, 1862-09-27

rapidly, and cmboidcncd By prosperity, |
secession doctrines were openly preached.
It was about this lime also that Buckley
made his appearance In the Southern part
ofthis State, and organized several "casaes''
IN Williamson, Perry, and jackson coun-
ties, most OF which are in operation to this
time. No means were left uutried to in-
ducc accessions to the order, particularly
in Illinois The prctext was that the De-
mocratlc party was fast becoming. a5o-
itionized, and fears were openly
expressed that in 1860 an abolition
candidate for the presidency would
be elected. During the term Of office Of
President Buchanan the last fllibusteriug
expedition Of Gen. Walker was resolved
upon, and it was not owing to any extra
ordinary diligence on the part Of the gov
eminent that it was not successful In
1858, the formation Of Southern govern
mcnt was openly talked about, and to this
order belongs the credit OF the infany Of
originating the popular movement which
has eyentuuted in the formation Of the So
called Southern Confedcracy. The South
ern "heart vas fired" by ingenious and
intlamato1y appeals; the order was popu-
larjzed; another decree" was added to
which none but thosc who were known to
be uncompromising secessionists were I'D
mitted, while all Southern and Northern
men who SO desired were allowed to con-
meet themselves with the old degree "on
probation,' as it was termed, until they
could prove their scundness.
It is not necessary to follow the increase
Of the order step by step, nor to narrate
the means used to secure the rejection Of
Mr. Douglas as the Democratic candidate
for the presidency. 4 split il the national
convention was foregone conclusion,
which Yancey and other prominent
knights swore to accomplish. The result OF
the convention was that Douglas was no1i-
mated by one wing, and Bseckinridge by
the olher. The knights Of course did not
| expect to elect their man, and did not de.
sire to. They only wanted to show their
hand. They knew that the running Of two
or three candidates would secure, beyond
controversy, the election Of the Republican
candidate, and this they hoped and prayed
for, as It would give them the only possible
excuse for dissolution OF the Union. The
knights did not attempt to compromise
differences, but boldly demanded terms
which they knew would not be accepted
Our readers know the result. AIr. Lincoln
| was elected at a time when the election oI
ci.hcr one Of his competitors might have
been assured but for the determination ol
the secession element Of the party to split
tho Democracy in twain. AS coon as this
| split occurred, although tic Democratic
party had undisputed control Of the Senate,
| Of the Judiciary, Of the Army, Of the Lo r
er House Of Congress, and Of the Navy
! guarantees that no legislation inimica1
to Southern rights could be consummatct
the rebellion was resolved upon.
We need not suppose thn: the order O
which We speak was, during the canvass
inactive. The excitement which ATTENDED
the election was peculiarly favorable to it
purposes, hence while the result was pend
the affiliated societies were secretly bu
rapidly organized in all the considerable
towns Of the North; and though when tn
uprising Of the people, after the lombard
mcdt ot Fort Sumter, occurred, the mcm
bers Of the lodges were awed by the spec
tatcle into show Of loyalty, they did No
wholly abandon their reasonable ir
} deavors- To-day the knights Of the Golde
, Circle, under that or some other name, al
2 the aluclci around which tile trcasonab|
: clements in ali the free States a1c crystali
+ ing. In districts in which treason is tt
, fashion, and in which the loyal part Of til
C Democratic organiza ion is not 10 the a
1 cendant, tic meetings OF the lodges a
l keptup; and all over the South, circl
l that were virtually but not formally di
I solved, are again in active working cont
: tion-eager to do their utmost in dcstro
i ing the Union aud ro5bing Republic:
: Institutions Of their most shining exsmp1
4 We state the fact that daily revelation
i testimony from a hundred sources, eas
e Independent Of the othcr-provc, and ,
y hooting. forced laughter or lying scot1i1
d On The part Of those whose interest it is
&c gainsay, can put down And now viii.
Is to be done? That NC arc not to dccit
It The people must determine the course
c he pursued Let each Of them bc'p'
l. sca0cd that an ASSASSIN stands with l1n
&c at his throat, and all men can imagi
Il what vengeance will be cxacted by-au
l. by. To-day we point out the danger.