The Portland daily press., 1885-03-30
Jacob Thompson.
The Man in Whose Honor Secretary La
mar Closed the InteriOr Department

(New York TribuneO
Secretary Lamar's order that the flag over
the Interior Department should be hung at
half-mast and the officers and clerks of the
department receive holiday with pay in
honor OF that departed traitor, conspirator and
thief, Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Inte-
rlor under Buchanan, has naturally revived
interest in Thompson's mission in Canada dur
ing the Rebellion, and the damnsble operations
| in which he was there engaged in behalf of the
! Confederacy.
During the spring OF 1881 The Tribune pub
| lished a number of letters from the rebel
agents in Canada (Thompson, Clay and Hol.
combe) fortunately preserved among the Con-
federate 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 Is, 1881. A more
straightforward record of villainy has seldom
been put in black and whits by the villain
himself. 1t occupied about two columns of
The Tribune and is detailed statement OF the
operations Of Thompson, who made Toronto
his headquarters 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 and Indiana could ''be
seized and held.'' 1t tells of the peace meet
ings, for the organization Of which Thompson
furnished the needful funds; of the partly sue
cessful plot to release rebel prisoners on John
sons Island; of the plan to create panic in
the money market by the expectation of gold;
oOd of aff 1raz
burn Northern shipping and Northern cities
especially New York, where the unsatisfactory
results from the use of Greek fire greatly an
noyed Thompson, and, he says, confirmed his
contempt for that article as an incendiary
agent. We omit, in general, those parts Of
the letter which merely reveal the man whom
Secretary Lamar delights to honor as an active
and enterprisiDg traitor, and reproduce those
parts which brand him as an inhuman mon
ster:
TORONTO, G. W., Dec. 3, 1864.
Hon. j. P. BerJdnain, Secretary of State:
Sir,-Several times have attempted to send
you communications but have no assurance
That any OF them has been received. | have
relaxed 10 effort to carry out the objects the
government have in view 10 sending me here,
had hoped at different times to have accom-
plished more, but still do not think my mis-
we have afforded the Northwestern States the
amplest opportunity to throw off the CALLING
dynasty at Washington and openly to take
ground in favor of State Rights and Civil
Liberty.
This postponement was insisted upon on the
ground that it was necessary to have series of
pubic meetings to prepare the public mind.
and appointments for public peace meetings
were made one at Peoria, one at Springfield,
and one at Chicago, on the 10th The first one
at PAnria and m ka Z
that sc much money as was necessary would
be furnished by me. 1t was held, and was
decisive success. The vast multitudes Who at
tended seemed to be swayed BY but one leading
idea-peace.
Soon after reached Canada. Mr.. Minor
Major visited me and represented himself as
an accredited agent from the Confederate
States to destroy steamboats, on the MisSisSippi
htuer, and that his operations were suspended
Tor want OF means. advanced TO him So 600 in
Federal currency, and soon qtter7oard several
coats aceTe burned at st. Louis, i7avo[uino an
an9nle7l7e Toss Of property TO the enemy. He be-
came suspected, ae ne represented 10 me- of bs-
ing the author OF this burning, and from that
time both he and his men have been hiding.
and consequently have done nothing. Monev
has been odUdnced to Mr. ChurchH of Cinca9-
7ldtl, to organize a corps for the purDOSe of
sncendidTtsm i11 that city. I consider him a
tr'te man, and although as yet he has effected
out little, am an constant expectation of hear
ang Of eIectSce Uorb in that quarter
Prevlo1s to the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel
Martin and Lieutenant Headley, bringing an
unsigned note from you, all the different
places where our prisoners ara Northumberland
Douglass, Rock Island Camp Morton. Csmp
Chase, Elmira-had been thoroughly exam
lned, and the conclusion was forced upon ia
that all efforts to release them without an ont
side cooperation would bring disaster upon
the prisoners and result in no good. All Dro-
jects of that sort were abandoned except that
at Camp Douglas, where Captain Hines still
believed he could effect their release We
yielded to his firmness, zeal and persistence.
and his plans were plausible; but treachery
defeated him before mis- well-laid schemes
We're developed. Having nothing else on hand,
Colonel Martin expressed q 9OiSh 10 Oroon7ze a
corps to burn Neo0 York city. He aods diloaged 30
dose, and most daring attempt has been nladeto
fire that city, but their reliance ON the Greek FIRE
has proved asSttStortune. 1t cannot be depend
ed on as an agent in such aDork. Ihu1e no
faith ghate0eT IN at and no dttempt shall here
after be made u1ader n1y general directions lCih
such material.
Dnrtr9g nay stay in Canada great anaonnt
or property has been deetroyed by burning
The information brought to me as to the peT-
petrators is SO conflicting and contradictory
that l am satisfied that nothing can be GER
tainly known. Should claims be presented at
the War Office for payment for this kind of
work, not one dollar should be advanced on
any proof adducsd until all the parties CON
cerned may have an opportunity for making
out and presenting proof. Several parties
claim to have done the work at st. Louis, New
Orleans, Louisville Brooklyn, Philadelphis
and at Cairo.
For the future, discarding all dependence on
the organizations in the Northern States. our
efforts, in my Judgment, should be directed t,
inducing those who are conscripted in the
North and who utterly refuse to join the army
to fight against the Confederate States. to
make their way South to join our service Il
is believed by many that at least number
sufficient to make up division NAV be
secured in this way for our service bsfore
spring, especially If our army opens up a road
t. the Ohio Some are now on their way to
Corinth, which at present is the point OF
rendezvous Also to operate on their rail.
roads, and force the enemy to keep up guard
on all their roads, which will require large
standing army at home; aud to burn Whenever
it is practicable, and thus make the men of
property feel their insecurity, and tire them
out with the war The attempt on New York
has produced great panic, which will not
suDsloe at tneir bidding. Very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
II T'u0Mp.Ou