Year: 1863




Aside from the publication of the expo


sition of the Secret Union Organization


published in the Forum last week, moth


ing has given the loyal Union men of this


County so much intense gratifycation, as


the course pursued by the Butternuts at


the present sitting of the Grand Jury.


The Union men have had an opportu-


nifty to vindicate themselves from the


charge of being enemies of the Govern.


ment, of being in favor of mob law, of 60


ing armed, of being guilty of making


threats, and of endeavoring to incte dis


order and violence, and most nobly, gal.


lantly and triumphantly have they en-


braced it.


And at the outstart, it may be well to
state that the Grand Jury of Crawford
County were engaged for the first three
days of their present sitting in grinding
out political thunder at about two hun
dred dollars a clap, counting three claps
for three days engaged, to be paid for by
the hard working ax-payers of the Coun-
ty. We have, however, no doubt that
the majority Of the Grand Jury were in
nocent Of being party to the fact that
they were to be converted into q political
machine until after they had been empan-
elled. But the fact that the whole thing
was secretly arranged and matured by
the Butternut leaders, for the express and
aosly purpose of damaging Union men,
and making capital for themselves, is ev-
ident from the facts developed in the case;
and here it may be well to state that there
was not a single known Union man on
the Grand Jury, with one exception
Mr.. Gregg, of Texas Township--and that
the rest are all of the ultra democratic"
persuasion, also, that after the gentlemen
of Crestline had been subpenRd to ap
pear before the Grand Jury, and before
they could clearly understand for what
purpose the Butternuts thereabouts were
chuckling among themselves, and point
ing the subpen@d Union men out, and
that when they arrived in Bucyrus, the
Bntternuts here went through the same
motions towards them. Another fact that
looks as though the whole thing had been
previously arranged, is, that almost the
same questions, in almost the same order,
were asked by the Foreman of each Union
man before the Jury.


But the Union men had done nothing
for which they need be ashamed-nothing
that any loyal man would not be willing
to do again in the open street at high
noon--nothing for which the good and
loyal everywhere will not heartily com
mend and endorse. Hence, when the OBJ
ect for which they were subpoened be-
ore the Grand Jury was ascertained, they
willingly appeared before it, ready and
anxious to avow their principles, and the
patriotic aims and loyal, noble objects Of
he organizations Of which they were
proud to be members. That the instiga-
ors of this inquisition got more than they
for, is evident from the fact {
hat they failed, even with their most
trenuous efforts, to find material for in
and that each Union man was t
ismissed by the Grand Jury, with the {
ssurance that the organization was not
n Objectionable one, and the remark by ,
everal Jurors to witnesses that the oath e
aken by them was not any more objec- t
enable, and not unlike that taken by the I
lrand Jurors. In fact, the Jury gave L
vidence of being heartily ashamed of the
'ork the Butternut leaders had imposed
pom them, and stated to several of those
lst examined that they wanted no more S
illnesses before them on the subject OF |
scret Union organizations. J
One thing we are unable to account for. s.
Ve believe Grand Jurors are sworn not a
} divulge any evidence brought before
lem, Yet, all that every witness knew, p
as known and repeated by Butternuts in G
! parts Of the town within an hour af- h
r each adjournment of the Jury. al
But that all may see what was divulg.
before the Jnry, and judge for them
Ives Of the objects and aims of the
nion Organization, as well as the con- u
mtible spirit evinced by those men, in
umental in arranging the in9uisition,
e purpose to give some of the evidence Fl
furnished by the witnesses themselves.
I'd first


THE CRESTLINE WITNESSES. :.
These were Rev. Siler, Pastor OF the NJ
nited Brethren Church at Gallon, Chas.
rinsley, Josiah Young, and VIM. Hoo
N. There was ona other summoned to