The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-06-27
[From the Indianapolis } -urDai
The Secret SOcIety--TreRsOna c Or
XamiZN Ous.

The Sentinel of yesterday contains u
card from James S. Hester, in which he de-
MES that he is engaged in any reasonable
or dsloyal associations, and invites invesli-
CATION. The card is intended TO be bold,
and 10 bBffl- the very investigation it pre-
terdS to court. The noticeable feature in
il, however, is that it nowhere denies the
existence OF secret political societies in
Brown county, nor ia there any denial of
The charge that Mr.. Hester is member A
special plea only is put in that they are not
OF Il treasonable character, and thus admits
everything else. The fact Of their exist
euce, ind OF his membership, is subsiau-
TALLY confessed MIR. Hester thinks he is
safe from exposure, as the members, we are
informed, take oath not TO divulge under
penalty of dea b.
The Sentinel Also contains a long edito-
rial ON he sulj-ct, in which the editor says
he is, and always has been, opposed to Sc
Cret societies, but 1t is TO be observed that
he nowhere denies their existence. Aud
we will remark here that the editor of The
Sentinel rs very much misunderstood in this
city if he is not a member of this order,
and If his paper is not furnished to " Cas-
ties " or Lodges " of the order in various
parts of the Stale. We have but little
doubt that it il through the agents of this
order that rebel papers are able TO receive
and quote from the Sentinel as freely AS
they do.
The Order in question is the H knights
Oh tue O0'SAOt4 SiFSfeIi- hnt has changed It's
name twice in the last year TO avoid e1Po-
sure and public odium, and now styles il
self The order of the as. P. BIS" or the
" Self Protecting Brothers, Should the
members of the order be called as witnesses
in court of justice, they are required TO
deny It's existence under the penalty of death.
1hc oath taken by the members of this
order is to resist the prosecution of the war
in every way, to refuse to pay war taxes, 10
discourage enlistments and prevent drafts of
soldiers and to resist and overthrow he ad-
ministration of Mr.. Lincoln. We are tur
ther advised that the members of this order
are procuring arms and preparing to carry
their purposes by force if need be, not only
in this State, but throughout the whole
Northwest. They claim to have ten thou
sand in Indiana, as many in Ohio, aud more
in Illinois. That they contemplate forcible
measures Immediately, is not probable, but
that they are preparing for time " hen
force may be necessary, either to resist pun
ishment or forward their treasonable plans.
is certain. Their meetings are guarded by
armed men, and pickets, as in military
camp, are thrown out for some distance
round the "castie," as it is called. Military
drill or duty, so tar as has been learned, is
one of their chief exercises. The organizl-
tion is more military than civil in every re-
spect. This is not without pnrpose. Now |
secret military organization in free State
is dangerous thing at any time. In time of
war it is too dangerous to be tolerated especi- |
ally when such men as compose it are known |
70 he sympalhizers with the rebels, sup
p0rteIs of the Vallandgham and Bright |
policy of embarrassing the Government at |
every step, and aff riding the rebels all the
assistance they dare without risking their
own infamous necks. Mr.. Hester may say |
what be pleases of the loyal character of
such an organization. When he admits its |
existence, as be virtually does in his card,
he gives the lie to his declaration of its 10y
ally If it is loyal, '0hy conceal nP If it
aims at only loyal and proper opposition
f. 'he administration, why not do it open
ly Honorable opposition has nothing to
lose, but everything to gain, from publicity,
0PoBt,~ss-.-tESa E5vT feUE meeuOm from conceal
~ and the opposition that hides itself
tHat very JocC 1~hind oafbs. and armed
this, for we can assure him the Duv1.- 49, ~,
not overlook it.