New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-16
TRAITORS IN THE REAR.


,uss,oxrn ,Sn PAIN Ely THE CONFEDERACY TO
nverpoy xoRTuRRN CITIES AND sHIPi1NG-DAN-
Crpors IMPLICATION OF PROMINENT NORTHERN
DrMocHATs IN THESE UNDERTAKINGS.
Of the Rebel agents in Canada in 1861, MT
fhompson appears to have been the one sPec".S
commits >ioncd 80 ipcitc Northern Democrats 10 lo'
o,d 70 dcsertion to the Confederate army and also
IN effect il pos.ible the destruction of the cities ana
shjpping Of the North by the operations OF hired IN
cendiaries In the suboincd letter, Endorsed by inc
pehel Secretary of State rs received by MN y"
February - 1865, Mr.. Thompson narrates 'io
nropress of his work. lie was received WIZ" .V
diolity and confidence by the oohs vi LIZ
erty.r and entered into their arrangements ~,
n general outbreak in the west inc i''I"Io VI
which he explains. full account Is gwen Oh tue
ahortiye attempts to obtain naval iootlhg Oh 'n.
Lakes with a view to attacking the conlme'o'"
cities of the West. Mr.. Thompson Acknowledges
having paid sum Of money for the Destruction 'H
fire of an amount of shipping on the MlSslSsipp
River and also that he actively ihNres'e" III
Che pIot to burn New-York City, which faied' III
savs because the Greek tire used was moi proper
ro,obnstible During his stay In CANADA he ic
ceived news OF numerous incendiary IcS I"
Northern cities and he advises that care DC eNci
csed in paving for the work. that no 1alse 'i' "o
allowed In summing up the results oil MS ""Sei ""
ttns rs TO the best plan for continuing the war he
shouid be rendered insecure. so that troops VIII
have to be recalled TO guard them ana 'ha' 'noe"-
a;aries sbond be directed to burn whenever IL IN
nracticabIe and thus make the men OF property iec'
their Insecurity and tire them out with the Wal
The attempt on New-York has produced erea'
manic which will not sHbsde at their Olddihg J."
many of these reasonable plots such wellkhoWh
men AS Mr. Mcdonald. candidate for Governor III
INDIANA in 1864, are declared prVy; ana OH
Thompson adds that he has in his possession many
papers which in the hands of the enemy Woulu III
terly ruin and destroy very many OF the prominent
men in the North"
J. THOMPSON TO JUDAH P. BENJAMIN.
TORONTO &. w. Dee. B. 1851.
Fon J. p BENJAMIN. ScC1e,dfr Of Stat
SIR: Several times have attempted 10 srhu you
communications, but have no assurance that any
of Them has been received have relaxed no effort
TO carry ont the objects the Government have IN
view in sending me here. had hoped az 1iierrht
times 10 have accomplished more but stall 81" moi
think my mission has been altogether hull'HS. AZ
ali events we have afforded tie Northwestern states
the anplcst opportunity To throw on lnr s'i,,'1i
dynasty AT Washington and openly 10 tax gl9mhd
in favor of State Rights and (lNH Liberty. inns
fact must satisfy the large class oil dlNcohtent, al
home of the readiness and Willingness al the All
ministration to avail itN.lt of every pI"nrIcd AN
sidancc in our great struggle for undergraduates
On my arrival here i heard that There wac Nn'h an
Orpanization as the order of the " Sons oi Liberty
I'm the Northern States and my INST effort was 10
learn its strength its principles AMI MS objects ana
leading spirts. THIS was effected without much
difficulty or delay was received among them with
cordiaty, and the greatest confidence AT once rA-
tended to me. The number oi US w'Wl"l> WIS
large but not great as MIR liolt III ms "htiai IT,
port represented IL To- be- ltN Objects were p"lllcal
It's PRINCIPLES were that the tuNcInmcnt MAS based
on lie consent of the partir, to IL; that tn states
were the parties and wer" sovereign; that There WAS
mo outhority IN the General Government To Cocroc
seeding state. The resolutions of l1'lN and l'''
were set forth presenting the true theory "l 'h'
Government. It's organization Was r>>'htI1iN nun
