Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-26
The Old Know Nothing and the New
League Conspiracy.


League Conspiracy.
We lay before our readers 10 this number of
ihe SrATEsMlN, the Constitution ordained and
established by the Ohio "Grand Council Of the
National League Association" as issued from
the GGsstts Office in this city. This document
shadows forth q grand National organization,
embracing subordinate State organizations, and
these again minor subordinate organizations In
counties, cities, townships and other municipal
corporations. The reader can not failto rec.
cguize at once the striking resemblances be.
tween this and the Know Nothing organization
Of some eight and nine years ago. II is sub
stautially old defunct Nnow Nothingism res.
urecled from its political grave, and tricked
out anew to answer the purposes of political
stockholders and gamblers.
Like Know Nothingism, this new-fapgled
Lesgueism has its Supreme, Superior, and Sub.
ordinate Councils, and similar sets OF officers.
with their imposing aud gtandiIoqusnt titles -
IL has Grand Slate Council TO meet twice
year at Columbus, or oftener If ordered BY the
Great Mogul OF the coucern--the Grand Presi-
dent. All Subordinate Councils must receive
their charters from the Grand State Council at
Columbus, and are liable to be disbanded for
noncompliance with any Of its rules o, DEGREES.
Thus, the aristocratic and monsrchial features
Of Know Nothinsism are presented to perfec-
zion.
As Know Nothipgism was, 90 this Lesgueism
is, q secret organization. thss, like its proso-
type, an exterior dsubing of patriotic pretense;
but its interior is secrecy and mystery. These
Leaguers have, ss Know Nothings had, Ritual
or Secret Manual, prescribing the duties of GER
tain officers, and in strict accordance with which
sll Limitations Of members are to take place into
the different degrees of the new order.
This Ritual, which is studiously kept as pro.
found secret. not only from the outside world,
bu. from those who have only been duped into
the hrst or exterior organization, contains the
pledges, obligations and oaths exacted from can
dldates for the different degrees. In the inte-
rior and controlling organization, it is, as Know
Nothipgism was, secret oath.bound society.
Bot tha. which fully identifies this League
Ism as old Know Noshingism revived, is its
character as 9 secret. oath-bound political Of
eanization. Its sole object, as set forth in the
Consultation We publish, is declared to be pollt.
icaL Ills an organized, mysterious, dark and
oath.bound conspiracy, aiming to mould public
sentiment and control popular elections to an.
sweT the selfish and base purposes Of the politi-
clans and demsgogues, who manage its secret
and wire-working machinery.
The most odious and despicable feature In
this secret Lesgueisu 10 the one that raised the
popular indignation against Know NothiDgism,
and finally drove Il, for time at least, from
the Geld of American politics. We allude to
its avowed and secret political prescription,
llkening IL to the revolutionary factions, who
kept secret lists Of prescribed citizens, and filed
the prisons in France with their politicsl oppo.
nsnts or murdered them in cold blood
We are told upon the authority of those who
uphold and defend this secret political conspir.
aoy, that Il has branches in nearly every county,
town and village 10 Ohio and other Western
States The Secretary of each branch or sub
ordinate Council in Ohio, 10 required to act as
a spy and informer in bis neighborbood or dis
trict; to make out and keep record Of the
names, sayings and doings Of all political op.
ponents, and once month at least transmit q
copy Of such record to the Grand Council at
Columbus:
This latter requirement imskes manifest the
immediate, definite and practical object of this
diabolioal secret conspiracy against the rights
and liberties Of American oitiEens. 1t is that
certain chiefs Of the Abolition party 10 secret
conelAve at our State Capital may have the
means at hand, BY popular tumult, or by mis-
representations and falaehoods TO the govern.
mental authorities, of secretly crushing down
those Of their political opponents whom they
deem most obnoxious to them and their schemes.
Having once begun course Of secret political
prescription and persecution, they will not know
where to stop. Words and acts, nov deemed
BY all parties perfectly innocent, will become,
In the view Of the secret conspirators, the most
glazing Of crimes, and subject the unsuspectiug
victim to imprisonment and even death.
History teaches that ever in times Of civil
war and reyolution, such Is the terrible danger
from secret, pledged or oath-bound political
conspiracies. Every wise, just and patriotic
Citizen should set his face againat them, and use
his influence and exertions to root them ont
utterly.
An Enthusiastic Tod Man.