Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-10-16

Clty papers VIII Picaso Puphon ohO hA1S
daily and weekly.
tFor the Ohio sta,ssmsn.l
The Humbug of knights of the Cold
en- CiFcle Exploded
MARION, o., Oct. ii, 1861.
MR EprToR: desire through the medium Of
your valuable paper to speak to the Democracy
Of Ohio, upon question in which the honor
and loyalty of the Democracy Of the State, and
not less so the honor and loyalty Of the Democ-
racy of Marion county, is Immediately interest
ed. Irefer to the pretended discovery Of "a
Castle of the Knights Of the Golden Circle" in
this county, ard the belief in the minds Of many
unsophisticated persons throughout the State
that such an order does really exist among us
nay, that 1t permestes every county of Ohio, If
not every State Of the North II is proper that
the spread Of this idea, for our own safety, honor
and welfare, AZ we'll as to prevent the deleteri-
Gus effect such thing must have upon the
South, who, taking the sensational reports Of
the Republican press, will be stimulated to
more determined opposition to the Govern
men, with the belief that they really have allies
in the North in the shape Of "Knights Of the
Golden Circle" an order the significance Of
which is well understood by the Southern reb.
els--I say it is proper, nay, imperative, that
the spread of this error should be arrested
As resident of Marion county, as q citizen
of Ohio, as Democrat, desire to say that
do not believe any such organization as above
mentioned exists in Ohio, and knoi0 that no
such order exists in my county. / do not be-
lieve, despite the arrests Of prominent Demo-
Gratis myself among the rest, that there Is q
man 60 lost to ell sense Of citizenship; 90 de-
void of loyalty to the Government, under the
blessings of which he lives, as 10 wish Its over.
throw, much less take or administer an oath
"to neither rest or sleep" and "to wade in blood
knee deep" to remove Abraham Lincoln from
the Presidential Chair, to which he has been
legally elected, and place Jefferson Davis, O
traitor to his country, in his place. .+
As this story originated in this county, and
as my name is somewhat familiar to the De.
mocracy OF the State, you will permit me to
give an expose Of the pretended expose" upon
which these rumors, as well as the arrests Of
myself and Others have been predicated.
Il will be remembered that soon after the fall
Of Sumter perfect reign Of terror pervaded
the entire North; particularly so In Ohio.
Every county felt the blighting influence Of this
fell spirit--indeed every township. Mobbing
of Democratic Offices, Democratic editors and
leading Democrats, were common occurrences.
In no county was this spirit more determined,
impiacable and wild than in Marion county. /,
myself, was met upon the streets and beaten,
and my Office entered by mob, and was only
prevented being demolished by the timely inter.
position Of friends. Nor this only; but / and
others were subsequently repeatedly threatened
and myself hung and burned in efigy. Such
was the condition OF things when Democrats
rose in their might and majesty In this county,
pledging themselves one to another to protect
obeyed the Constitution and laws of the United |
States" This pledge was only semi secret
with only enough secrecy 10 become organized, |
and enough leakage to IL to let the mob -Repub-
licans know their fate should they attempt
again to exercise mob spirit upon peaceable and |
law-abiding citizens. This was all there was
Of it. Il had the effect to quiet everything, and
peace ensued. OF course when
The OBJECT ior which it was started disappeared |
The organization ceased, and had not been
thought of for weeks, If not months, prior to
he election.
A few days, however, before the election, an
extra appeared, issued from the Republican Of |,
dee Of this place, the editor Of which being an |
irresponsible person, containing o pretended
srpose of the "Knights Of The Golden Circle :"
as il was issued by an irresponsible party, 80
was the pretended "proof" signed by irresponsi-
BILE parties; the 90 called "facts" being but a
Of fraud and political clap trap,
gotten mp originally with no other purpose than
that Of carrying the county election, but s6bse-
quently turned into an instrument of personal Il
and political persecution.
The pretended "pooi" upon which currency
obtainstha an order ofthe Knights has been dis
covered In this county, and upon which was ar
rested, Is forgery rJ--nothing more and nothing
less. This is clearly established In the testi.
mony of Mr.. Hopkins, which I herewith en-. L
close. Mr.. Hopkins swears that the only time
be ever heard Of any such an order, and the Il
only time be ever heard the oath Of resistapce
10 bis Government, was when c. Martin repest- |
Is 10 his hearing, and through him 70 young
lad named Cheney Now the public will bear
in mind that both Martin and Cheney are Re-
publicans; that it took place at Q Republican
meeting In Green Camp township; that the wit
nesses are Republicans, and that they were un.
der the influence of liquor, G. Martin having
drank himself and treated the rest.
These facts are set forth In the testimony Of |
Mr.. Hopkins, and substantiated by other wit.
nesses. s.4 n4kl
These are the "iacts, ;" and this the character
Of the man through whose machinations, aided
by men equally notorious. the report has OBJ
tanned that cattle Of the Knights Of the Golden
Circle has been discovered in Marion county.
and prominent Democrats have been arrested
Tor conspiracy against the Government, who
never breathed disloysl sentiment t4-Who ney- Z
q entertained disloyal thought, aud whose
,nIy crime consists In the fact that they are
Democrats--Ioyal 70 the Government, but dis. 1
oyal TO the Republican party. Il
/ have no comments 70 make further, bat /
hall await my trial with Christian and Dtno-
ratio fortitude, conscious Of the honesty and !
sctitudse sefny pasp''s, and hopeful nat even I
~ p ..4 'ata1 if'a ~