Year: 1869

he succeeded, have placed the inquirer
on a wrong scent. But his very man.
ner was sufficient TO give the lie to the
part he was attempting to perform in
so unskillful way; and the old man
prObed him so deeply as to almost pen
citrate to the details of the whole busi-
ness. Had he done so, how much bet
ter would it have been for poor Morgan
and still how much better would it have
been for his murderers.


The result of the father-in-law's in
quiries amounted to this, that some one
was illegally confined in the fort, but
who he was, or for Whist purpose i'm
prisoned, he could not ascertain. He
then told the keeper, that he would give
him twenty-four hours in which to re-
lease the man, and if within that time
he should not be released, resort would
be had to legal means to the enjoy
ment of freedom. 1t vas his duty to
have insisted upon his immediate liber-
alton, and that duty would have prob
ably been performed Lad not the keep
er been so nearly connected with him,
his wish being to prevent his relative
from suffering the consequences of his
conduct, provided he should at last act
in accordance with tle dictates of JUS
tice. | should have mentioned that
the keepers tather-inlaw was not
Mason, and therefore the keeper could
not contide to him either the name of
his prisoner or the cause Of his incar-
ceratlon.


As soon as his fatler-in-law had left
him, the keeper proceeded to notify us
of the nature of the interview he had
had with his relative. He plainly told
us that something must be done imme-
diately, and that if Morgan was not
disposed Of before tle next morning,
not only should we all be arrested and
severely punished, but that there would
be great excitement raised against
the order, and that it would fall before
the torrent of popular Indignation, sui.
tering more severely-h it could have
done had Morgan's book been published,
and allowed to pass without question.
1t needed not that heshould tell Ills this,
for it was selfevident to every man in
the dark and agitated company. Along
and serious consultation took place.
Many plans were proposed, discussed,
and rejected, in their turn, having for
their object the removal of our prisoner
to some more secure place Of continc-
ment; for it was difficult to settle upon
a place less likely to be disturbed than
that which had been originally selected
The fort had been selected, at the start,
because 1t was Suppo'ed that it com
bined in a superior degree the leading
essentials Of a secret prison; vet this
deeply contrived plan had been baffied
by so simple and commonplace a thing
as the curiosity Of a woman. What
security could we have that anv other
prison would prove a better retainer of
its secrets? Such security was not to
be had and we saw before Us the pros
pect of continued danger, a constant
dread Of detection and punishment, to
say nothing of the danger Of our order.
SO long as Morgan should live. Our
liberty, our property, our characters,
and the great institution in whose be
half We had originally undertaken to
act, would all, for very many Years, it
was probable, be at the mercy Of every
| woman or child who should chance to
be in the vicinity of our victims prison.


1t was while we were in this state Of
doubt and uncertainty, regrettinr the
/ past and trembling for the future, that
one of our number rose to speak. He
was thoughtful, silent man, generally,
/ but always ready to act when ANYTHING
was to be done, and had the reputation
among us of being more deeply con-
cerncd in the business of Kidnapping
Morgan than any other Of the conSpi-
rators. Brethren" he said, in a firm
voice, there is no lenying that our
situation is 4 most critical one; but it
is the characteristic of determined, res
olute men, that they always rise supe-
rior to those difficulties which are fatal
to the weak and vacilating If we are
firm, and do not allow ourselves to be
deferred from pursuing the only course.
that can lead to safety, all viii vet he
we'll with us. What have we to fear :
1t is, that Morgan may recover his lib
erty, and bring down upon our heads
the whole weight of the law, and put
our order under the ban of public opin.
ion, against which, 10 institution, how
ever strong, can maintain itself. How
are these difficulties to be avoided :
To me it seems clea1 that they can be
avoided only by consigning Morgan to
that confinement from which alone
there is no possibility of cscape-THA1
OF THE GRAVE! This may appear tC
some Of you dread alternative, but
have been prepared for it from the be
ginning, as the probable result of thi,
mans seizure and Imprisonment. Nol
will there be anything SO decidedly un
just in our thus disposing of him. Has
he not placed himself in Il position of


traitor; and have not the laws of Goo
and man, i'll all ages, condemned trai
tors to suffer i'll full the penalty? Ant
what is the treachery which direct,
itself only against country or king
in comparison with that which aims t
overthrow vast institution which i,
gathering into its folds men of every
country, and binding all mankind into


a common brotherhood? | say, tha


Morgan has incurred the penalty of


death, and that to visit that penalty up


on him will be an act of justice, anC


according to the principles that prevail


among men in all forms of society


Our own safety, too, points to the sam,


course; and, for one, / am ready to bea


a full part in placing him in the onl,


prison that can make us all safe, Will,


ut the same time it will be just pun


ishment of his treachery."


The words of bold man, in times OF


doubt and trial, are always effectual


They were so in the present case, anC


the greater part of the company wer,


carried away by the speech Of the dar


ing American. They assented at one,


to the force of his arguments, and avow
ed their readiness to aid him in an,
measure that he should deem prope


under the circumstances. Some few
were silent, and neither approved no
condemned the sentiments that hat
been put forth; and from this position
they were as deeply involved, and a
guilty, as those who were most forwar'
in their desire for the shedding of blood
Before We separated, the death of Mo-
; gan was fully resolved upon; and
{ was agreed to meet on the evening O
that day, and fix upon the mode o
EXECUTION.


In the evening we all met. Severs
plans for putting our prisoner to deaf
l were proposed, but that which wa
: finally adopted came from the sam
man who had been so successful in col
:. vincing us that we should proceed t