Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-23
Loyal National Leagues

Loyal National Leagues.
The LEADER, some weeks ago, advocated
the formation Of Loyal Leagues all through
the country, whose only platform should
be unconditional loyalty to the Govern
ment and support Of the Executive in all
measures deemed necessary for the public
safety. Since that time, the movement,
inaugurated in Philadelphia, and speedily
extended to Washington and New York,
has been spreading throughout the North
with gratifying and unprecedented rapid
ity. Loyal Leagues have sprung up
through the smaller cities and towns until
it is estimated that not less than five hun
dred are in operation in Illinois alone
This is well. No movement could be bet
ter The true Union men Of the land must
not be satisfied with feeling that they are
loyRl-they must seek to extend and
strengthen that loyalty in others. In
Union is strength The Copperheads have
their lodges of Knights Of the Golden Cir
Gle. They are banded together, and SO are
strong and dangerous. To counteract
their influence, Union men must also Or
ganize and unite. Conspiracy must be met
BY combination. Tne former IS Tor Ins
purpose of injuring and destroying the
Government; the latter for uphOlding it.
In the early days of the Republic, when
It was struggling for a place among the
nations, Committees Of Public Safety we're
required. They are no less needed now.
We have tories in cur midst, as we had
then, and every citizen has an interest in
putting them down and keeping them
there.
How shall this be done By banding
together under the banner Of loyalty, pure
and simple. No lengthy creed is needed
no long drawn platform. The pledge
adopted by the Loyal National League, of
New York City, is in these words:
ave pledge ourselves to an uncondi-
tional loyalty to the Government of the
United States, to an unWaTering support
Of its efforts to suppress the rebellion, and
to spare no endeavor to maintain unim-
paired the National unity, both in princi-
pie and territorial boundary.
The primary object Of this League is,
and shall be, TO bind together oil loyal men,
Of all trades and professions, in COM
mon union to maintain the power, glory,
and integrity Of the nation"
Any man who cannot heartily subscribe
to this pledge is traitor, be he North or
South; any man who can do 50, is invited
to join in the League.
The Loyal National League of New
York held grand mass meeting on Fri
day evening last. All persons were in
vited who were members Of the League,
and all who subscribed to the pledge there
by became members. The hall Of the Coop
er Institute was densely filed with the
solid and substantialmen Of the city. Mr..
Charles Butler, General A. J. Hamilton,
Of Texas, General John Cocbrane, Of New
York, Hon. Roscoe Conkling of New York,
and Senator Foster, of Connecticut, made
strong and patriotic speeches, full of the
spirit Of the hour, and letters were read
from Generals Fremont and sigel. One
Of thsm gratifying announcements Of
the evening, especially to New Yorkers,)
was make by Mr.. Conkling, who said he
had the roll Of names of ZOO policemen
who had Joined the Loyal League He
thought, after this, that order viii reign in
Warsaw. A Council of twenty-five were
appointed, among whom are the names Of
George Opdycke, Mayor, William Cullen
Brysnt, A. 7. Stewart, William Curtis
Noyes, George Bancroft and John J. Cisco,
Assistant Treasurer. Also, an Executive
Committee Of an equal number among
whom we notice George GriswOld, Parke
Goodwin, Robert B. Minturu, Jr., Charles
Astor Bristed, George P. Putnam, and
others of equal prominence.
We have no room here to publish even
extracts from the eloquent speeches that
were made. They we're of the light stamp,
and full of the earnest patriotism set
forth in the pledge Of the members.