New-York tribune., 1885-03-28
THE MAN WHOM LAMAR HONORs
JACOB THOMPsONs STORY OF HIS OWN
VILLANY.

VILLANY.
HIS OPERATIONS IN CANADA DURING THE REnEr.
LION AS RECORDED By HIMsKLv
Secretary Lamar's order that the flag over the In.
terror Department should be hung at halfmast and
the officers and clerks Of the Department receive
holiday with pay In honor of that departed traitor
conspirator and thief, Jacob Thompson, Secretarv
Of the Interior under Buchanan. has natu.
rally revived interest In Thompson's mission Ia
Canada during the Rebellion and tho damnsbls
operations In which he was there engaged in behalf
Of the Confederacy.
During the spring of 1881 THE TRIBUNE published
number Of letters from the Rebel agents In Can
ada Thompson Clay and Holcombe) fortunately
preserved among the Confederate archives, giving
an official account of their plots against the Union
1t so happens that the most striking of these letters
was one from Jacob Thompson to Judah P.
Benjamin, the Rebel Secretary of State,
which appeared in The TRIBUNE of April 10. 1881.
moro straightforward record Of vilany has sell
dom been put IN black and white by the Villain
himself 1t occupied about two columns of TGE
TRIBUNE and is a detailed statement Of the opera
tions Of Thompson who made Toronto his head
quarters. 1t begins with an account of the plans
of the " Sons Of Liberty" by whose aid Thompson
hoped that the three great States of Ohio, Illinois
of the peace meetings. for the organization of which
Thompson furnished the needful funds; Of tho
partly successful plot to release Rebel prisoners on
Johnson's Island Of the plan to create panic in
the money market by the expectation of gold and
Of the attempts more or less successful to burn
Northern shipping and Northern cities--especially
New-York. where the unsatisfactory results from
the use of Greek fire greatly annoyed Thompson
| and, as he says, confirmed his contempt for that
| article as an incendiary agent. We omit in gen.
erai, those parts of the letter which merely reveal
| the man whom Secretary Lamar delights to honor
active and enterprising traitor and reproduce
| those parts which brand him as an inhuman mon
ster:
TORONTO, c. W., Dec. 8, 1854.
Hon. J. p. BENJAMIN. Secretary Of State.
SIR: Several times have attempted to send you COM
has been received have relaxed no effort to carry out
the objects the Government have in view in sending
plished more, but still do not think my mission has
been altogether frutess At all events we have afforded
throw OF the CALLING dynasty at Washington and openly
to take ground in favor Of State Rights and Civil Lib
| erty. -
This postpouement insisted upon the ground that
it was necessary to have series OF public meetings 70
meetings were made at Peoria one at Spring
field and at Chicago. the 18th. The first one was
Peoria and to make 1t success agreed that so much
| money was necessary would be furnished by me- t
was held and decisive success. The vast multi
tudes who attended seemed to be swayed but by ono
Soon after reached Canada Mr. Minor Major visited
me and represented himself accredited agent from
the Confederate States 10 destroy steamboats, on the ME-
sp %pn Rf of ans 'np' assad % him
eraI currency and aterrard several boats rers
% g. 81 hS lie rSg SrSams as he
seHted of being the author OF this burning and
from that time both be and his men have oeea hiding and
| consequently have done nothing Money mas been dd-
ranceao NJ Chehm o. GmslsnaG "a it q , Srgq~';c so
Sder him true man. and although as yet ne has cfteed
Im hHie am IA constant erpectatton Of hearing Of
PreyioTs to the arrival Of Lieutenant Colonel Martin
| and Lieutenant Headey. bringing an unsigned note
from you all the different places where our prisoners
are confned-Camp Douglass Rock Island Camp Norton
| Camp Chase. Elmira-had been thoroughly examined,
and the conclusion forced upon us that all efforts 70
release them without an outside cooperation would
bring disaster upon the prisoners and result In no good
Camp Douglas. where Captain Hines stl oeneved ns
could effect their release We yielded to his rmnes
ibie; but treachery defeated him before his
ysd nasS s9smes coo weF0 asr asrsGpee is
| 10 organize a corps 10 burn Ner'fork Guy he rg.
ssa 10 Gys hat a. ey S@ her reiiaSes on s Greske ha
| prored a misfortune. Heannot Dc depsnaed on as az
ny @ttnpt ssaH hcreatr g made under my general d.
| reetions irigt such material
ery ' has 'osss s 's dsroyea by burning The information
brought to the perpetrators is so conflicting and
Certainly known. Should claims be presented at the
War ocs for payment for this kind OF work. not one
ali the parties concerned may have opportunity for
making and presenting proof Several parties claim
| to hare dom he cork at S. Louis, Netc- orleans,
| Louisville Brooklyn, Phlddephid and at Cairo. .
| For the future. discardlng all dependence on the
organizations in the Northern States, our Efforts In my
Judgment should be directed to inducing those who arc
conscrpted In the North and who utterly refuse TO oiu
the army to fight against the Confederate States tC
make their way south 10 Join our service IL Is believed
by many that least number sufficient to make up
dyision may be secured in this for service be
fore spring especially II our army opens up road TO the
Ohio are now on their way to Corinth, when az
nrescut is the poinof rendezvous Also TO operate on
their railroads and force the enemy 10 keep up guard
on ali their roads which will require large sandn2
nriuy nj home and o. burn phSHsrdr rs prdettedbe
| and hus make the Ot proptry feel Their insecurity
| and tire than ont iCh the rar. The attempt on htn
| at their bidding Very respectfully, your ooeai
| ent servant, D. ihohiooN