New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-11
TRRAsoN IN PEansYLvAHIA.

The treason which Fernando Wood talks,
and The World, Express, aud other Copperhead
journals in this city print, is developing in
Pennsylvania rather more rapidly than is bore
deemed prudent The accounts which we pub
!isb this morning from Reading. Berks County,
and from Philadelphia, indicate the existence
of an extensive and dangerous organization Of
the Knights Of the Golden Circle, or Copper
heads, or by whatever other name the traitors
composing it choose TO DO called, bus it is
likely that the premature disclosure Of their
purposes by a Government detective, sud the
arrest OF at least one of their leadors,. may
check their enthusiasm for the moment. Be-
crecy is he life OF conspiracy, and it ceases
10 be formidable the moment il becomes known.
The m.ask torn of the plot must be abandoned
or at least postponed. and postpOnment in, this
case in equivalent to defeat, for the Immediate
object Of the conspiracy seems TO have been
organi zed resistance 10 the Enrolment act, aud
the machinery for the enforcement Of that law
is understood TO be nearly ready to be put in
operation.
Opposition to d draft, however, is not the
only purpose of these traitors. The abduction
Of President Lincoln, by force if necessary,
aud the establishment of a North. Western
Confederacy, are announced as parts of the
programme, aud since the latter is known to
be pet project Of Rebel leaders in the South,
and ono main reliance in their present despcr-
ate casting about for support or relief, il is
evidence enough of the complete sympathy and
understanding between the COpperheads and
their Southern allies.
The development comes at On oPPortune mo-
ment. Under false pretenses, troacber0us
peace party had carried many important cleo
tons, aud growing holder by repeated sue
cesses, finally found courage to disclose its
real hostility, not to the Administration merely,
but to the war, and to all attempts to restore
the national authority throughout the country.
The clOven foot was partly uncovered IN
New Hampshire, aud disaster only not
total was the result Of the imprudence.
Uninstructed by this disaster, the Democratic
leaders in Connecticut nominated Col. Seymour
"a traitor from the start-and put him on a
platform Of which peace was the principal
plank. They have been signally beaten, and
close upon their defeat comes the final disco-
sure of the more practical and active part of
the conspiracy, one purpose of which was TO
swing the Executive authority of the States
across the path Of the Government, aud with.
draw them from active cooperation in the
war. Failing in that, and the party having
lost its political influence and Importance By
defeat, armed resistance alole remained, and
that part Of the plot having been precipitatey
sprung, or at least so far disclosed as to render
its leisurey progress and future success impossi-
heads but an immediate and general rising
against the Government, and for that they are
not prepared We judge therefore that the
crisis is passed.
The disturbances in Indiana, which caused
that State 10 be erected into separate mill.
tary district, were not unlike this latest out
break in Pennsylvania, but there was no com.
plete disclosure Of the organization itself. The
opposition TO the arrest of deserters might ap.
pear 10 be limited and local. But this is
conspiracy which one Of its leaders afiirms to
include million Of men, with wide-spreadlng
connections at the South as well a. at the
North. His assertions may or may not DO true,
but it is at least certain that there has been
an intention to oppose the expected draft, and
that an organization for that purpose, moro or
less complete has been sedulously extended in
tho Middle and Western States. II y better