The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-06-25
from HarPer's Monthly, for fame
The Baltimore Plot to Assassin
ate President Lincoln.

to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, on his
coptem plated passage through Baltimore,
on the 23d Of February, 1861. Considera-
tions affecting the personal safety Of those
by whom the conspiracy was detected, pre-
vented a disclosure at the time. The sub
seuuent assassination of Mr., Lincoln, and
the disclosures connected with the trial
and conviction Of Booths associates, re-
moved any doubt in regard to the real ex-
istence of the plot.
The truth may now be disclosed, and the
public desire to know the exact facts upon
which Mr.. Lincoln acted, may now be
Vratihed. The circumstances detailed in
this articles are taken from the records Of
Allen Pinkerton, the Chief Detective, and.
are selected from the reports written out
daily at the time, by those engaged in the
Investigation; and they are believed by the
writer of this article to be true.
The election of Abraham Lincoln to the
Presidency was Immediately seized upon
by the reckless conspiratOrs, who had long
been plotting the overthrow of the Union,
as a pretext upon which to consummate
their designs, They at once employed all
the machinery of popular agitation to
Greats public opihion, and "ire the
Southern hear, D." 50 that it would sanction
the deeds of violence and outrage which
they contemplated. Through the press,
by popular meetings, public speeches, and
in social intercourse, and in every possible
way they painted the alleged wrongs of the
South, the Outrages past and anticipated
of the North, to inf1ame and excite the in
fammable Southern temperament, until the
slavebolding States became great seeth-
ing volcano Especial efforts we're made
to render Mr.. Lincoln personally Odious
and contemplate. No falsehoOd was too
gross, no lie too infamous, no statement
too exaggerated to be used for this purpose,
These means were resorted to with SYSTEM
attic concert, until the mass Of the people
IN the slave States were made to believe
that this pure, patient, humane, Christian
statesman was a monster, whose vices and
passions made him odious, and whose hab-
its made him an object of just adherence.
Maryland, border State, occupied a
position of peculiar Importance, and great
efforts were made to bring her within the
control of secession. Emissaries were sent
to her from South Carolina and elsewhere,
and nothing left undOne to secure her CO.
operation in their revolutionary move
ments. These efforts were too successful;
still there were many bold spirits who
gathered around that intrepid leader, Hen
Union at all hazards. But majority Of
the weaIthier classes. and those in office,
with few exceptions, were in sympathy
with the rebellion, and the spirit of treason
for time swept like tornado over the
State.
On the I1th of February Mr.. Lincoln,
with a few of his personal friends, left his
quiet, modest home to enter upon that tenn
pestuous political career which carried him
to a martyrs grave. With a dim, myste-
rious foreshadowing of the future, he ut
tered to his friends and neighbOrs his sad
farewell. He seemed to be conscious that
he might see the place, which had been his
home for a quarter of century, where "his
children were horn," and where Que OF
them lies buried, no more. Conscious OF
the great duties which devOlved upon him,
greater than those devolving upon any
President since Washington, he humbly
expressed his reliance upon "Divine PrOvi-
dence, and asked his friends to pray that
he might receive the assistance Of Almighty
God"
AS he iourneyed toward the Capital, re-
ceived every where with the earnest SYM
pathies of the people, his spirits rose, and
when he pronounced "goOd-by" to the
Prairie State, at the State line, he said,
"Behind the cloud the sun is shining still"
And on he sped through the great free
States of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and
New York, to fulfill his great mission.
There was living at this time in Chicago
man by the name of Allen Pinkerton,
one Of the bOldest, most shrewd and skill
full detectives of any country. He bad al
wavs been a thorough anti-slavery man, a
superintendent of the underground rail-
road" a friend and companion of Loveioy
and the cold guard" of early abOlitionists
in Illinois. With his anti-slavery charac-
ter well known, such was his reputation
as a detective that Mr.. Guthrie, when
Secretary Of the Treasury, had, notwith-
standing, employed him as Government
detective. In lS6O-0l he was in the employ
of the railroad companies Of the North
west.
In the winter of 1sG0-6t General Scott, see
ing the gathering storm, called to Wash
inRton few national troops. The passage
of these over the Northern Central and
Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore
railroads greatly exasperated the conspira-
tors in Baltimore and elsewhere, and
threats were openly made, and organiza-
tions effected. to destroy the railroad
tracks, burn their bridges, and the great
steam ferry-boat by which the Susquehan-
ma was crossed at Havre de Grace.
In February PinkertOn was employed by
the officers of the Philadelphia, Whining
ton and Baltimore road, to investigate and
ascertain the facts in regard to these mat
ters, with view of protecting their road.
For this purpose he removed to Baltimore,
taking with him such Of his detective force
as he thought best suited to his purpose
While thus engaged an officer of the
road learned that young gentleman OF
high social position in Baltimore, the son
of a verv prominent citizen who had held
high official position under the State and
National Governments, had declared that
he was one of a band who bad sworn to
take the life of Lincoln on his way TO
Washington. The officer communicated
this fact to Pinkerton, and he Immediately
asked and obtained permission to investi-
gate this conspiracy. 1t was now to be
plot and counterplot.
warm admirer of the President elect,
whom he had known in Illinois, Pinkerton
determined that, if GOODNESS, courage and
skill could save The life of Mr.. Lincoln and
prevent the revolution which would follow
his violent death, he would accomplish it,.
His nIan was. with his detectives to enter
baltimore as residents of Charleston and
New Orleans, and by assuming to be Sc
cessiouists of the most extreme violence,
to secure entrance into their secret societies
and military organizations, and thus pos
sess themselves of their secret plans. In
looking over his corps he found two men
admirably adapted to the object he had in
view, both young, and both able to assume
and successfully carry out the character Of
a hot-blOoded, fiery secesstontst. one or
these. whom shall call Howard, was of
French descent. He had been carefully
educated for a Jesuit priest, and aRded TO
his collegiate studies were the advantages
of extensive foreign travel and the ability
to sneak with great facility, several modern
languages; and a knowledge Of the South,
its localities, preiudices, customs, and lead
ing men, derived from several years resi-
dence in New Orleans and other Southern
cities, With these qualifications he pos
sessed a fine personal appearance, insinua-
ting manners, and that power of adaptation
to the persons whom they wish to inftu-
ence. popularity attributed to the Jesuits.
Howard was instructed to assume the
character of an extreme secessiOnist, go to
a first-class hotel, register his name, and
his residence as New Orleans, visit places
of amusement, seek the acquaintance and
secure the confidence Of the young aris-
tocracv of that city enter their clubs,
Deuetrate their secrets, and learn the wild
projects it was known they were then FORM
ing. He was also instructed to make daily