The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-25
REPORT OF ]. THOMPSON,
Secret Agent Of the Late Confederate Gov.
eminent, Stationed In Canada, for the
Purpose Of Organizing Insurrec-
ton in the Northern States
and Burning Their
Principal Cities.
Plans for the Revolt and Release II Rebel Pri,-
onsrA Whose Assistance Was Expeotsd-
Treason Of the Democratic Leaders,
and Other Interesting and Inn
portaAt Facts Which tho Peo-
PIE Ought to Knev. -

Committse.1
The following Is an exact copy Of the original
paper now IN the hands Of the government, and 1t
will be read with intense interest by every loyal
itlxen:-
Hon j. p. BENJAMIN. Secretary OF State =
SIR-Several times have l attempted to send
any one of them has been received. have relaxed
no effort to carry out the objects the goyernme MT
had In view In sending me here. had hoped at
different times to have accomplished more, but
still do not think my mission has been alto
sss sss tho we nsss
opportunity to throw on the CALLING dynasty at
Washington, and openly to take ground IN favor Of
satisfy the large class Of dlscontents at home of the
readiness and willingness Of the administration to
avail itself ofevery prOered assistance In our great
struggle for Independence.
On my arrival here heard that there was such an
In the Northern States, and my FIRST effort was to
learn its strength its principles and It's objects, and
IT. ea 70 put p4 {se n %ns esssa
without much dlfhculty or delay, was received
among them with cordially, and the greatest con-
hdeuce at once extended to me. The number OF Its
members was large, but not SO great as Mr. Holt In
his official report, represented 1t to be- Its objects
were political; its principles were that the govern
ment was based the consent of the parties to 1t;
that the States were the parties, and were sove-
government to coerce seeding State the reso-
buttons of17ps and 1899 were set forth as presenting
ton was essentially military; it had its command
ers OF divisions, Of brigades, Of regiments OF
panies.
In the month OF June last the universal feeling
among its members, leaders and privates was that
II was useless to hold Presidential election; Lin
coin had the power and would certainly re-elect
himself, ana there was no hope but In force. The
belief was entertained and freely expressed that by
great Northwestern States of Illinois, Indiana and
ohio could be seized and held: This being done,
be lifted nom their PROSTATE condition and placed
on their feet and this in sixty days would end
to supposed successful contamination the
first interruption In the calculation was the post
Of the meeting e., OF the Democratic Con-
but preparations still went on, and In one of the
States the 2Qth OF July was fixed as the day for
But before the day arrived q general council OF
the order from different States was called, and 1t
was thought the movement on the Goth of July
would be premature, and the 10th Of August was
fixed upon for general uprising. This postpone
ment was insisted upon the ground thatit WASH
cessary to have series OF pubic meetings to pre-
pare the public mind, and appointments for pub
at Springfield and one at Chicago on the 18th The
first one was at Peoria, and to make 1t success l
agreed that SO much money as was necessary
ecided success The vast multitude who attended
seemedto be swayed but by one leading idea
ened, and seemed anxious for the day when they
would do something to hasten them to the great
ence between friends and Horace Greeley
made its appearance. Lincoln's manifesto shocked
prevailed over the North that the South
would agree 70 a reconstruction, and the
conceived the Idea that on such an Issue Lincoln
could be beaten at the ballot box. At all events,
they argued that the trial OF the ballot box should
be made before resort to force-always dey,,ier
RESORT. The Springfield meeting came OF, but it
was apparent that the fre exhibited at Peoria had
already dimnshed-tle whole tone OF the speakers
was that the people must rely on the ballot box for
redress OF grievances The nerves OF the leaders
OF the ORDER began to relax. About this time a
large lot OF arms were purchased and sent to
Indianapolis, which was discovered and some of
the leading men charged with the design TO
arm the members OF the order for reasonable pur
poses. lreachery showed itself at Louisville.
Judge Bulitt and Dr.. kalfus were arrested and
sent TO Memphis.
The day on which the great movement was to be
made became known to Mr.. Mcdonald, candidate
for Governor OF Indiana, and believing that II would
mar his prospects for election unless prevented he
threatened expose all the parties engaged unless
the project was abandoned. Thus the day passed
by and nothing was done. The Chicago Convention
came; the crowd was immense; the feeling was
unanimous for peace; general impression pre-
vailed that reconstruction could be had, and that
II was necessary TO so far pandcr to the military
certain success This nomination, followed as 1t
was by divers disclosures and arrests of per-
the Sons OF Liberty" The feeling with the
masses Is strong as ever; they are true,
they have 10 leaders The vigilance Of the admin
stration, fts large detective force, the large boun
ties paid for treachery and the respectable men
who have yielded TO the temptation added to the
large military force stationed in these States make
organization and preparation almost an lmpossi-
bty. large sum OF money has been expended
IN fostering and furtherng these operations and 1t
now seems TO have been TO little profit But, in
viewing the past, j do not see how 1t could have
been avoided, nor has it been spent altogether In
vain. The apprehenslons OF the enemy have
caused him TO bring back and keep from the field
in front at least sixty thousand to watch and brow
beat the people at home. In this view OF the sub
tect the same amount OF money has effected so
much in no other quarter since the commencement
OF the war.
In July last Captain Charles II. Cole, Of General
FORESTS command made his escape from prison.
He represented TO me that he had been appointed
lieutenant IN the navy. I sent hlln around the
lakes with instructions to 90 as q lower deck pas
sepgcr to familiarize himself with all the channels
ana different approaches to the several harbors,
the strength Of each place the depositares OF coal
and especially TO learn all that he could about the
war steamer Michigan, and devise some plan for
her capture or destruction. This duty he performed
very satisfactorily, lie was then instructed to re-
turn and put himself in communication with the
Officers Of the Michigan and, feeling his way, to
endeaNof ~ purchase the boat rom Its officers.
:, For TIME he thought he would succeed In this
II he could give The guarantees OF payment of the
dropped, and he asked permission to organize a
force, board and take her. This was given, and
Inc organization and III carrying out the enter.
prise.
Their plan was well conceived. and held ont the
promise OF success. IL had been previously ascer-
tanned from escaped prisoners from Johnson's
Island that an organization existed among the
prisoners on the island for the purpose OF surprising
fhe guard and capturing the Island; the presence
Of the steamer Michigan, which carried fourteen
gums, Whf lnN Only oDstdCic secret COmfnUnlca
lions were had 10y which they were advised that on
the night OF the 10th Of September al attempt TO
seize the Michigan would be made.
on that night captain Cole, who had previously
established the friendest relations with the OIL
GERS OF the steamer, was 10 have wine drinking
with them on board, and at given hour Acting
Master BeaI to appear In boat, to be obtained
for that purpose, with sufficient BODY Of Conled-
erate soldiers 70 board and take the steamer.
should they capture the steamer, cannon shot
sent through the onhcers' quarters on Johnson's
Island was to signify to the prisoners that the hour
por their release had come Should they take the
bsland, boats were TO be imprOviscd and Sandusky
was TO be attacked. II taken, the prisoners to
be mounted and make for Cleveland the boats CO.
operating, and from Cleveland the prisoners were
TO make Tor wheeling and thence TO virginia. The
Hcy 70 the whole movement was the capture OF
Ifne MtchiQan. Of III OF