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
transported to the South. Upon the departure of Mr. Holcombe south,
his business was turned over to C.C. Clay, who after that acted in this
capacity. It was during Holcombe's stay in Canada, that the speculative
brain of George N. Sanders, first originated the great humbug of
the Niagara Falls peace conference, at which there was but one rebel
official, and he was not authorized to act in any such capacity. But
the speculative Sanders, having lived like Barnum nearly his whole life,
upon humbugs, made his last and greatest effort to humbug the American
people, into the belief that the Southern people really desired peace,
and that he Clay and Holcombe, although not regularly authorized by
the Rebel government, still could speak for and influence the Southern
people. While in reality the whole conference was nothing on the part of
Sanders & Co., but the last act of a desperate political gamester, who
ventured his all upon one last throw of dice, to win or lose it all. If
Sanders, Holcombe, Clay and others, could have made the people of the
North believe the South really desired peace, and that the only obstacle
in the way was the obstinacy of the General Government, which did not
desire it, but wished to annihilate the Southern people, they could have
materially affected the then coming Presidential election in the North,
and perhaps elected a Democratic president, who would have added to the
disasters then affecting the country--general and complete ruin. The
election of such a man as Gen. McClellan, at such a time, and professing
such principles as actuated the Democratic party at that time, would
have insured to the South her independence, rather than further war
and a dismemberment of the Union. All this these parties professing
to represent Southern opinion well knew, and had they been successful,
would have reaped a rich political reward. Having endeavored to give a
correct outline of the characters of the rebel leaders in Canada, and
the different spheres in which they acted, it is now necessary to give
some idea of the different classes of individuals who were led by
such men, and prompted by them to undertake the many hair-brained
expeditions, which they first plotted and started. These persons
are rightfully and very expressively divided into four different and
distinct classes: 1st. The Rebels. 2d. The skedadlers. 3d. Refugees.
4th. Bounty jumpers and escaped criminals. The term rebel is applied
only to persons who have been or are connected with the rebel army, and
they again are subdivided into two classes; first, those rebels who have
gone to Canada as a means of escape to the South; and, secondly, those
who, having been accustomed to easy and luxurious living in times of
peace, and having become thoroughly disgusted with service in the army,
where they were subjected to strict military discipline, sought
in Canada an asylum from compulsory service of both parties. 2d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account