tary il had IT'S commanders oi DIVISIONS. "l 'll
gades. of regiments of companies Ia the m'lih 81
June last the universal feeling among H. melhl"iN
leaders and priyatcs "as thar u was u~I'N> l." nor"
"A Presidential election Lincoln had the power ana
would certainly reflect himself aud there was u"
hope but il force The bellc was entertained and
freely EXPRESSED that 10y bold. vigorous and con
certcd movement the three great Nurth~cNi"rn
States of Illinois, Indiana and ONO could bc s'/rd
and held. This lcing done tiir S'airs OF hth'u,h ny
trate condition and placed on thcn lc"t, ana tiiiS
in sixty days would end The var
While everything was moving on smoothly 10 a
supposed successful contamination the hfNt inter
ruption in the calculation was the postIourineu al
the meeting of the Dcmoerailc Convention iI"h the
9TH Of July the 2@th of August but preparation,
still went and IN one of the States 10" -Oih "t
july WAS fixed the day for a movement hlit
before the day arrived general council oi the
order from different States was called and II WIS
thought the mon cnent Oh the ION ot July would
De premature. and the 10th OF August "aN hN'd
upon Tor a general uprising. HIS poNtp"utm"ni
was insisted upon the ground that II was necessary
to have a SERIES of public meetings 10 prepare the
meetings were made. one at Peoria one ~ Spnng
field and one at Chicago on the 10Th. The hi> one
was Peoria aud 10 make II a success agreed
that 81 much money as Was necessary would Ice i'H-
nlshcd LV me. IL Was held and Was a decisive sue
the vast muuiu'lcs u" attended seemed W ne o
swaycd but by On" leading idta-l"ac'' lh',
friends were encouraged and strengthened ana
seemed ANXIOUS for the day when they would 30
something Ia hasten them 10 the great goaI "i peace
About this time that correspondence between our
friends and Horace Greeley made MS appear dhce.
I;ncoIu's manifesto shocked the country The he
y,ofir pr,sNl
South would agree 10 reconstIuctlOn ana 'he POI
iticians especially the leading ones conceived the
idea that on such issue Lincoln could Ice beaten
nj the ballot box. At all events, they argued thd'
The trial of the ballot-lOX should he made before
resort to- force, always "A dcrnier resort Inc
Springfield meeting came on. but II wa, apGhei
that the fire exhibited At Peoria had already ti-
minishcd-the whole tone OF The SPEAKER was NAV
the people must rely on the ballot-bOX Tor rcdIIN'
Of grievances The nerves OF the leaders oil Tie
order began 10 relax.
About this time "a large lot of arms was pure haSeo
and sent to indianapolis. which was discovered aL'
some of the leading men were charged WIN Tie
design to arm the members of the order for treason
.hle nurn,,,.s Tr,lchcIy showed itself at LOuls
vile. Judge Butt and DI. kaias were arrr,tc,
and sent to Memphis The day on winch thr grsh
movement was TO he made bccame known 10 MI
Mcdonald candidate for Governor Of Indiana aht
believing that would mar his prospects tor cleo
ton unless prevented he threatened 10 expose; al
the parties engaged unless the project was ahdn
doned Thus the day passed by and noimng wa
done The Chicago Convention came, lhc 'Io"'
was immense, the feeling was unanimous Tor peace
a general impression prevailed that rccOnStruct"i
could be had. and that it was necessary to 80 tai
psnder 10 the military feeling az To t n urnGr''
Mcclellan Ia secure a certain success. This nOinnd
ton followed as it was by divers disclosures an'
arrests of persons. prominent members totdiIy &c
moraized The sons of Liberty" The feeling Will
the is n strong ever: they are True nia''
and believe willing and ready. but they nave IA
leaders The vigilance of the Administration, u
large detective force. the large bOunties paii 10
tIeacbery. and the respectable men who hay
yielded TO the temptation added TO the large mn
tary force stationed in those States, make organAa
ton and preparation almost an np0SSlblllty. !