The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-01-16

Secret Societies at the South Important
Report Of the Chief of the United Statos
Detective Police. lf
The following report on tho subject Of
secret rebel associations, made TO Congress
by the Chief of the United States Detective
force, will be rcd by our readers with inter-
est and wondcr: ~
WAsHiHCroS, January 5.
TO The honorable tho Senator's and NcD,Lcrs of
the House of Representative
GENTLEMEN: On the first of Sept cmbcr
last, my attention having been directed by
the Southern correspondence Of the IjibuA,,
and numerous other Northern journals, to
the alleged existence Of secret societies in
the late rcbelliuus States, for The purpose
Of cvnding the llws Of tho Government Of
The United States, and keeping up II decip-
lined organization TO DC used rs IL nucleus
III renewed attempt TO overthrow the Gov
crnmcnt, ~ soon nS the said States have
sufficiently recovered their material strength
] communicated to his Exccllcncy the
President my impression that there m,,st be
some foundation for rumors so generally ns-
serted and believed. aud was Instructed by
him TO institute minute investigation into
the matter throughout tho whole Of the
Southern country.
prepared careful instructions according
ly for my agents in Virginia, North Carroll
ia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ala
, hama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and
Arkansas, mad cha, gcd The sub agents in
the cities Of Charleston, Savannah, Mobilc,
New Orleans aud Galveston TO be particular.
ly viginnt in carrying out their orders, MS
it was supposed that the snid secret socic-
ties. if such existed, would have their head
qunrtcr3 in one or more of snil cities. rs
being most convenient for communication
with foreign pow ers and Tor escape in case
Of discovery.
Regular Communication was kept up both
BY tclc graph and mail with all the stntions
IN tho States abrvI named hut nothing
transpircd until about the lirst Of December
when reports were simultaneously received
from Charleston aud New O,lcnns. stating
that after Il constant watch sustained with
the most unccasng vigilance for period Of
two mouths, ihe agents believed they were
nt last on the right trail. Naturally it was
supposed That The meetings OF these secret
societies wouldbe held at the dead OF night
ard in the most out Of tho wny places, and
the chief efforts Of my agents were in nc
cordoncc with This idea but as will be seen
further on, this opinion proved entirely in-
correct, and much valuable time and sircns
ious cxcrinn were thus wasted. BY u
strange coincidence on the first day of Do.
comhcr, sonlo mcnbcrs Of tho day wat oh,
both in Charleston and New Orleans, mon.
toned to the agents ut those places that
they had regularly noticed, FROM . 7. NJ. to
dr. NJ. every day, u greater commolion
among tho population than at any other
time. The agent verified this faot, by per-
sonal observation thc next day, and in,lnc
diatcly telcgraphcdmc us above stated.
then notified the agents in other places oil
this discovery, and directed their attention
10 IN observance of any similar phcnomcno,
i'll their departments. In less than u wcc
became satisfied, from reports rccciyc,
from my agents in all the lately rcbcllious
States hat the ramihcations Of the associa.
ton, whatever il might DO, 10 which wa.
ntibutcd this afternoon commoion, were
very extensive. On nccembor 2Oth, had
received reports from Charleston, Mobile nnu
New Orleans, that il had been definitely as
cartaihcl that II great number Of tho in
habinnts OF those cities assembled between
tho hours above named at private houses
and hotels. in cliqucs numbering usually
five to dozon persons, bu, reaching solno
SsM 1t ssS one sa5ySga MS auqaSa HhSa rHt Ht
many subjects discussed, there was ono
which was common to all the meetings, but
that it was impossible to discover this by
listening nj doors and windows, md il
would hc necessary, in order to obi ain ful
Information, to violate tho privacy of fAmi.
lies.
Immediately tclcgraphcd them to cn,lca
ror TO Introduce spies Into the houses OF
Christmas day, ms that being season o
general Icsivity, it could be done ,huu Will
less liability TO suspicion. Owing, how
eyer. to the difficulty of securing the servi.
eos Of suitable persons, this operation wa.
postponed until Now Years day. The storm
which has since prevailed, has iml lericrcd
with The working of'thc mails and telegraph
To such an extent that ] have been unabl,
sooner to lay my report before your honor.
able body; but am happy now to be ablt
to relieve yonr minds Of Nil fears as to III,
existence Of any such societies. The most
thorough md complete information rs
asurcs me that there arc no ..such societies
and that tho subject universally discussed
in the afternoon meetings of tho Southern
c.iqucs, Was DiSNER.
NEnIR>D I!oKEs,
Chief United States Detective Police.