438 



INDIANA. 



which he was nominated passed resolutions 

 denouncing arbitrary arrests, the suspension of 

 the habeas corpus, suppression of newspapers, 

 and the general policy of the national and State 

 governments, favoring speedy peace and prompt 

 payment of soldiers, and complimenting the 

 troops. The vote of the people was as fol- 

 lows: Morton, 152,084; McDonald, 131,210; 

 Majority for Morton 20,883. The result of the 

 election dissatisfied the opposition so much that 

 they declared it to have been accomplished by 

 frauds extending " to almost every point where 

 railroad facilities enabled the guilty parties to 

 transfer voters from point to point." 



At the Presidential election on the 8th of 

 November ensuing. President Lincoln received 

 150,422 votes, and Gen. McClellan 130,233. 

 Lincoln's majority 20,199. 



The Governor in his Message to the Legis- 

 lature in June, 1865, says : 



Some misguided persons who mistook the bitter- 

 ness of party for patriotism, and ceased to feel the 

 obligations of allegiance to our country and Govern- 

 ment, conspired against the State and National Gov- 

 ernments, and sought by military force to plunge us 

 into the horrors of revolution. A secret organization 

 had been formed, which by its lectures and rituals, 

 inculcated doctrines subversive of the Government, 

 and which, carried to their consequences, would evi- 

 dently result in the disruption and destruction of 

 the nation. The members of this organization were 

 united by solemn oaths, which, if observed 1 , bound 

 them to execute the orders of their Grand Com- 

 manders without delay or question, however treason- 

 able or criminal might be their character. I am glad 

 to believe that the great majority of its members re- 

 garded it merely as a political machine, and did not 

 suspect the ulterior treasonable action contemplated 

 by its leaders, and upon the discovery of its true char- 

 acter, hastened to abjure all connection with it. 

 Some of the chief conspirators have been arrested 

 and tried by the Government, and others have fled ; 

 their schemes have been exposed and baffled. 



The arrest of the above-mentioned parties 

 commenced in the latter part of September, 

 and their subsequent trials before a military 

 commission occupied several weeks at Indian- 

 apolis, causing much excitement in the State. 

 Subsequent to the message of the Governor 

 the Judge Advocate General of the United 

 States, Holt, decided that the military com- 

 mission at Indianapolis for the trial of these 

 cases had no jurisdiction, and that they should 

 be turned over to the II. S. District Court of 

 Indiana for trial. 



On September 3d Major-Gen. Hovey caused 

 the following order to be issued : 



HEADQTJAKTF.SS DISTRICT or INDIANA, I 

 INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 3, 18t>4 f 



1. Large numbers of men of suspected loyalty to 

 the United States have heretofore, and still are, im- 

 migrating to the State of Indiana, and in some lo- 

 calities their open and avowed hatred to the Govern- 

 ment and treasonable designs are freely expressed. 

 Men who seek asylum have no right to abuse the 

 power that shelters and protects them. To guard, 

 therefore, against the mischievous consequences 

 arising from such a state of afi'airs, the following 

 rules will be rigidly enforced by the military au- 

 thorities of this District : 



2. Provost Marshals will cause a registry to be 

 made of all persons known as refugees within their 



respective jurisdictions, stating where and from whal 

 place they arrived, their intention as to their future 

 residence, and whether they are guilty of any viola- 

 lation of the laws of the United States, or the orders 

 of the War Department. 



3. It is made the duty of every officer in the mili- 

 tary service of the United States in this district, to 

 arrest and send to these headquarters every refugee 

 who is guilty of disloyal practices or uttering sedi- 

 tious words. Every person so sent will be accom- 

 panied by written charges and specifications, with 

 the names of witnesses to prove the same. 



4. General Order No. 16, of August the 13th, Cur- 

 rent Series, from these headquarters, will be strictly 

 enforced. By order of 



Brevet Maj.-Gen. ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

 [Official.] AND. C. CEMPER, A. A. G. 



An order had previously been issued by 

 Gen. Heintzelman, commander of the Depart- 

 ment, prohibiting the transport of arms into 

 the department by railroads. 



Later in the year, about the date of the at- 

 tempts to set on fire some hotels in New York 

 city, the Mayor of Indianapolis issued the fol- 

 lowing address to the citizens : 



To the People of Indianapolis. 



MAYOR'S OFFICE, Dec. 5, 1864. 



Reasons exist for warning our citizens that an at- 

 tempt to burn the city will be made. Let every pre- 

 caution be taken. See that pumps and wells are in 

 order, and every appliance for the extinguishment 

 of fire be ready for instant use. Proprietors of large 

 establishments, depots, and valuable stores should 

 have a trusty guard at night. Hotel keepers, look 

 well to rooms occupied by strangers, and those va- 

 cated during the night should be inspected at once. 

 Let citizens be vigilant and watchful. Watch not 

 strangers alone, for if the attempt is made residents 

 will aid. The fire department will be on the alert 

 and ready for emergency. The different wards might 

 do well to organize volunteer patrols. The fact that 

 we are thoroughly prepared will be most likely to de- 

 ter them from the attempt. J. CAVEN, Mayor. 



Whether the law making United States notes 

 a legal tender for debts contracted to be paid in 

 coin, was constitutional, became a question in In- 

 diana. In November a case was decided in the 

 Supreme Court involving the constitutionality of 

 the act. It was the case of Thayer i-s. Hedges, 

 from the Boone Circuit Court. Hedges and an- 

 other gave a note to Thayer for $500 in gold. The 

 payees, when the note was due, tendered $500 

 in greenbacks. Thayer refused to accept them, 

 and sued on the note. The court below held 

 the tender sufficient, and gave judgment for the 

 plaintiff for $500, the defendants recovering 

 costs. Thayer appealed. Judge Perkins, in 

 delivering the opinion in the Supreme Court, 

 says the principal question in the case is whe- 

 ther the section of the act of Congress of Feb. 

 25, 1862, making Treasury notes lawful money 

 and a legal tender, is constitutional. He thinks 

 it is not. The act operates as follows : 



1. It makes an article other than coin, and 

 an article as thus used of no intrinsic value, 

 legal tender money. 



2. It impairs the obligations of contracts by 

 compelling creditors to receive, in discharge of 

 them, less than half their value according to 

 stipulation. 



3. It operates as a fraud on the public creditors 



