The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-10-26
The Design Of the Radicals.

When President johnson was on his
late trip in the West q United States
Senator and two Major Generals of the
army, who belonged to his party, were
approached at indianapolis by prom
inent conservative Republican, who had
been Colonel of an Indiana regiment
during the late war, and who is now a
Captain in the regular service, and who
made the following startling statement:
He had been making speeches for the
Republicans in Indiana in August last,
and at the request 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 want
ed in Missouri; that the people must
be told that the Republicans had de-
cided 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
Indianian told Govrnor 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 a secret meet
in of radical leaders at the Linden Ho-
tel. About fifty radical leaders were
present, including Governor Fletcher,
of Missouri; Governor 0glesby, of Illi
nois, and Senator Yates and John A.
Logan, of Illinois. The whole plan of
the impeachment 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 succeed
johnson in case Vice President Foster,
as his successor, should not prove equal
ly positive and pliable to the will Of
the Jacobins. Butler, Governor Morton,
of Indiania, and others were discussed.
Butler was looked upon rs lacking in
courage, and Morton was feared as be-
ing too ambitious for the conspirators.
Gen. Grant was mentioned as too con-
servative, and Sherman was secuted as
copperhead. Finally, Senetor Yates
was decided upon as possessing more
stamina and less scruples than any other
available man. If President johnson Of
fered vigorous resistance, and Foster
did not act vigorously, Yates was to be
put in to control affairs. "s' "..r.
When he was about leaving st. Louis
the informant in the case was requested
by Governor Fletcher to ask Governor
Morton, of Indiana, what number of
arms he could spare to Missouri. Gov
ernor 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 I lie conference of the Governors at
Philadelphia, which it is now well
known was for the purpose, among 9th
ers, of distributing arms throughout the
country. Outside of the statement of
this officer there is undubitable evidence
in the hands of President Johnson of
the secret distribution of large quanti-
ties of arms throughout the Northwest
on various pretexts, all of which, how
ever, are legal and plausible enough.
While the startling character of this
story causes it to be incredulously re-
ceiyed by many, the character of the
officer malSng the statement, the known
desperate characters of the leaders i'm
plicated in the scheme, and much cor
roberative evidence received, cause it to
be generally believed among the Presi
dents adhcrents.