The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-07-23
prom me Ohio state JournsI.l
SEYMOUR AND THE REBEL
COMMISSIONERS.



We publish to-day the affidavit
Of Captain James Sidney Hill, to
which allusioB has heretofore been
made by US. The publication OF
this important affidavit has been
purp0sely delayed with the hope
and expectaton that Horatio Sey-
mour would be nominated for the
Presidency by the Convention at
New York.
1t will be remembered that when
reference was first made to the OK
istence of this testimony, Govern.
or Seymour exhibited ungoverna-
BILE rage, and not only took occa
SION to vouch for his own limo.
cence, but TO attack with savage
emphasis all officers and agents Of
the Government whom he suspect
ed OF having been instrumental in
making known to the State Depart.
ment the nature of his relations
with the rebel Commissioners in
Canada.
The writer, who, in 1864, was
Consul Of the United States in
New Brunswick, having been ap-
pointed TO that Office by President
Lincoln in September, 1861, had
occasion to transmit to the Secre.
tary Of State. information concern
ing the movements of tho rebel
Commissioners, Clement C. Clay
and James p. Holcombe, and it
especially became bis duty to make
known to the Government what
ever facts were known to the Brit.
ish Provinces concerning the ma.
ture of the mission" OF dkse no.
torious enemies of the United
States. Application will be made
to the State Department for copies
Of the tull correspondence on this
subject, which, when obtained, will
be made public.
The important TACT was then
well known that the prime purpose
that the Davis Government had in
sending Commissioners to Canada,
was to array the State of New York
in hostility 10 the Federal Govern
ment. Captain Hills testimony
establishes beyond question the
fact that such was tho confidence
reposed in Governor Seymour,
then Governor of New York, that
the rebel chiefs did not hesitate 20
address him on q subject which
they knew was dear to bis heart
the triumph Of the Confederacy,
and opened confidential CORES.
pondence with him, as with a tried
and trusted agent of their own.
Clement G. Clay, who organized
the raiding and piratical expedi-
tions from Canada into the United
States, expressed his entire vii.
lingness TO visit Ogdensburg, New
York, knowing that Seymour
would give him safe passport
throughout his Sovereign State.
1t will be proved hereafter that
. Clay sent dispatches to and receiv
, ed dispatches from Albany, while
, at Halifax, Quebec and Montreal
that messengers were passing be
tween the Rebel Commissioner
; and the rebel sympathising Gov
!, ernor, for a period of almost two
months; and We believe also thai
, the exact nature Of these commu
!, nications will, ere long, be fully
made known. So much by way o
explanation to day. We shall pul
fsue this subject until the treachery
and treason Of Horatio Seymour
the worst and wiIiest enemy OF th,
!. Republic, are laid bare. We pro
i pose 10 see the thing through ant
! to fight It out on this line.
The following is an exact copy
: of the original affidavit now OIL
!. file in the State Department of th
I U. S. Government:
r AFFIDAVIT OF CAPT. JAS. s. HILL
CONSULATE OF THE U. s. !
ST. JOHN, New BRUNSWICK.
On this second day of Junt
:. 1864, personally appeared befor
me, J. Q. Howard, U. S. Consul a
St. John, N. B., James Sidney Hill
who solepnly made oath to th'
= following facts:
l am now about twenty -eigh
n years of age, l was born in th
4 Parish of st. Bernard, La; | al
the son of jerome Philip Hill, Q
i New Orleans, who has alway
q been devoted Union man. wa
Y educated as a civil engineer at Yves
# Point, Virginia.
4 In tho year 1861, in the mont
+ of April, | was carried away by th
intense excitement that prevailed
!, and entered the rebel service q
4 captain of a company ofvolunteer'
q | served in the rebel army at tn
4 first battle of Manassas, at the bal
y ties before Richmond, at the time
n McClellan's advance, and also too
!. part in the battle of Antietamj wa
y wounded in the seven day
fight near Richmond; was sent
Al Savannah as engineer on staff Q
n Gen. Gustavus W. Smith, and OF
;. tanned leave of absence to 60 t
IA Wilmington; from Wilmington
ID ran tho blockade on the steamC
+ Bansheo TO Nassau; my object VIZ
to get out of tho rebel service an
take the oath of allegiance; frol
IN Nassau | went to Havana, an
+. there took the oath Of allegianC
n. under Mr.. Lincoln's amnesI
n. proclamation; from Havana wei
to st. Thomas with friend, WI
n, was in a dying condition; thence
al st. Johns, Porto Rico; l could n,
Ia get a vessel at Porto Rico for Ne
II Orleans, but obtained passage
Halifax, Nova Scotia, where ! Q!