Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-10
DrAUINa BACK THE CURTAIN.

81 1sh.,rs will he found elsewhere, and presents Il
most stronv, spec,aclo in this land of free discussion
,nJ in the enlightened and liberal nineteenth century
I, 20 hnr,lly credible tina. such u secret political organ
i,srion. based on the most int"ieran' and dangerous
ur;ucipl,.s, could have bccu gotten together with auI
success in the blaze of our free American instltutiolS'
Bu, the fact is not TO be d0pbted-and the fchnsyi-
ysnian has given the strongest grounds for q iuh feh'
nnce on its revelations. BY means OF some sort u
snir;,.r,ppiugs or other extraordinary agency, the
p.nnsylr.uiau has withdrawn the veil AMI exposed
clear view of the secret. acts Of the Grand Stale c"un'
Gil of Know-Eothings which convened IN Phsfadei'
rliu on Tuesday last. The names Of the officers are
given in fun, and a vivid sketch dashed OIL oil 'h' ap-
prelensious manifested lest their proceedings be CIV
Gu TO The world, for the disclosures previously mau'
by the pennsylva,.ian had threatened the dissolution
of the organization, and thousands had abandoned H.
alarmed at the certainty Of exposure. The PRESIDENT
Professor Tiffany Of the College at Carlisle, declared
tina. il tho proceedings OF the present council should
ge; into the papers, he would withdraw from the or-
der. and all his friends would retire with HIM; 1t
would do him serious injury, II i; should be kil""h
that he belonged TO such Il secret organizations lhe
ruthless Pennsylvania, without the least regard i"r
the feelings or interests Of the Professor ana Ills
friends, pursucs it, scrutiuizing work and tells lis all
tina, t~ranspircd in the secret Council. According 10
tina, paper. it represents Proft sSor Tiffany as saying
that already had the people become alarmed at the
dangerous tendency OF II secret organization like This
md il VA. all important that we should throw more
binding guards around our Secrets not only Tor The
purpose Of making sure the election oil our caha'-
dates, but 70 protect ourselves from any "diam wi'ch
might attach TO us, if our names should DC exposed
lie said that he, for one. was unwilling to incur the
risk of such exposures. No ono can doubt tlst the
vigilance oS the Pemsylvanian hes done much to de-
etroy us, and further success, on the part "i thai pa
per, will he a moet fatal blow 10 our Objects
A statement was made as 70 the number OF Lodges
in the State Of Pennsylvania. II appears that there
are 635, containing 10000 members-so,Ooo in good
standing. That most Of the members were Wings
and that such Democrats rs were in the Order were
fast becoming alarmed and either leaving or being
.xo.Ded. That within the las: two weeks there have
been 1900 designations mud e5pulsions. That there
were N present II, 900 Democrats in the Order IN the
entire State, many of whom i; was believed would re-
sign or be expelled before the day of the election. The
whole number of the Order in the city OF Philadel-
uLia, was stated to be about l3,O0n. 1t was stated
that 1000 members have left or been expelled from
the Order in thut city within The las: ten days. James
Pollock, the Wing candidate for Governor, it was an
nounced. had received a large majority OF the Know
Nothing vote in the State, rs their candidate for
same.
A discussion arose in reference 10 the imminent
DANCE: of an exposure OF the proceedings ol the
Council. 1t was declared that if its proceedings were
made public, many Of the members would be Obliged
10 vote in accordance with their old political aliinities
10 ward of suspicion. The opinion WAS stated and
generally concurroi in. that Bigler will have 1000
majority in the State. The reason given for this WAS,
that the Wing party throughout tho State is disorgan'
lsel, and that nearly all tho Democrats who have
joined the Lodge, finding it incumbent upon them i'll
compliance with their oaths to vote for Pollock, have
withdrawn.
During the sittipgs OF the Council, the President
rrnd q circular letter addressed to 1.-The authorities
possessing constitutional and competent jurisdiction,
&c. from which we make Il few startling extracts
The main object OF this missive, however, is to con-
vev. with the candor of patriot brothers OF the
sworn soldiers of American Liberty, the injunctions
which the occasion demands.
list. NILE WE ASSURE YOU THAT THIS
EXPOSURE INVOLVES 4 SERIOUS DlSAD-
VANTAGE TO THE ORDER, WE
YOU TO AEOID UNPRGFlrABLE C~ONvERSt-
TlUT IN REGARD TO II BEYOND OUR
WALLS. AND TO MEET COMMENTS \
QUERIES WITH THE OF IGNO-
RANCE. AND TIE SILENCE OF lNDIFFER-
nee. We enioiu, also, upon all, i'll view ct this
awakened opposition, punciual attendance, racred
obedience, mnwcuried diligence aud iudomitablc
courage and energy in the holy cause which unitcr
Gr.
