S. B. Marks to Richard Yates

To His Excellency Gov Yates

Aware of the fact that your

time is much occupied, and

that you have not leisure for

private interviews, I have conclu

ded to address you in writing

When Judge Palmer was at our

place about two weeks since

he instructed us that if we

should elicit any information

or make any discoveries we

thought important, we should

communicate it to you by spe

cial messenger.

We are satisfied Sir, from evid

ence we think conclusive, that

there exists in Southern Ills

a formidable conspiracy against

the government, that they have

been corresponding with parties

in the South, and have promised

them aid in the event that

Cairo is attacked, we are im

pressed with the belief that

an attack upon Cairo, and a

movement in Southern Ills will

be simultaneous, the threat is

made that in that event, all

the Republicans or Northern

men, in the country, will be

driven out, we are resting upon

the bosom of a slumbering

volcano, which may burst forth

any day, and overwhelm us.

every thing is represented to

you as being quiet there. that

is done to disdain suspicion

it is the quiet we fear, which

precedes the storm, we think

the danger of attack upon

Cairo is imminent, and in

its present condition, it is

almost powerless for defence

there should be a very strong force

there, sufficient to deter

any attack being made against

it, in that case, we think there

will be no danger of any trou

ble with our own people, as they

will in that case be overawed

by the power of the government

I have seen Messrs Hacker

Green and [name] Kendall here

and represented to them that

every thing was right in

Egypt, my purpose in doing

so will be obvious to you, it will

not do to let them know any

thing about the nature of my

business here, as we have no

confidence in them, in any

event, we must not be compro

mised, it would be dangerous

to us. I will leave Springfield

this evening, or tomorrow morning

Respectfully &c

S B. Marks

American House

April 30th 1861

S.B. Marks

Cairo matters

Important

Not to be [illegible]