The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-17
AsE YOUR GROCER FOR
PRINCESS FLOUR.
Henry L. Dawes's "reminiscences of Events in
Washington on the Eve of the Civil War.

PROVIDENCE, r. l.. April 16-The regular
monthly meeting of the Commercial Club
was held at the Narrsgansett Hotel last
night. The topic of discussion was. Wash
ington the winter before the inauguration
of Lincoln" The speakers of the evenin q
were ex-United States Senator Henry l..
Dawes. of Pittsheld. Mass; Charles Carle-
ton Coffin. of Boston. and Right Rev.
Thomas Clark. Bishop of Rhode Island. all
of whom spoke. Senator Dawes, in the
course of his speech. said:
That winter the atmosphere was sur
charged with avery thing calculated to stir
the human heart. l myself was member
committee-It was the belief OF 10y al citizens
ot the country that Lincoln would not be
inaugurRted If 1t oOuld be prevented by
fair means or foul. Rumors of distur bance Q
In the Cabinet of Buchanan came to the
knowledge of the committee. Mr.. Csss had
resigned as Secretary of State. and Mr.
Black assumed his position. Mr.. Stanton
became Attorney-generaL l don't believe
that the President aud part of the Cabinet
were dsloyal. but they were timid. 1t
as easy as possible until the
4th of March. The disloy al mem bers of the
Cabinet were bent on overtbrowing the
government. We received communications
written by members of the Cabinet telling
OF attempts to cause the overthrow of the
government. One of these communications
told Us that MIR. Floyd had been charged
with treason In the Cabinet He was
called before us and We questioned him.
He disappeared tho next day and was
never seen in Washington again. We were
told that the Pensacola navy yard had
been surrendered. We called on the Secre-
tary of War ana asked him about il. He
said that he did not wish to see blood shed.
through the form of Withdrawing from the
government shortly after the election of
Lincoln, and then sent mp an embassy to
Washin gton and h0isted the flag of for.
eign nation. We summoned the embassy
before Us. A fashIonably- dressed young
man came and said that he was secretary
Of the embassy. He told rs that the State
was an independent nation. and was not
responsible TO Us or obliged TO obey our
summons He became angry when ques-
toned. and went away, but the embassy
continued until the firing on Fort Sumter.
One night il disappeared. and did not even
pay the rent of Its house. The great effort
of the whole winter on the part of the dis
so they might oe the governments de facto.
The great obstruction to their designs
was the loyalty of the Governor of Mary
land. The struggle all winter long was to
prevail OH Governor Hicks TO call the Leg
isleture together. If he had done that
they would have achieved their ends.
This conspiracy passed over. but IL was
feared that the counting of the electoral
votes would be prevented and Lincoln not
declared the President. The votes were in
the custody of John Z. BreckiDridge. Vice
President In order 10 secure the formal
declaration that Lincoln was legally
elected. there were employed several hum
dred police in citizens clothing ready to
protect the ballots. Through this file OF
men Mr.. Breckenridge marched to the
chamber OF the House and there the votes
were counted. His feelings were with the
South. but he was n man of such honor
that he would not petray his trust"