The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-29

Of this organization, and thus 70 make
known to the community at large its inten
sely reasonable and revolutionary spirit
The subject will be presented under the
following heads.
]. Its origin, history, names, &c.
III. Its organization and officers.
III. Its extent and numbers.
". Its armed force.
v. Ita ritual, oaths, and interior forms.
VI. Its written principles.
VII. 4ts specific purposes and operations
VII. The witnesses and their testimony
Its ORIGIN, HISTORY, NAMES, ETC.
This secret association first developed it.
self in the West In the year 1852, about the
period Of the first conscription of troops
which it aimed to obstruct and resist. Orig
inally known In some localities as the
Mutual Protection Society,"" the Circle
Of Honor" or the "Circle'' or " knights
Of the Mi9hty Host,y but more widely as
the knights Of the Golden Circle" II was
simply an inspiration Of the rebellion, be.
ing little other than an extension among
the disloyal and disaffected at the North ol
the association Of the latter name, which
had existed 1or some years at the South,
and from which It had derived all the CHIEF
tatures-of its organization.
During the summer and fall Of 1853 the
order, both ut the North and South, under
went some notifications as well as change
Of name. In consequence of partial ex.
posure which had been made Of the signs
md secret forms Of the knights Of the
Golden Circle" Sterling Price had insti-
tuted as its successor in Missouri secret
political association, which he called the
"Corps de BelgiQue," or !" Southern Lea.
que, ;" hi9 principal cO-adjutor being Charles
L. Hunt, Of st. Louis. then Belgian Con-
sui at that city, but whose excQnatur was
subsequently revoked by the President on
- n
special object Of the Corps de Belgigne ap-
pears to have been to unite the rebel sym
pathizers Of Missouri, with view to their
taking up arms and joining Price upon his
proposed grant invasion Of that State, and
TO their recruiting for his army in the in
terim.
Meanwhile, also, there had been institu-
ted ct the North, in the autumn Of 1853, by
sundry disloyal persons, prominent among
whom were VallandighAm and p. G.
Wright, Of New York, . secret order, in
tended TO b general throughout the coun-
try, and aimed at IN extended influence
and power, and at moro positive results
than its predecessor, and which was term
cd and has since been widely known as
The opinion il expressed by Col. Sander.
son. Provost Marohal General Of the De-
partment Of Missouri, IN his ofhcial report
upon the progress Of the order, that Il WIS
founded by Vallandigham during his ban
hhment, and upon consultation at Rich
nond with Davis and other prominent
der in Indiana and elsewhere, that its "rit-
ual'' came direct from Davis himself; and
Nary Ann Pittman, formerly attached to
he command of the rebel Forrest, and q
most intelligent witness, whose testimony
will hereafter be referred to, states POSI-
tivsly that Davis IL . member Of the order.
Upon the institution Of the principal or
& BelgeQue' was modified by Price and
hecame Southern section Of the o. A. K.
md that the new name was generally adop-
"a for the order, both at the North and
South.
The secret signs and character Of the or
Der having become known to our military
authoritiee, further notifications in the
ritual and forms were introduced, and it's
name was finally changed to that Of the @.
81. or AOrder Of the Sons Of Libertu.', or
~ Knights Of the Order Of the Sons Of Lib
Nty. These latter changes are represented
TO have been first instituted, and the new
ritual compiled, in the State of Indiana, In
Nay last, but the new name was at once
esnsrally adopted throughout the West,
Aough in some localities the association is
still better known as the ssOrder Of Ameri.
can Knights"
Meanwhile, also, the order has received
certain local designations. In parts of ILL.,
nois it has been called at times the sPeace
Organization" :" in Kentucky the 'sStaf Or
ennization," and in Missouri as the ~Amer-
Ian Organixation;' these, however. being
apparently names used outside Of the lodG-
Of the order. IT. memberS have also
eeen familiarly designated g "Butternuts"
tie country people Of Illinois, Indiana
- Ohio, and ifs separate lodges have Also
quently received titles intended for the
lolic ear; that In Chicago, for instance,
oeng termed by its members the Demo
1atc 1nvincib1e Club" that in Louisville,
ns Democratic Reading Room" !" &c.
IL to be added that IN the State Of New
iotk, and other parts Of the North, the
Ss9et political association known ~ the
AcClellan Minute Guard would seem to
1s branch Of the o. A. X, having sub
,ssltially the same objects 10 be accom-
eoed, however, by means ex pressly suit
1tothe localities in which 1t Is establish
For, ~ the Chief Secretary of this as
Saatioh, DR.. r. F. Stevens, stated in June
TO reliable witness whose testimony
- been furnished, "those who represent
Mcclellan interest are compelled 70
ach vigorous prosecution Of tho war,
srcer to secure the popular sentiment
- allure yoteYs.''