Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-10-18
NUMBER AZ.
from the Cleveland Herafi, Of the sth1
Treason i'm Our Rlidst--K nights OF tlie
Golden Circle.

from the Cleveland Rerafi, Of the stl,
Treason i'm Our t.RHldst--KnIShtso OF t1is
Golden Circle.
The arrest of a number Of men in this
State, as members of the Knights Of the
Golden Circle, will produce intense feel
ing, and, it may be, create undue excite
ment. That men who have hitherto been,
considered good citizens, who have held;
positions of trust, should Be arrested
upon one Of the gravest criminal charges
known tothe code, may wellcause deep
feeling and intense excitement.
We hasten, therefore, TO acquaint the
public with some of the circumstances,
connected with these arrests. We have
been put possession of certain facts
known, that bear upon the matter, and
Will narrafe as many of them as neces.
sary to show that ample grounds for,
these arrests exist.
AS long ago as June last, it came to
the knowledge of the Government, that
lodges of the Knights of the Golden
Circle-or similar secret political organ
izations-were being Instituted through
out the State. just here We may as
we'll mention, that during Mr.. Pierce's,
Administration, similar organizations
were established, having for their object
the carrying of slavery into Kansas.
When that design failed, these societies
dissolved or became dormant. Those
old organizations are generally the nu-
clee around which the present ones
rally.
The emnissary, duly commissioned by
the Confederate powers, who has been
travelling over Ohio this summer, rs-or-
Eganizing these old lodges, and establish
ing new ones, is known. He. travelled
from town to town, and record of his
doings Is in existence On arriving in
a town, ostensibly engaged in sale of
goods, he would inquire out the proui
nent Democrats, and learn, as far as pos
sible the character of each. Approaeh-
ing these men as brother Democrat,
and special hater of Abolisionism and
Black Republicanism, he would, step by
step, open his scheme, and proceeded az
far with his revelation as prudesce, in
each case, dictated His pretenss, upon
introducing the subject, was a desire to
preserve the unity Of the Democracy,
and make the party efficient as against
its Black Republican enemy Thus
would lodge be organized, with its va
rlous circles. The emissary spoken of
is now Brigadier General in the Con-
federate service.
The outer circle-or degree merely
looked to the efficiency of the party BY
secret, confidential organizations. .another
circle to which those in the outer circle,
who were deemed worthy (?), would bs
invited to enter, would, perhaps, con-
troll eaucuses, and designate nominees.
And SO the circles would goon, eachsinl-
ner one admitting its meiabers.as they
were found upon trial trust-worthY--
into deeper schemes, until the inner
most circle was reached where treason
and blood lurked. All the while the
brethren were known, may be, as ssCen-
stitutional Democrats, and an oath was
taken that suoh should be succorad and
defended against all assaIIants, and the
penalty for the violation of which oath
was that the body should be cue inta
four pieces and q quarter hung at each
gate Of the lodge.
Thus, it will be seen, there may se
many members of these lodges who are
innocent of any reasonable sdesigu;sfot
those in the. outer, circles not only are
ignorant of what pertains to- the inner
circles, but are actually ignorant of the
existence of such circles. In one county
near the Reserve, there are eleven huns
dred members f-this order We could
enumerate county after county in which
those lodges exist. .--.-.
1t is known where the depot of arms
was; and also what success or want of
success hasgattenaed ahe efforts to pro-
cure arms. It is known when the arms
were distributed, and to whom. The
signs, grips and pass words of these con,
spirators are known, their place of meet
ing and place of deposition their flag,
The mum Der who are in possession aof
arms are known, and the kind of weap-
ons they have The lodges were sup
piled with the N. Y. Day Book, and IL
is known through what avenues that
traitorous sheet reaches its readers, ls.l
The existence of these organizations
may well startle community, for the
Vaccinations of the order have been se-
crct but widespread. These lodges ea .
deavoFel to- control both of the late
State Conventions, and certainly inbons
county has lodge endcavnred to con.
troll the LOCAL nominations made BY the
Union Convention Of that cannty,
The aim of this conspiracy is to parz
alyze all war effort in Ohio resist sby
force. the collection of tho war tax. and
in every way ohlbarrass the present ad,
ministration, and if possible, gain con-
troll over the next aud when the State
is bound hand and ot7tleseg eonspira- :
tors have promise. Of military force from.
the South, that shall, to use, the expros-
sive language Of the Sout thern -en,issary ,
';clean OUT tile Abolitionists. e 80 aaSs7
| That this scheme has not been as
successful as It's ardent friends. aatiei-
pateti is probably true, bat that all dan.
ger to the State. has passed, ne do not
believe, and could make perfectly clear,
did no. the public good forbid entering
into the d,t,ils of facts within ths
knowledge, oflthe Government,
The NeSt L:eutenant-GfAe nj.
About six months ago, says the New
York Adser'ises, distinguished gentle