Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-27
Secret Political Leagues-Gen. Burn
side and the Leaguers.


The Abolition papers In Ohio have blovisted
immensely about "great Union Mass Meet
ing" as they call it, held at Cleveland on Wed
nesday Of last week, the 20th met The next
day the Plain Dealer put some plain questions
about 40 abolition secret conclave," held In
Chaplin Hall 10 that city at the came time the
aforesaid mass meeting was going on. We
ssw no answer to these questions until the
Cleveland Herald OF Saturday morning, May % ,
reached u.s. The Herald Is an Abolition psper,
but little less rabid than its radical brother,
the Leader. The Herald Of Saturday contains
what purports to be report OF Convention
of Secret Union Leagues" The Herald pre-
faces the report by saying it knows it to be a
true onr, and expresses its condemnation of all
political secret societies, an1 promises to do oil
1t c.n to expose them, whether existing among
political friends or foes. "Such sociele8," It
truly says, eff allowed to fourish, will sap and
destroy any free government on earth"
The Heyald's report commences by stating
that at the time the "grand Union Macs Meeting
was held on the Square on W ednesdsy, the Doth
inst, another meeting was progressing in the
same neighborhood, which was not quite on the
Square aud to which the mass meeting was
eaid to be merely mask" The report PRO
ceeds;
Whilst the mass meeting of openly loyal
men was In progress, secret Convention Of
oath. bound Leagues was organized In Chaplin
Hall, to which none were admitted wao Werenot
perfect In all the signs, grips, and passwords.
The fact Of this Convention being in existence
was itself kept strict secret from the thousands
assembled out of doors In the 1eigbborhood. p
The utmost precaution was used TO insure
secrecy and bslk the curiosity of imperiinent
caves. .droppers. A Smelling committed" was
appointed to examine suspicious hiding places,
and the valuable assistance of the proprietor OF
the Chicago Tribune was secured for the search,
he having gained some important information |
In the science Of acoustics during the progress |
Of the ecclesiastical trial Of Joliet ILL., recently.
Gas pipes we're examined, attics searched, shut |
ter closets ransacked, ventilAtors probed, sus-
picious panels sounded, and even small hole |
that had formed the private entrance Of mouse
that dWelt near by, was plugged up with cork. |
Hall, sounding the pillsrs to see that some thin
individual was not making himself martyr to |
curiosity therein, and searching every plank In |
the floor for suspicious knot holes, the commit
tee finally reported everything ss "tight 20 q
drum.head," and the convention was organized. |
But as 'love laughs at locksmiths," so re-
porters laugh at "smelling committees" and
COMMITTEES on acoustics" By some means, |
no matter how, the HerGld's reporter "entered |
the Convention Of the Oath Bound Union |
Leagues" Its main purpoFe he thus describet:
The principle business Of the Convention was
the endeavor to consolidate the different kinda
of Secret Union Leagues, the National" and
the "Loyal," uniting them all under one Gov
eminent, with one ritual. This was the main
object, but, as In all other Conventions, little
cliques among the delegates took occasion to |
further their several schemes for the gratifta- |
ton Of personal ambition and personal jeal
ousy.
The reporter apologies for cot giving full
details of the proceedings Of this secret polit,
cal conclave, and exposing its mysteries, by say
ing he does not do so, because
We are in full sympathy with the principal |
aim Of the Leagues, that OF standing by the |
Administration and crushing out treason In all |
its forms, and only quarrel with the feature Of |
secresy, as giving to demagogues who may get |
control Of their Leagues, and who have In |
some instances done 60, O power for evil that
will bring on the very Iuin that the League
plan, In lls original conception, was intended to
avert
After this excuse, the reader will understand |