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

u.-ITS ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS,
From printed copies, heretofore seized
by the Government, of the constitution OF
the Supreme Council, Grand Council. and
County Parent Temples, respectively. o1
the Order of Sons Of Liberty, in connection
with other and abundant testimony, the
organization of the order, in its latest form,
is ascertained to be as follows:
\. l. The Government OF the order through.
out the United States is vested in a Su-
preme Council, Of which the officers are a
supreme commander, Secretary of State.
and Treasurer. These officers are elected
for one year, at the annual meeting of the
Supreme Council, which is made up of the
grand commanders Of the several States.
ex o1icio, and two delegates elected from
each State in which the order is establish
ed,
2 The government of the order in State
is vested in . Grand Council, the officers Of
which are Grand Commander, Deputy
Grand Commander, Grand Secretary.
Grand Treasurer, and a certain number OF
Major Generals, or one for each Military
District. These officers are also elected
annually BY representatives from the
County Temples, each Temple being enti-
tied to two representatives, and one addi-
tional for each thousand members. This
body or representatives is also invested
with certain legislative functions.
8. The Parent Temple is the organiza-
ton of the Order for . county, each temple
being formally instituted by authority of
the Supreme Council, or Of the Grand
thority, or by that of the officers Of the Pa
rent Temple, branch or subordinate Tenn
Piles may be established for townships in
the county.
But the strength and significance of this
organization lie in its military character.
The secret Constitution Of the Supreme
Council provides that the Supreme Com
all military forces belonging to the order
in the various States when called into ac-
tual service;" and further. that the Grand
Com manders 'sshall be commanders in
chief Of all the military forces Of their res
pective States." Subordinate to the Grand
Commander in the State are the 'sMajor
Generals" each one Of whom commands
his separate district and army. In Indiana
the Major Generals are four in number
In Illinois, where the organization of the
Order is considered most perfect, the mem
bers in each Congressional district COM
pose "brigade," ;" which is commanded bv
"Brigadier General" The members Of
each county constitute regiment" with
a Colonel in command, and those of
each township form company" A
somewhat similar system prevails in In
"
into s'squads," each with its chief-an ar
rangernent intended to facilitate the guer-
rilla mode of warfare, in case of general
outbreak or local disorder.
The Mcclellan Minute GuArd,n as ap-
pears from . circular issued BY the Chief
Secretary at New York, in March last, is
organized upon a military basis similar to
Of companies, one for each election district,
ten of which constitute brigade with
q "Brigadier General at its head. The
whole il placed under the authority Of a
Commanders in-chief" A strict obedience
on the part OF members to the orders of
their superiors is enjoined.
The first supreme Commander of the
order was r. G. Wright, of New York, edi-
tor Of the New York News, who was in
May last placed in arrest and confined in
Fort Lafayette. His successor in Office
was Vallandigham, who was elected at the
annual meeting of the Supreme Council in
February last. Robert Holloway, of Illi-
nois, is represented to have acted as Lieu
tenant General, or Deputy Supreme Com
ham from the country. The Secretary of
State chosen at the last election was DR..
Massey, of Ohio.
In Missouri, the principal officers were
Charles L. Hunt, Grand Commander,
Charles B. Dunn. Deputy Grand Com
mander, and Green B. Smith, Grand Sec
retary. Since the arrest Of these three
sions, which will be presently alluded to-
James A. Barret has, as it is understood,
oficiated as Grand Commander. He is
stated TO occupy also the position Of Chief
Of Stan to the Supreme Commander.
The Grand Commander in Indiana, III.
u. Dodd. has just been tried at Indianapo-
liz BY military commission for ''conspi-
v00 - A&~AwA SA-s
fthe laws Of war;" and other charges.-
The Deputy Grand Commander in that
State 10 Horace Hefren, and the Grand
Secretary w. n. Harrison. The Major
Generals are w. A. Bowles, John C.
Walker, L. p. MilligAn and Andrew
Humphreys. Among the other leading
members Of the order in that State are DR..
Athon. State Secretary, and Joseph Ris-.
tine, State Auditor.
The Grand Commander in Illinois is--
Judd. Of Lewistown; and S. b. Piper, OF
Springfield, who is entitled "Grand Mis-
eiOnary" Of the State, and designated also
as member of Valiandigham's staff, is one
OF the most active members, having been
busily engaged throughout the summer in
temples and initiating mem-
bers. sEs
In Kentucky, Judge Bullitt, Of the Court
Of Appeals, is Grand Commander, and,
with Or. u. +. Kallins and w. R. Thomas.
jailor in Louisville, two other Of the most
prominent members, has been arrested
and confined by the military authorities.
In New York, Or. r. F. Stevens, Chief
Secretary Of the Mcclellan Minute Guard,
ls the most active ostensible representative
Of the secret order.
The greater part of the chief and subor-
1inate officers of the order, and its branch
Is, as we'll as the principal members there
Of, are known to the Government, and,
where not already arrested, may regard
themselves as under a constant military
So complete has been the
exposure Of this secret league, that. how
over frequently the conspirators may
change it's name, forms, passwords and
signals, its true purposes and operations
connot longer be concealed from the mill
tary authorities.
Il is to be remarked that the Supreme
Council Of the order, which ann ually meets
On February 22d, convened this year at
New York City, and special meeting was
hen appointed to be held at Chicago July
lst, or just prior to the day then fixed for
The Convention Of the Democratic party
This Convention having been postponed to