s of Lodges and found the friends--that is to say,
the common people, who connected themselves with the order--ready
and willing to act at any time, and willing to do anything that was
required. The only trouble he found was in the cowardice of the leaders.
To illustrate what he meant, he said: 'I came from Indianapolis here.
Thos. A. Stridor promised me faithfully that he would be here, but
you do not see him. He is the one man of all others in the West who is
expected to advise and suggest.'

"Dan Bowen here interrupted, saying: 'Strider has been at work. He has
been in Washington, and has sown seeds of dissension in the army; has
created jealousies between the Eastern and Western commanders, and
produced much trouble on account of the Emancipation Proclamation.'

"'Yes,' said Col. Walters, 'that I believe to be true; but why is he not
here? I see he sends a substitute; is he afraid? Mr. Eagle was correct
when he said the people of the North will forget all about the war in a
month, if you will only give them a chance to make money. I can go into
any city and proclaim myself in sympathy with the rebellion, and no one
will molest me. If we should fail, and our cause go down, it would not
be one year before Jeff Davis would be invited to attend agricultural
shows North, so as to draw a crowd and increase the gate money.' This
caused great laughter. 'I want now to ask my friend Bowen why his friend
Thos. A. Strider is not here.'

"'Well,' said Bowen, 'I cannot say. I had hoped that he would be here,
but I find he is not.'

"Mr. Eagle, who seemed to be rather sarcastic, said he understood
Strider was compelled to stay at home on account of a cow case in which
he was employed. They laughed at this, and then proceeded to business.
The propositions and suggestions were all indorsed, and many promises
made on the part of each one present as to the part he would take in the
matter when he returned home.

"Jacob Thomlinson said to Mr. Yonkers that he wished him to remain a day
or so longer, as he desired to confer with him about the prisoners at
Chicago. He then made quite an address to those present, saying the
success of the Confederacy depended largely upon their friends in the
North; that if the war continued two or three years longer the supply of
men and money would fail. All their available men were in the army, and
there was now nowhere whence they could draw recruits. Their friends in
the North must wake up and he