State and made one or two conservative
speeches. He was told by Governor Fletcher
that his speeches were too tame; that the most
radical of declarations were wanted in Missouri;
that the people must be told that the republl-
cans had decided that the rebels should not vote,
and that the State was to be carried by force OF
arms if necessary. Governor Fletcher also told
him that he had thirty thousand muskets In the
State in loyal hands, and that they should be
used if necessary to carry the State. The In
dianan told Governor Fletcher that he was
republican in principle, but did not approve Of
such measures and would not advocate them
Governor Fletcher thought him merely weak
kneed, and answered him that he would come
into the harness after while. A few nights
subsequently he was present on invitation at
secret meeting of Radical leaders at the Lindell
Hotel About fifty prominent Radicals were
present. including Governor Fletcher, of Mis-
souri,, Governor Oglesby, of Illinois, and Sena-
tor Yates and John A Logan, of Illinois. The
whole plan of the President was discussed, even
to the arrangement Of filling Washington with
an armed force of "Boys in Blue" to protect
Congress, and also to decide who should sue
coed johnson in case Vice President Foster, as
his successor, should not prove equally positive
and pliable to the will of the Jacobins. Butler,
Governor Morton, of Indiana and others were
discussed. Butler was looked upon as lacking
in courage, and Morton was feared as being too
ambitious for the purposes Of the conspirators.
General Grant was mentioned as too conserva-
tive, and Sherman was secuted as copperhead
Finally Senator Yates was decided upon as pos
sessing more stamina and less scruples than any
other available man. If President johnson Of
fered serious resistance, and Foster did not act
vigorously, Yates Was to be put in to control
affairs.
When he was about leaving St. Louis the in
formant In the case requested by Governor
Fletcher to ask Governor Morton, of Indiana,
what number of arms he could spare to Missouri
Governor Morton replied, when the message
was delivered, that he could not say that he had
any to spare; that there were about one hundred
thousand stand, with plenty OF ammunition, in
the arsenal; he would see what could be spared,
and confer with Governor Fletcher. Out Of
this correspondence grew the conference of the
Governors at Philadelphia, which it is now well
known was for the purpose, among others, of
distributing arms throughout the country. Out
side of the statement of this officer there is in
dubitable evidence in the hands of President
johnson of the secret distribution of large guam
titles of arms throughout tie Northwest on
various pretexts, all of which, however, are legal
and plausible enough
While the startling character of this story
causes it to be incredulously received by many,
the character of the officer making the state
ment, the known desperate character of the
leaders implicated in the scheme, and much
corrOborative evidence received, cause it to
be generally believed among the Presidents
adherents.