JUMPERS, DESERTERS, FELONS, VAGABONDS AND TRAITORS IN COUNCIL--PLANS OF
ATTACK ON CAMP DOUGLAS--FIRES TO BE KINDLED IN THE CITY--BANKS AND STORES
TO BE ROBBED--NAMES OF SPEAKERS--HATRED OF UNION SOLDIERS.

At a meeting of the Sons of Liberty in September, 1864, a plan was
reported, much to the relief of those who had a horror of conscription; it
was arranged that such of the members as might be drafted, should report
within three days to the Grand Senior of the Temple, and they would be
supplied with means to defray their expenses to the southern part of the
State, where they would remain till their services should be required, and
that they would find friends there, strong enough in numbers, to defy the
officers of the law. Such persons were to form military organizations, and
to be drilled and disciplined by rebel officers sent thither for that
express purpose. The "Sons" of Chicago expressed their extreme regret at
the very open and defiant manner of their brethren in the southern part of
the State, and believed that it would be prejudicial to the prosperity of
the Order. Our readers have not forgotten the Coles county tragedy, the
murderers and their victims. There is not a particle of doubt that those
murders were premeditated, and first the subject of discussion in the
temples of the Sons of Liberty. The assault was made without provocation,
and the thirst for the blood of Union men was the motive for the deed. We
have never advocated or countenanced mob law, but if there was ever a time
in the history of our government in which it was justifiable, it was in
the cases of the Coles county murderers. The times seemed, perhaps, to
have demanded a vigilance committee of citizens, who would administer
justice fast enough to suit the emergency of the cases upon which they
might be called to adjudicate, and having "cleaned out" the murderous
scoundrels in that locality, they might have found a demand for their
services in Chicago. But it is better that the people controlled their
just indignation and left it to time, to punish the infamous wretches who