to assent to the establishement of a Northwestern confederaty. A committee of ten had been appointed to assassinate Governor Morton. Jacob Thompson, of Canada, furnished H. H. Dodd, of Indianapolis, with $75,000, with which Dodd purchased the arms which were afterward seized at Indianapolis, and it was further shown that the money was furnished upon the express condition of an uprising, including the release of the rebel prisoners and the placing of these arms in their hands.

The comspiracy failed-(1) because the rebels failed to co-operate as arranged; (2) because the designs of the order and its contemplated plot were exposed, and (3) because the leaders were at the time seized and held by the military authority. This prompt action substantially crushed out the Order of the Sons of Liberty, caused the lodges and temples to burn their records, put an end to their meetings, and disbanded the order.

The leaders in these conspiracies are still living, still in the country, and many of them actuated, as heretofore, by an implacable hate of our present Government. Added to this there is found, drifting up to us from the South, men possessed, seemingly, of a perverted nature, and moved by a still more venomous hate toward our Governmet and her institions. These congenial elements are uniting for evil.

In my investigations, to which the late national calamity has given rise, I find the footprints of this old Order of Knights of the Golden Circle crossing my path in all directions, probably brought here from the South. Prompt and vigorous measures, I respectfully submit, should be taken by the Government to meet and crush this element, fiend-like in its manifestations, or it may become a power that will be troublesome if not dangerous to handle. There is reason to believe that many, if not all, the persons connected with the late assassnation of the President were members of this resuscitated Order of Knights of the Golden Circle.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

H. L. BURNETT,

Brevet Colonel and Judge-Advocate.

U. S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,

Indianapolis, Ind., May 2, 1865.

Judge-Advocate HOLT, Washington City, D. C.:

SIR: I have been informed that an effort will be made by the attorneys of Messrs. Bowles, Miligan, et al., recently tried in this district by military commission, to have the defendants broght before the judges of the Federal court by writ of habeas corpus, to the end that the question of jurisdiction of said commission may be decided, as they hope, adversely, and that the defendants be delivered up to the civil authorities for trial, &c.

I have understood that you have carefully examined this question of jurisdiaction and have delivered an opinion in the premises. I therefore write to request that you send me by return mail a copy of the same, as it will be of much service to me in meeting the question proposed to be raised before the court.

Yours, truly,

JOHN HANNA,

U. S. District Attorney.