The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-08-02

returned, landed at Sandwich. G..
W., and the men scattered thraugh
the country. Most of them have re-
turned to the Confederate States,
but few days since Acting Master
Bennett G. Burley was arrested, and
the trial is now going on for his de-
livery under the extraditien treaty.
five had Coles, Beall's, or his own
commission / should not fear the re-
suit. AS it is, they will have to
prove that they acted under my or
der, and that will, in all probability,
secure his release, but it may lead to
my expulsion from the provinces; at
least, / have it from reliable source
that this last proposition has been
pressed upon the Canadian authori-
ties, and they have considered it.
Should the course of events take
this direction, unadVised by you, I
shall consider it my duty to remain
where I am and abide the issue. /
should prefer, if it be possible, to
to have your views on the subject.
Captain Cole is still a prisoner on
Johnson's Island. In obedience to
your suggestion, as far as it was
practicable, soon after my arrival
here urged the people in the North
to convert their paper money into
gold and withdraw it from the mar
ket. l am satisfied this policy was
adopted and carried into effect to
some extent, but how extensively l
am unable to state. What effect it
had on the gold market it is impos-
sible to estimate, but certain it is
that gold continued to appreciate
until it went to 2.90. The high
price may have tempted many to
change their policy, because after
ward gold fell in the market to 150,
when it was about 180, and exporta-
tion of gold was so small that there
appeared to be but little or no de-
mand for it. Mr.. John Porterfeld,
formerly a banker in Nashville, but
now a resident of Montreal, was fur
nished with 100000 and instructed
to proceed to New York to carry out
a financial policy Of his own concep-
tion, which consisted in the purchase
Iof gold and exporting the same, sell
| Iingit for sterling bills of exchange,
and then again converting his ex-
change into gold. This process in
volved a certain loss, the cost of
transhipment. He was instructed
| by Mr.. Clay and myself to 90 on
with his policy until he had expend-
ed $4,000, with which he supposed
he would ship directly $5,O00,OO0,
and induce others to ship much
more, and then if the effect upon the
gold market was not very precepti-
bic he was to desist and return to
Canada, and restore the money un-
expened. By his last report he hsd
caused the shipment of more than
two millions of gold at an expense
| of less than ten thousand dollars, but
it seems that Mr.. Lyons, who had
been a former partner of POrterfeld,
was arrested by General Butler, on
the ground that he was exporting
Igold; and although Mr.. Lyons had
mo connection with Mr.. Porterfeld
in this transaction, yet he thought it
prudent to return to Canada, and,
while he retains the unexpended
balance of the $4,000 to carry out
his instructions, he has restored 75,-
1000. l must confess that the first
shipment had q marked effect on the
market. l am inclined to the opin-
ion that his theory will work great
damage and distEuct in the Federal
finances if vigorously followed up,
land if no untoward circumstances
should interfere with the operation.
Soon after 1 reached Canada q
Mr.. Minor Major visited me and rep
resented himself as an accredited
Iagent from the Confederate States
Ito destroy steamboats, on the Missis.
lsippi river, and that his operations
were suspended for want of means
l advanced to him $4,000 in Federal
currency, and soon afterWard several
boats were burned at st. Louis, in
! volging an immense loss of property
to the enemy. He became suspect
led, as he represented to me, of being
the author of this burning, and from
that time both he and his men have
been hiding, and consequently done
. nothing. Money has been advanced
to Mr.. Churchill, Of Cincinnati, tt
organize corps for the purpose o
. incendiaryism in that city. 1 con
slider him a true man, and although
as yet he has effected but little, l an
: in constant expectation of hearing o
effective work in that quarter.
Previous to the arrival of Lieuten
ant Colonel Martin and Lieuten
Headley, bringing an unsigned nott
from you, all the different place:
where our prisoners are confined
Camp Douglas, Rock Island, Camp
Morton, Camp Chase, Elmira-had
been thoroughly examined, and the
: conclusion was forced upon us that
} all efforts to release them without an
outside cooperation would bring
disaster upon the prisoners and re.
: suit in no good. Ali projects of that
sort were abandoned, except that at
Camp Douglas, where Captain
Hines still believed he could effect
= their release. We yielded to hi;
frmness, zeal, and persistence, and
his plans were plausible, but treach
cry defeated him before his well laid
schemes were developed. Having
nothing else on hand, Colonel Mar
tin expressed q wish to organize 6
corps to burn New York city. He
was allowed to do so, and mosl
daring attempt has been made to fire
that city, but their reliance on the
} Greek fire has proved a misfortune
1t cannot be depended on as an
l agent in such work.
2 I have no faith whatever in it, anC
no attempt shall hereafter be made
) under my general directions, witt
/ any such materials, Iknew nothing
: whatever of the raid on st. Alban'l
2 until after it transpired. Desiring
: to have boat on whose captain anC
crew reliance could be placed, anC
t on board Of which arms could be
| sent to convenient points for arming
: such vessels as could be seized fol
: Operations on the lakes. 1 aided