political friend of Vallandigham's, who had just returned from a visit to him at Windsor, Canada, and who was present at this Hamilton convention-present by request of V., to aid him in procuring the nomination-and who was entirely ignorant of his advent, was more surprised than any one else at the convention. Troutman went home with Vallandigham. He says V. 's wife did not believe that he was in the State, though visit from here on that day. They are glad now he came, but I cannot learn that they courted his coming. Troutman is ex-postmaster. He told me there must be a separation of the East and West; says they are a distinct people, as much so as those of the North and South; that the East monopolizes all the patronage of the Government, imposes unjust things upon the West, and finally will aim to saddle the greater portion of this war debt upon her (Western) people. To avert these evils there must be a separation of East and West. That is the true object of the order.

When Vallandigham was prisoner in Cincinnati, Troutman had his rescue all planned and ready for execution, but V. dispatched to him and requested him to desist. He told me all about it.

Troutman has all the recent Southern publications; told me how he had discouraged enlistments, &c., and that the Administration could never raise another army. All the sympathy they affect at los of men in battle is to discourage enlistments. How they rejoice at the advance of gold. They gloat over any reverse of our Government, saying that as soon as she becomes feeble enough, paralyzed from defeat and bankrupt in men as, then this new confederacy is to be put in motion. They hope the time is not far distant.

I managed to have him advise me to go and see Vallandigham while so near him. He and others say the Administration is afraid to disturb V. How this pleases them. They speak of it as "a flank movement. "

I was introduced to mr. McGinnis, a lawyer and a "butternut," here to-day. He wondered to me why Missourians allowed Jim Lane to pass through their State without assassinating him on the first attempt. He and all the men of this order here have a very poor opinion of the Democracy of Cincinnati. They say that their money alone is their god, and not principle. This I believe is somewhat true. These people here seem honest and fervent. They are hospitable and true to one another. If they dreamed for one moment that I was a wolf or a bogus member never would I leave Hamilton alive. Of this I am most confident. To-day some of them manifest coldness and I manifest utter indifference. if I pressed them they would repulse me entirely. I affect to have other business here, and that meeting or associating with them is merely casual and for mutual interchange of views and sentiments. They are veterans in tricks and chicanery. They have practiced all the arts of villainy upon me, but I am on the alert. Their full confidence is what I am after and I must wait for the reaction. I hope for much from Shears. He is mine.

I have written to you daily since here, but they have tracked me too closely to trust the letters in the hands of rotten butternut post-masters. A letter indorsed to a provost-marshal-general daily would soon attract attention here where there is no military, especially in a small place like this. We must adopt a better plan for the future. The present is too dangerous. Once detected and every State will repudiate me, and my life would not be worth one fig. I know these people. They are desperate.

Truly and respectfully,

E. F. H.

46 R R-SERIES II, VOL VII