60,000 more to this, but are afraid to trust them yet. They wold assist in any difficulty if their services were required. They are increasing daily. They meet regularly once a week-Saturday night-but initiate men day and night at private houses, sending off the women and children during the ceremony. Things seem hot here. Shears says they expected battle the day Val. was here. When he (S.) left his home that day he did not expect soon to return; told his wife to seize package of private papers if the ball opened, but to let everything else go. If V. had been disturbed the plan was to kill as many of the leading Republicans here as possible, and set fire to the town. This evening I was introduced to Doctor Garver and Squire David Forlough, leading members of the organization. Shears said they were very timid of strangers. I found them so. But more to-morrow.

Respectfully,

E. F. H.

HAMILTON, BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO, June 20, 1864.

Colonel J. P. SANDERSON:

SIR: I have the honor to continue my statement of yesterday. Shears says they have so many members to each township. They have men traveling and men continually on the lookout. He thinks that a day will soon be designated on which all the States will notify the President that if members of this organization now in arrest are not released that hostages will be taken, property destroyed, and revolution begun. Says this is the only method to avert civil arrests. He says they were all splendidly armed the day Vallandigham was here at the convention. They expected bloodshed and had determined to destroy the leading abolitionists and burn their property. None seem to know definitely how V. came here. Doctor Garver and Forlough think he came via Chicago and then by carriage, as the Chicago Times' reporter was with him. It was a surprise to his friends. He has ever wished to return, but his friends dissuaded him. In March last at Columbus the Democratic convention would not nominate him as delegate at large for the State for fear he would come home and involve himself and friends in trouble.

This morning I visited the saloon and billiard room kept by Doctor Garver near the Butler House, the latter Democratic headquarters. When Shears was about to introduce me to Garver and Forlough he told me how timid they were from being deceived once; that he himself was satisfied with me, but to tell these men I was from Indiana, not Missouri. I told him if I did I would soon tell them better. I did not understand this exactly, but complied. He also told me to make myself known to them (fraternally). When introduced they said but little, and I waited on them; therefore but little passed. The doctor invited me to call this morning, which I did. Here I was introduced to a number of the "brethren," among them the mayor of the city, the city marshal, the former named Longfellow, the latter Galloway, and also to captain Wilson, formerly in Federal Army, but now a bitter rebel. He is the best informed man and most communicative that I have met here. From him-and he knows all about it, past, present, and future-I have gained at last the true object of this secret organization. Apart from side issues, all of which are only auxiliaries and tend to the same point, the great object is a Northwest (or Western) confederacy. That is it. That is the aim and object-nothing more nor nothing less.