Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-08-08

posite is true. The latter is now known
in this State as the Sons Of Liberty"
bat it was formerly known as the "Or-
der of American Knights" and still
longer ago as the knights Of the Gold
en- Circle" This organization is ten
years old or more. Il was formed in
the South during the flibustering times
Of Walker, when the chivalrous bloods
Of the South were attempting to extend
the area Of freedom Chat is, the free Z
dom to own niggers ard to live on other
peoples labor) into Mexico, Genital
America, and the West Indies. 1t
aspired not only to the political and
commercial control of this country,
through It's Southern Rights" move.
ment, and Southern commercial con-
ventions," but il sought to subvert the
weak governments of the countries Of
Spanish America, and to annex these
countries to the Union, preparatory to
the secession which had been in eontem-
plation since the days Of Calhoun. By
these proceedings, the knights, con.
sisting of the elite Of the Southern arts
tocracy and their dupes, hoped to build
mp great Slave Confederacy, embracing
the then Slave States Of the Union, and
all Of tropical America dom to the Isth-
mus of Panama, and also including the
whole OF Mexico, and even NeR Mexico,
Arizonia, and the Indian Territory. la
fact, they aimed at universal domination,
ultimately, over all the continent tina.
could be made profitable for Slave labor
When the Rebellion broke out, this
secret order was in full vigor, and ready
for the reasonable work for which it
had, in part, been organized and nour-
ished by the Southern aristoeraey and
moneyed nabobs. That work was the dis
solution Of Union which contained so
much that was hostile to the special
privileges which they claimed and the
relish tyranny which they exercised over
a helpless race, and over all who denied
their right to make every other interest
in the country subservient to their own.
Certain Southern States went through
the forms of Secession, and appealed to
arms TO maintain their position. Then
it was TINT the " Knights Of the Golden
Circle - were in fall feather, They went
into the reasonable work with oil their
energy, and seduced into their ranks
thousands of young men in the border
Slave States, who had before stood aloof
from the Order, or who had not had the
opportunity to join it. It was through
these means that Kentucky, Missouri,
and Maryland came near being precipi-
tated into the abyss of rebellion. There
was something romantic and chival-
rous about the Order which proved very
attractive to the idle and adventurous
young men who grow up under the in
duenee of Slavery, and thousands Of
them were induced. by the specious ap-
peals of Price, JEFF Thompson, Buckner,
Breckenridge, Marshall, Kane, aud other
artful Williams, to follow the fortunes of
the Confederaey
Time passed on The war waged, and
success and defeat alternated on either
side. The term of office of President
Lincoln waned toward its expiration,
and another Presidential election drew
near. The people of the North, who, on
the fall of Sumter, became united as one
man against the rebellion, began to show
signs of division. Heartless and ambi-
tious politicians, smelling the "loaves
and fishes of Office afar of, commenced
their unholy Vaccinations to gain
control of the power and patronage of
the Government Forgetful of the peril of
their country-forgetful Of their duty
as citizens toward the tender mother
who had reared them-they made a
league with an enemy who was striking
a, her vitals, with the intention of shar.
ing with the murderers the plumber of
her estate.
The Order of "ksights of the Col den
Circle " was transplauted to this inviting
and prolific soil, as appears BY she devel-
opments recently made, about the time
of Vallandighams transfer from the
Confederacy to Canada. 1t had doubt
less existed previously in the North, bu,
not TO any considerable extent. Vallan-
digham was made Grand Commander
of the Northern section of the Order,
Major General Sterling Price, of the
rebel army, being Grand Commander of
the Southern section Thus it will be
seen that the Order is the same here as
it is in Dixie. 1t is all out of one piece
of cloth. One spirit and one purpose
animates it here as there That spirit |
is, advocacy of human slavery and the |
right OF favored class to grow rich and |
powerful at the expense of the commu-
nityi that purpose is, the overthrow Of |
an Administration elected constitution
ally BY those who oppose special n-;v;-
leges and human bondage, and thu "a
eession from the Union of the sr;.,o
cratic minority, who, seeing that human
progresses against them and that ev.rv
National census predicts the overthrow Of
their pet system and theirrich monOpolies,
wish to be in condition where they can