I'd. We eniOin upon YOU, brothers, by all that IL
precious to tho patriot, aud by oil thut IL sacred 10
Your obligations, the utmost circunispcctlon III the
observance OF those pledges which You have gwen,
before God and man, to maintain iuri"late the niys-
ferries Of the Order. IL were immcaSurably, WRONG
Ala, ,.,. a-a 81 ,.nn .,pll lnpnF fID WIfH.
crlug curse that visits
The slave
Whose treason, like a deadly blight,
Gre pr DER the councils OF the brave.
TO hlas. ;hem in their hour 81 might.
But If THE PLEDGES HERE TAKEN
WE'RE SACRFDLY OBSERVED, THE VERY
EXISTENCE OF QUE WOULD BE
EXISTENCE Is IT'S MOST VITAL CHARAC-
TERlSrlC, ESSENTIAL TO ITS EFFICIENCY
FOR THE REAT TIE HOLY TASk re
WHICH IT'S ENERGlES AREDEDlCATED. For
len true men, with the all Of secrecy, would be more
elective than an Unbound band of II thousand, boast
ING n mystery, which, whcM boosted, is n mystery no
longer. THE EXPOSURE ALREADY MADE
WHERE A FIENpISu TREASON y PER
JURY. OR \ WOMANISH WEAKNESS. What
ever the cause. the fault must be amended! The Or
der must be preserved ut any cost. at any sacrifice;
aud by cost We mean not treasure, for millions cannot
heal the wounds of honor and by sacrifice, we speak
not ot suffering, for the ag"nies Of II century would
~; e1t.rpa!c this wrong {" the cause of our country.
WE REPEAT, THE ORDER MUST AND SHALL
BE PROTECTED. We enjoin upon yon then, bro
ih'rs, the most solemn, suspicious and guarded eau
ton in admissions.
Beware then, for the evil once done wilrbo irrepar-
able. Nor il discretion much less indis pens able than
integrity. The admission nj mon feeble Of intellect
mr purpose, and lack OF speech, not only entecblcs
and dcgrades yc2r councils and action, but involves
She certainty of eventual exposure and ruin. For the
honor Of your patriot ancestors, tor the sake OF your
God. Your country, and your cause, we invoke aud
rniuin YOU, be hecdful and wary OF this peril. or ruin
will inevitably fall on our heads.
81. We consider il our duty 10 impress upon Your
selves the solemn and awful nature of tue obligations
nader which YOU become attached ~ this Order, and
which render loUscness OF apeech or Igttirc>s OF car
rage q disaonor and a crimc. Those Obligations were,
il should remembered, voluntary. Can any human
being who trtes with such ali oath, who drsgs the
Deity from His throne to tramplo and spit upon Him
hope for one moment of %lapp!ucss here, or expect All
exemption from eternal torture hereafter ! II there
were no God TO avenge such peljurics, an outraged
conscience would lo; the periured miscreant 10 the
yailows aud the grave. But il even these considera-
nous should prove Intellectual to alarm the dishonored
coward, recreant aud traitor, let him remember, that
il rupturlnS or IN trlfing with the awful tic which
binds him TO tens OF thousands Of gallant men, equal
" bound with himself, lie makes each man OF those
thousands his MORTAL FOE. Let han, them, haze a
care, nor RTa&ly suppose that lie can eseGpc The TlIUS-
kana must pursue kan. Not only will an
tamy hiss him from ten Thousand lips out Of human
society, but, go where he may, we will track his steps.
lie will DO surrounded With a circle OF fire. Too late,
TOO late, vii! the lost and ruined wretch realize the
ruthless retributon that rewards the traitor; the mis-
crcant who crawls like the serpent, or the serpent's
brother, into the bosOms Of bravo and noble men, to
s;mg them with his troason-and vet dares to hope
Rny other fate than a tJe Of torture aat a death o.
sbRmc' '..
These declarations, which admit the accuracy of