The Republican journal., 1871-02-16

Ti,.. midnight meeting between Messrs. Sumner
DIS anton is i'll all Its aspects the most astounding
List ,ca revelations Ifyou recall Mr.. Sumner
nthe stand it is hoped that lie Will see the necessity
a hein% much more explicit than he has yet been.
From what he has said it arpears that Stanton ''e-
sea- "a to him the determination of the Southern
leaders, developed particularly their plan to get po-
sion of the national capital and the national arch-
les 50 they might substitute themselves for the
sting Government" This is so cXtreme.y inter
sting that it would be sin against the pubic not
to examine it further
Early in the winter somebody started the sensa-
tional rl1mor that on or before the 4th of March
RIOT would he got up i'll Washington. which might
,sropsly cndangcr the peace of the city. IT was
discus ed and talked about, and blown upon IN va
yo,l> WAYS but no tangible evidence OF its reality
r-ould ever be found. The President referred TO 1t
IN message to Congress, and said that he did not
share in such apprehensions; and he pledged himself
II any event TO preserve the peace. men iie i ~
ni.ht meeting took place, the rumor had lived ITS
ite out-had paid lbs breath to time, and the mortal
custom of such things at Washington; 1t was dead
:nard which had ceased to alarm even women or
children. This certainly was not the subject OF the
communication made that night at one O'Clock. Stan
did not surround himself with all the adluncts
of secrecy darkness, and terror, to tell an Cid story
which had been in everybody's mouth for weeks
before OF an impossible street riot by the populac
ol Washington. What he impaired was secret mol
only new, but deep and dangerous, nj Tor the occ-
son. and worthy to be whispered contldentlally at
midnight, He disclosed e'plan of the southern
leaders to get possession of the capital and the arch
ives and TO substitute themselves for the existing
Government" 1t was a coup d'et0t OF the first mag
nitude-a most stupendous treason This plan Alr.
stanton ''deVeloped particularly that Is TO say,
eaye all the details ut length. Mr. sumner man.
testify believed what lac heard; he received the rev.
el1tion into his heart with perfect faith; and he did
not underestimate the public danger; but he did
nothing to defeat the treason or even to expose IT,
lie was thOrouhgy and minutely informed OF plan
prepared by Southern leaders to reyoutionze the
Government, and he kept their counsel as faithfully
H. J,o.l Laa,, Of thaIp OILY q
IONS righttnl communication as quietly as he took
The Presidents message. Nothing could stir his
sluggish loyalty to any act which might tend TO
save his ''hnperilled country.
Mr.. Sumner says that when Mr.. Stanton made
these statements to him. he was stuck by the knoWl-
edge he showed of hostile movements. That is
precisely what stkes me also with wonder and
;lmazemcnt. Where in the world did he learn ''the
determination of the southern leaders? Where
did he get account of the intended coup d'etdt,
so detailed that he was able to develop it particular
iy, This know ledge becomes astounding when we
r~coect that so far as now appears, nobody else
outside the Southern leaders, had the least ink
ling Of it. Is it possible that his connection with
The secessonsts and his proessed devotion to their
enusc went far that they took him into their con-
tpience, and told him what "hostile movements
HEY intended to make on the Government? How
did he get these secrets if not from them? Or must
We be driven ut last to the conclusion that the whole
thing was n mere invention, imposed on Mr.. Sum-
ncr to leude him?
But Mr.. Sumner owes it to the truth to make a
filler statement Let have the particulars which
Mr. Stanton developed to him. We have a right
to know not only who were the Southern traitors
engaged in this plan, but who were confederated
with them at Washington. suppose Mr.. sumner
we'll as Mr.. Stanton, had 'instinctive foresight
INTO men and things enough to know that no gov
was eyer substituted for another by sudden move
ncn, without some cooperation or sconniyance of
officers in possession. Who among Stantons col
leagues did he say We're engaged in this affair?
Did he charge the President with any concern in
it,: 1.-The declared all or any of them to be innocent