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


TORONTO, G. W., Dec. 8, 1864.
Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary Of State:
SIR: Several times have l at
te mpted to send you communica-
tions, but 1 have no assurance that
any one of them had been received.
l have relaxed no effort to carry out
the objects the government had in
view in sending me here. Ihad
hoped at different times to have &C
complished more, but still 1 do not
think my mission has been altogeth-
er fruitless. At all events we have
afforded the Northwestern States the
amplest opportunity to throw off the
CALLING dynasty at Washington, and
openly to take ground in favor o.
State Rightssand Civil Liberty. Thi;
fact must satisfy the large class o.
|discontents at home Of the readiness
and willingness of the Administra
ton to avail itself of every profere(
assistance in our great struggle TO
independence.
On my arrival here I heard tina
that there was such an organization
as the order of "Sons of Liberty" il
the Northern States, and my frs
effort was to learn its strength, it,
principles, and its objects, and i
possible to put myself in communi
cation with its leading spirits. Thi:
was effected without much difficulty
or delay. L was received with cor
diality, and the greatest confidence
at once extended to me. The mum
Der Of its members was large, bu
not so great as Mr.. HOlt,in his ot1ici
al report, represented it to be. IT.
objects were political; its principles
were that the Government was baseC
on the consent of the parties to it
that the States were the parties. anC
were sovereigns; that there was nC
authority in the General Govern
ment to coerce a seeding State
The resolution of 1898 and 179!
were set forth as presenting the truC
theory Of the Government. Its or
ganization was essentially military;
it had its commanders of divisions
of brigades, Of regiments, of com
panies.
In the month Of June last the uni
versal feeling among its members
leaders, and prlvates WAS that it wa
useless to hold a presidential elec
ton; Lincoln had the power anC
would certainly re-elect himself, anC
there was no hope but in force. Th,
belief was entertained and freely ex
pressed that by a bold, vigorous, ,anC
concerted movement the great North
western Safes of Illinois, Indiana
and Ohio could be seized and held
This being done, the State of Ken
lucky and Missouri could easily b,
lifted from their PROSTATE condition
and placed on their feet, and this il
sixty days would end the war
While everything was moving OF
smoothly to a supposed successful
consummation, the first interruption
in the calculation was the postpone
ment of the Democratic convention
from the Fourth of July to the 26tl
of August, but preparations stil
went on, and in one of the State
the Goth of July was fixed as tn
day for movement.
But before the day arrived a gen
eral council of the order from differ
eat States was called, and it wa
thought the movement on the 20t
of July would be premature and tn
10th of August was fixed upon for
general uprising. This postpone
ment was insisted upon the groun,
that it was necessary to have a serie
of public meetings to prepare tn
public mind, and appointments 70
public peace meetings were made
one at Peoria, one at Springfield, ,an'
one at Chicago on the 18th. TIL
first one was at Peoria, and to max
it a success 1 agreed that so muc
money as was necessary would b
furnished by me. 1t was held an
was a decided success. The vas
multitudes who attended seemed t
be swayed that but one leading ide'
Peace. The friends were encOurae
ed andstrengthened and seemed anX
ious for the day when they woul
do something to hasten them to tn
great goal Of peace. About thi
time that correspondence betwee
our friends and Horace Greele
made its appearance, Lincoln