St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-07-11
THE DARK PLOT OF 1864.
Some Interesting History.

| Some Interesting History.
The New York Sun has unearthed
and published a number of letters
written by prominent persons in the
summer of 1864 revealing the extent
and seriousness of the plot to compel
the withdraw wal of Abraham Lincoln
from the candidacy of the republican
party 1t is not totally new, this
revelation, but there are some names
attached to these letters which it is
| difficult to think of in such connec-
| ton. Mr.. Lincoln was nominated
in June with an enthusiasm not much
! behind that which attended his first
nomination in 1860, when he was
an unknown quantity. Nevertheless,
| in August there was movement
made to overthrow the national re-
publican ticket which had evidently
a very considerable backing on the
| part of leaders of the republican
party, though there is nothing more
certain than that it would have
found no popular support at the time
it was begun any more than it would
in November. The letters illustrate
very forcibly the superior wisdom of
the mass of the people when wrought
up in behalf of a great cause. Lin
coin was never so weak with the
people as he was with the states
men" at this juncture.
The convention which nominated
Mr.. Lincoln was held at Baltimore
June 7, 1864. A few days before
John c. Fremont, an unsuccessful
general, had accepted a nomination
from the so-called radical demo-
Gratis" that is, disconnected republic
cans, who met at Cleveland. But
there were republicans who doubted
the wisdom of the management of
the war,-doubted it even to despair.
Perhaps they were eXcusable, but it
is a fact that the people all over the
country had long before got over
their trust,-which was manifest
ed in sporadic outbreaks like that of
the peoples party" in this state,
which nominated Gen. Devens for
governor in 1862, and in the oppo-
SitiOn to the draft in many states in
1S63-and throughout 1864 they
were patient and confident, nOtwith-
standing the bloody Wilderness cam
paign, and what seemed a general
pause in results. The statesmen and
the politicians, to whom Lincoln and
Stanton refused their intimate conf
dence, on the contrary, were grow
ing more distrustful. In the middle
of August several New York pOliti-
clans issued a secret call for "a con-
vention of the people" as they term
ed it, on the ground that "a union of
all loyal citizens of the United States
upon the basis of a common patriot
ism is essential to the honor and
safety of the country in this crisis of
its affairs" 1t was therefore deSira-
BILE to concentrate the Union
strength upon some one candidate,
who commands the confidence of the
country, even by a new nOmina ton
if necessary" The call summoned a
convention at Cincinnati, September
%; and signatures were invited
thereto. Without question, the
prime object of the call was to put
somebody else into Lincoln's place.
this, and nothing else.
The Suns letters begin with one
from Horace Greeley to George OPP
dyke, then mayor of New York. Mr..
Greeley, who was constantly going
off at half-cock, and whose high prin-
ciples never saved him from grotesque
exhibitions of his lack of pllilOsOphic
temper and reasoning deliberation,
wrote on August Is such a 1nisSive
as this
Mr.. Lincoln is already beaten. He
cannot be elected. And we must
have another ticket to save us from
utter overthrow. If we had such a
ticket as could be made by naming
Grant, Butler, or Sherman for Presi-
dent, and Farragut as Vice, we
could make a fight yet. And such a
ticket we ought to have anyhow,
with or without convention. This
letter was in advance of the secret
meeting that launched the call, and
so was the next given, from Salmon
p Chase, who had recently resigned
from President Lincoln's cabinet
Mr.. Chase was not SO pronounced;
his views were not las clear as |
could WISH" but he thought the
country never more in need of wise
counsel and fearless action. After
ward it appears that John Austin
Stevens, the historical antiquarian,
was secretary of the Opdyke meeting,
for the subsequent letters are ad-
dressed to him. Henry Winter Da-
Wis, a high-minded gentleman, who
in some inexplicable way conceived
early prejudice against Mr. Lincoln
which he never Overcame, and who
had several days before joined with
Benjamin Wade in the objectionable
Wade-Davis manifesto, naturally
chined with the call He said in his
letter: Il think we have a pretty
good start in New York and the n
E. states, Pa, Del, Ohio and Michi-
gan. If a break be made there, it
compels Lincoln's surrender" Mr.
Davis was not very clear in his re-
marks Out of the several states
named, which did he mean by there?
Daniel S. Dickinson, a war demo-
crat, whose name had been promi-
nent for the vice-presidential nominal
ton with Lincoln, wrote long let
ter He had maintained a faith in
Mr. Lincoln's integrity" and was still
willing to support him, ifthe end could
be attained But he could not believe