The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-13
EDITOR AND son OF LIBERTY.

EDITOR AND SON OF LIBERTY.
Blasphemous Denunciations of Abraham
Lincoln During and After the War-John
Wilkes Booth Applauded for His Work of
Assassinntion-Propos Killing of Gov
ernor Morton and Release of the Rebel
Prisoners at Camp Morton.
After his retirement from the army Horace
Heffren became editor of the Washington
Democrat, published at Salem this State, a
paper in open sympathy with the South. In
an editorial in the issue of May 7, 1868, Hef-
fren said:
Last Thursday was the day set apart as
day of humiliation and prayer. 1t was done
by Abraham, the ral-splitter, in imitation,
we suppose, of King Jeff's example, Old Abe
no doubt thinking that the residents of JeffNs
dominions were getting ahead of his own.
Well the fasting-in a horn-and
prayer-for the nigger-is over WITH and we
hope some feel better for we know they ought
to. If there is a hell lake of lit
eral fire and birthstone, we should like to be
old Satan about ten days, and have the souls
OF such wretches under our care, with full
power TO do as we pleased with them"
AT the time of the publication of the
above paragraph the battle of Chan
cellorsvlle had just been fought, re-
sulting in the defeat and retreat
of the Union army. In another column of
the same paper Heffren refers editorially to
an investigation into the existence of the
reasonable order of the Knights OF the
Golden Circle in his county. He says:
" If there is such an organization as al
legged, we denounce and condemn it. We
want no one to enter into plots to overturn
our government or resist the laws of the
land. Let the baliot-box and the courts set
tie matters of legislation. and not bullets
As we have said before, we cannot see the
necessity OF secret political organizations
unless the liberty and natural rights of the
citizen are In danger of being taken from
him, and we admit rapid strides are making
in that direction! !"
To show how false and hypocritical is this
"denunciation" of secret political organize
tons, it is only necessary to quote from
Hefren's sworn testimony that just six
months later he became member of
the American Knights or Sons of Liberty, a
reasonable organization whose purpose was
to carry Indiana into rebellion and to inau-
gurate civil war in this State. The character
of this representative Democrat is here again
revealed. We make the following excerpts
NOM lilO tCStiHiOlH vi IlcDISu before Ine
military commission appointed to try the
Indiana conspirators. given in 1864:
MR.. HEFFRENs TESTIMONY.
Question-Please state your name, place
of residence and business.
Answer-My name is Horace Heffren; res
idence, Salem, Washington county, Ind; my
profession, that Of an attorney; my office is
at Salem.
Q.-How long have you resided there?
A.-Since March, 1857
Q.-Please state to the court whether YOU
ever joined an order called American
Knights or order of Sons of Liberty. if so
when and where?
Al joined an order called American
knights, somewhere in the latter part of the
year 1868, probably in November or Deem
Q.-Of what political faith were the ma
Jority of the men comprising that organiza-
ton?
A.-They were all Democrats
Q,-State whether any other class of men
were admitted or was it a sine qua non
that man must be Democrat?
Al do not think anyone would have got
in unless he professed to be Democrat.
Q.-State to the court what were the gen
eral purpose and objects of that order, as far
as you learned?
AIN the first place, understood there
were two organizations, one within the other;
the civil organization, to which the mass of
the members belonged and which, as far as
l ever knew. was purely political to bring
out the Democratic vote to the polls, and 10
insure the success of the principles of the
Democratic party, by every means in our
power to get every voter out to cast his vote;
and as we had been told by those who in
structed u.s. that it was the deliberate design
and arrangement of the Abolition party 10
prevent voting, we determined to have a free
fight or fair election. l have been told by
members of the order that the other portion
of the organization had for its object
the separating of the States of Ohio, In
diana, Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky
from the Eastern States 20 make a
Northwestern CoHfederacy; and failing
in that, to join our fortunes with the South.
That was the military part, which was not
communicated or known to the members of
the civil organization; and presume never
would have known l., had it not been for the
position held as deputy grand commander.
Odd there come to your knowledge, at
any time, any intention on the part OF this
order to take possession of the State govern
meht?
Ayes, sir.
Q..-Detal to the court what you learned
in reference to that.
A.-This | also received from the same
source-Dr Wilson. He told me that upon
a certain day, the 18th but whether of Au-
gust or July, | am not certain of this year,
there was to have been All uprsing the pris-
oners were to be released at the camp near
Chicago think Camp Dougass-at Camp
Morton, and q camp near Columbus, o.,
Camp Chase it is called, believe. The