The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling Details — John Shaqi
The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling DetailsAyer, I. Winslow
History
The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling Details
Ayer, I. Winslow
Knights of the Golden Circle; Northwestern Conspiracy, 1864
this proposition. Captain Majors was also, by his own statement, a
representative of the Rebel Government. It was proposed to distribute
the two millions of dollars through the Grand Commanders of Indiana,
Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois, and that the money was by them to
be distributed through the Major-Generals to the subordinate officers,
according as might be deemed expedient. This money, says Mr. Wilson,
(and we have the best of reasons to credit his statement,) was expended
for arms. Well do we remember that an oral report was submitted one
evening at the Temple of the Illini, by the Grand Seignor presiding,
that the pro rata for Illinois had been so expended, and that the
weapons had been started for their destination, which was Chicago.
These arms consisted of muskets, carbines, pistols, pistol belts and
ammunition. At the Council meeting, of which we have spoken, the whole
subject of revolution was freely discussed, and received the unanimous
support of all present, and a time was named and agreed upon, but not
until after much debate, several dates being named by different parties,
and reasons given for fixing upon each. It was arranged that the Order
in Indiana were to rendezvous at Indianapolis, also at Evansville, New
Albany (opposite Louisville,) and Terra Haute, that they would seize
the arsenal at Indianapolis, and the arms and ammunition would be
distributed among the members. Wilson, before the military commission
in Cincinnati, states that he learned from Dr. Bowles, that it was the
purpose of the Order to free the rebel prisoners at Indianapolis, and
that the same had been agreed upon with respect to other rebel camps, in
other States, on the supposition that they would unite with the Sons of
Liberty, in overturning the Government, and if they were found willing
to do this, arms were to be placed in their hands. At that meeting it
was a matter of discussion in what manner it was feasible to communicate
with Gens. Buckner and Price, in order that they might co-operate, and
have their forces near St. Louis and Louisville. The approach of their
troops to those cities was the favored moment for beginning hostilities
in the North. Mr. Wilson testified that he received a thousand dollars
of the two million fund, but that instead of appropriating it according
to the programme, he used it for buying substitutes, but the rightful
owner can have the same upon call. Maj.-Gen. Barrett, the party having
the fund in trust, has left the country, doubtless for his _health_, and
the thousand dollars is still without an applicant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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