The Placer herald., 1863-07-18
PaEAcuvNC VS.. PRACTICE.

called the "knlgntS OF lne UOluen OICie
representing it as an organization of Demo
Gratis to resist the government in the prosel
cution of the war. Although men have
been arrested for their supposed connection
with "K. G. C's" aud undergone rigid exam,
ination, it has never been proven satistactor-
lily that such an organization has existed in
the Northern States. Had ther existed such
an order, for the purpose named, we could
fully endorse all that might be said in dis
paragement of it, In a Republican Govern
ment such associations are unnecessary and
dangerous to the peace and safety of the peo-
pie, and should be avoided and discounte-
nanced by all good citizens.
But the hue and cry of the Abolition
press, appears merely to have been shield
for their own covert designs. For while
they were consigning the "K. &. C's" to a
lasting infamy, their own faithful followers
were industrously forming so called "Union
Leagues" being secret and political as well
as military in their character. They meet
with closed dools-have sentinels, signs,
grips, and passwords. And initiating the
Know Nothing plan, have established de-
grees-the higher degree members, or the
"holiest of the holy" directing and controll-
ing the lesser lights Of the order.
This is not mere guess work. as can be
seen by reference to the columns of the late
eastern press. And while we do not charge
that the whole Abolition party is responsible
for the creation Of these Secret Leagues"
we do assert that they have been formed and
encouraged by Aboltionists. Indeed it is to
members Of the Abolition party that the
public are indebted for an exposure of the
movements of these consprators against
the peace of society; for some of the m ore
honest minded of the party could not under
stand the necessity for secret political socie-
ties to sustain the Administration or the
Government, and demonstrated strongly
against the conversion of open, day light
Union Leagues, into dark lantern concerns,
whose doings were hidden from the public
gaze.
From these differences Of opinion arose a
serious division at late Convention of
the Abolitionists at Utica, New York. The
Committee to draft an address to the people
of the State, in their report condemned the
existence of Secret Political Societies.
Whereupon "Mr. Brown, of Oswego, said he
was opposed to that portion of the address
which condemned secret Loyal League or
ganization There were such in the State.
and others who had done good service for
the Union, and some of them were represen-
ted in the Convention. He moved the para
graph referring to secret organizations be
struck out.
The previous question was moved and
carried
The question was taken on striking out
the paragraph relating to secret organiza'
tions. 1t was stricken out, and the address
as thus amended was then adopted"
So the Secret Leaguers carried their point,
and the fact stood confessed that the oath
bound dark lanterni,es, were in a majority in
the Convention. The result has caused
serious misunderstanding in the Abolition
party in that State Thurow Weeds old
paper, the Albany Evening Journal, loudly
complains that the radicals had possession of
the Convention. In Convention the radl
icals openly advocated the doctrine of the
supremacy of military law, in the Northern
States; and the right of trial by jury, the
personal liberty of citizens, the rights of
free speech and free press, were mocked
and hooed at in derision. This was rather
too much for the moderate men of the Con-
vention, who were alarmed and dsgusted at
the revolutionary sentiments proclaimed.
The Convention ad journed in bad feeling
leaving the great Abolition party of the
Empire State divided into Secret Leaguers,
who p lot in the dark, and the open advocates
of the Administration, who fear not to
show their hands.
Al late Convention Of delegates of Union
Leagues from the North western States, held
at Cleavland, Ohio, violent wrangle occur
red upon the proposition to convert all
the so called Union Leagu es into Sc
cret societies. The Cleveland Herald. an
old Republican paper, opposed the movement
and warned the Conve ntion that it would
be fatal to their party. But the debates
looked as if the radicals preponderated;
and although the final decision of the
Convention had not been reached at the date
OF the eastern papers at hand, it was consd-
cred certain that it would be resolved to
convert the party of the Northwest into a