o'clock was designated, and we separated.

"During the day I made inquiry of Gen. Anderson about the disbanded
soldiers; how they, or some of them, could be organized in an emergency,
and supposed the case of the rebels trying their rebellion over again.
He laughed at the idea, but said there was but one condition of things
that could possibly bring about such a result, and that was if the
President should undertake the restoration of all the rebel States
without the action of Congress, as he had heard hinted by some leading
rebels who had recently been in Washington.

"I asked him if it would not be well for some men of influence to be on
the alert.

"'Yes,' he replied; 'there ought to be a secret force in Washington and
elsewhere, until the reconstruction of the rebel States is complete.'

"I said no more to him at this time on the subject. Gen. Anderson said
he would call and see the General of the Army in a day or so, as he had
only visited him occasionally since in Washington, but that his calls
were always made very pleasant.

"At eight o'clock sharp I went to the War Office and found the Secretary
and the Chief of Staff to the General waiting for me. We at once entered
into conversation on the subject of the conspiracy. I made the same
suggestion that Gen. Anderson had intimated to me, which was at once
discussed and thought to be a good proposition. But how could it be done
without the whole matter being made public in some way? The Secretary
thought this was a matter that should be kept within the knowledge of a
very few discreet men.

"'True,' said I; 'but you must have a nucleus here in Washington if you
can find the man to organize it. I know a man who would be perfectly
safe, but I have a suggestion in connection with him that I think
better. It is this: My son Henry is very anxious to go to the Black
Hills, but that country being unsafe, on account of the Indians, I have
been thinking that a large number of discharged soldiers would jump
at an enterprise of this kind. They could be organized and have it so
arranged that they could be got together quickly for any emergency; and
if the emergency should not arise, when the danger should be passed
the General of the Army could properly issue an order preventing
any organization or combination of men from entering the Black Hills
country, and instruct the army in that part of the West to carry out the
order. This would let the men at the head of the orga