The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-22
The Schemes OF John C. Breckin.
ridges Rebel fncendiary
Gang Thwarted.
Operations Of President Lin
coins Spy.
How Eovsrnor Seymour was Changed from q
Rebel Sympathizer to d Union man.
GreeIey's Canada Peace
Convention.

me claim before Congress Of Colonel James F.
ysouess for important services rendered during the
rebellion as a SPY for President Lincoln has been the
means of producing the following facts. as detailed
IN Colonel Jaquess' testimony before the committee
that was appointed by the Senate TO examine ana
report upon the claim. 1t may be proper to state
that the committee made favorable report and re-
commended that the amount be paid.-
james +. Jaqaess, beng examined, produces the
EXECUTIVE MANstoN,l
wAsHISaroS, May Is, 1854 !
TO wuos 1T MAY cosoyRs:-
A. LINCOLN.
ou.., w WAR DErS Art e IT.
JAMES, A. HAxprx, Colonel and Inspector General.
O. About what time was this order delivered TO
you, and where9 A. 1t was delivered TO me not far
nom the 24th or 25th Of May, 1894 when received
saw Mountain upon the receipt OF this document at
General Thomas headquarters the following ORDER
the original OF which l produce was isSued-
Especial Field Orders No. 1901
HrADeuA hrKns DErARrAEST OF TIE CTIpGE sssl
Leave absence thirty days hereby granted
nal Jaeaess, seventy III nois Volunteers enable
ssnsied. the end OF time hewH g service Is
report by lstisr with view the Of his
In1a g. S NrsfE xduan. General
Q. State TO the committee briefly what places you
visited under that order, censecativeiy and chrono
A.
me at the front letter from President Lincoln
(which was among the papers presented TO Senator
Harlan) giving me full Instructions as to what the
President wished me to accomplish, and at the same
time directing me- as far as possible, to keep out OF
Washington.
o. Where were you when you received that letter ?
A. At General Thomas headquarters, at the front.
Q. To what place did you rrst gos A. irst went
to Richmond; III going to Richmond went by way
OF Baltimore. and from there to Fortress Monroe,
and thence 10 General Grants headquarters; Gen.
eral Grant put me through the lines on Mr.. Lncolns
wi oh oh nlyn
o. Did you 20 through the lines to Richmond and
have an interview VITA Jefferson Dayis9 A. Yes, SIT:
q. How long did you remain In RichmondS A.
remained IN Richmond three days.
Q. Where then did you goY A. After leaving
Richmond came 10 Washington and reported in
q. Did you make a report to Mr.. Lincoln, or to any
person under his orders, OF the substance Of your
Interview with DavsY A. made full report to
Mr.. Lincoln; ne was then living out at the Soldiers
Home; went out there and stayed all night with
him. and made full verbal report; had written
nothDg-I was afraid to carry anything in writing;
afterward Senator Harlan came TO me and said that
and sat down in a room with him and Mr.. sutton
reporter, who took 1t down in shorthand, and it
was written out IN full.
T. Did you read The report after 1t was written out
IN fully A. Yes Sir.
Q, What became OF that reports A. shall have
10 refer TO the Senator Tor that; supposed 1t
put with Mr. Lncons papers AT headquarters.
Mr.. Howard-Does Senator Harlan who is pre-
sent, know what became oil that reportY
senator Harlan-The substance Of 1t was printed
as campaign document. what became OF the
ii
Mir. Howard-What printer
Senator Harlan-I cannot now say; suppose i
could learn, though; we had printing establish
ment here under The control OF Mr.. Pokinhorn, that
ran number Of presses for In that campaign, and
we had one In Baltimore, one In Philadelphia and
one IN New YORK. but do not now remember 10
which one Of them that manuscript was sent.
Mr.. Ames-I would ask Colonel Jaquess whether
'ne oone csed c ON Mr. sutton and
he supposed the papers had been fled al Mr.. Lin
COINS headquarters and he had not preserved the
notes.
Senator Harlan--I think took the notes and all
the papers from him al the time. There were some
things stated that did not think 1t was proper TO
publish.
Q. In what month, Colonel Jaquess, did you make
that report2 A. Early In July, 1854; do not re-
member the exact date.
q. on what otner secret service did you then gos
A. When returned from Richmond Mr.. Lincoln
saw from the report that made TO him that he was
about To commit very serious blunder in reference
to the Niagara Falls negotiation, and he told me
no there with all possible despatch and see what
there was or that; or In other words, lie remarked
TO me- IL want you to crack that nut immediately
Invent there at once and had an Interview with those
parties at Niagara Falls.
Q. Who were those partiesS A. Clay and Thomp-
Q. Clement G. Clay and Jacob Thompson A.
Yes, SIR; Clement 9. Clay and Jacob Thompson were
there but had no interviews with any except those
two
q. Were you at Niagara Falls at the time there
was held at that place sort OF convention Of rebel
leaders and sympathizers ana spies with some per-
sons from the United states who went over to con-
fer with them? A. was there at Mr.. Lincoln's re-
quest; had made second visit TO those parties
before thai; gained access, however, to that con-
veatlon, as II was called, through Mr.. Buchanan.
q. Ex-President Buchanan A. Yes sir; Mr.
Lincoln sent me there TO look into II for him: OF
course had TO adopt the best means OF getting
there and found that about the only way In which
could get there was through Mr.. Buchanan; went
TO his house and stayed with him all day, and drank
drank in my fe because 1t was the custom OF those
who were visiting him at that time; and through
him got ul privilege TO go into that convention at
Niagara Falls and learned all their secrets. In a
book which have here you VIII find record show
ing the effect II produced on Mr.. Lincoln. eferring
TO book entitled History OF the Great Rebellion
by Thomas b. Kettle, pages 668 ct seQ This obtains
an account Of my visit to Richmond and the cores
During the War; by lady, published in New York
by g. W. Carleton Co., 1867, containing q chapter
Tor my especial benefit, chapter ~, out 1 do not
know that 1t amounts 10 much. When left Mr.
Buchanan at his residence at Lancaster he gave me
letter TO q Mr.. Foger, Of st. Louis. Mo-, leading
~ TINS convention, or council as 1t was called by
them. represented portion OF Southern
illinois, was only working member lsa,a Of me
"A The democratic party, who had been bought up
gone over 10 the opposite party or the enemy, as
thu republican party was called by them. Among
oth er Important facts which l discovered in this
NOV ement was one not 80 generally credited at the
Tune VIZ, that ex-President Buchanan was thor
ougnl advised OF and familiar with ali the move-
ments OF the enemy on the border, and IN full sympa
thy Wi h them, and preferred that they should sue
ment In An that the republican party should sue
coed In q aving and Keeping control Of The country.
may furth err state that met Mr. Folger at Niagara
Pals, and through hlm had unrestricted privilege
In the Coz lncis or the meetings which followed,
which confined In It's deliberations TO the best
methods OF ecurng the election Of the democratic
candidate for the Presidency, the defeat or Mr. Lin
com and the e. ieyaton OF themselves 10 power.
Q. When you left Niagara Falls, did you report to
Mr. LincolnS A.. reported TO Mr.. Lincoln al thai
time. and that as the last time saw him for some
weeks.
Q~~knnnhn did yon make that report to bim2
RI TO MIN In reference To nv first
!, think on the morning OF the
reference 10 the other matter
yenti0n, did not report 10 him
rd--some weeks
conventions Do You mean
ra2 A. Yes, sir: that was
reported In regard to
think; have forgotten
occurred consecutiyely,
Aocratic convention, as
at. that timer A. No,
- ott did mt him