Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-07-07
General WiIcox's Order Against Secret
n .s Leagues. l5st

B.. a
Our readers have doubtless noticed with pleas
ure an order of General WILoox, commanding
in Indiana, denouncing all secret political socl
cites in bis department, and recommending their
dissolution We observe that come of the Alb
clifton papers in publishing this order head is
Gan Order Against Dlsloyal Societies." or
something to that effect. This Ia done to convey
the impression that secret Abolition Leaguesdo
not come within the purvieW of the order, be-
cause, forsooth, their objects are such as Gene
raj WLoux approves asl7 u
This is doing the General gross Injustice
The order, which has been published in the
srATrsMIN, lie directed against "secret political
socitties, clubs, or leagues" and says "the com.
mon safety now demands that oil such associa-
tions should be discontinued, no matter to what
political party they may belong" Gen. wilcox
calls upon the members of all such societies.,
clubs or leagues "speedily to withdraw from
their dark meetings, and openly show that their
Intentions and acts are such as may well become
true and loyal Citizens" and says what every
sensible man knows to be true, that none but
enemies of their country ever need disguises.'
The secret political combinations kGoWn ae
"Union Leagues" ""Loyal Leagues" etc., are
as dangerous in Ohio as in Indiana, and the
public safety demands their suppression here as
well as there These Leagues are of the same
revolutionary and dlsorganizing character in the
West as 10 the Esst. Those in the latter sec
tion are thus described in letter to the Journal
of Commerce, dated Boston, July L: tss
Loyal and Union Leagues are doing their busi-
nees here. They are being organised In city ana
town, 10 what extent We connot learn, but to o
dangerous extent II organized at ALL They
call upon the members to give an unqualified
sUuvcrs 20 the Administration in whatever eff
forts IL may take to suppress rebellion. When
they instituted this as their motto they supposed
they had the Administration firm on their poll
cy. Ii Mcclellan should be appointed Com
msnder-in-Chief again, and the Abolition
ecbemes abandoned, we have no doubt they
would abandon their "unquslihed" realty =
The Leagues and Clubs, as organized here, are
Characteristic Of New England. They concen
trste the ''philanthropists" aud revolutioni sts
around few leaders subsisting on Government
funds, hold their evening meetings, deDounce
their political opponents as "Copperheads" and
"traitors," and pledge themselves to the cup
port of the President 80 long as he supports
them. 10 one town at least and we do not
know bus in all, they have their separate drill
clubs; chat is, a secret political organization
funds itsef on military basis They have of
ate said little in public Of their Intentions, and
said litsle in open discussion of public matters.
OF course this must degenerate into conspiracy
against the GOVERNMENT, and breed revolution
among the people, unless AZ ris checked. 81 They
assume oil the threatening forms tifat charsc.
terize the recent political OF France
and England during the last part Of the last
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