Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-01
The Conspiracy to Establish a North
Western CORfederadY.

an organized attempt to overthrow the
federal government by the removal Of Afr,
Lincoln and the estaBhshment of North
Western Confederacy, was too brief to be
satisfactory. Since then wehaEe been put
in possession of more of the details Of this
astounding and wicked conspiracy against
the nations life. The revelations made to
| the Provost Marshal Of st. Louis by men
whom be had arrested, show nothing less
than this a numerous and desperate
body of men haye banded together to carry
out purposes that are reyolting to contem-
plate. Convicted of their guilt and alarna-
/ ed ut this unreasonable exposure of their
shame, the Democracy are making vain at
tempts to deny theexistence Ofsuch body
oFconspirators il3s5 aaa
The teitimony ELECTED at st, Louis has
been Forwarded by General Roseeians to
/ Washington and We shall probably soon,
have an authoritative exposure Of the whole
affair. In. the meantime We synopsize some
Of the leading. features Of the conspiracy,
as furnished by st. Louis correspondent
] of the Cincinnati Gazette,
The order Is 8. secret one It is called
bby different names in different localities or
/ States, and is known among its mem
5ers by these initials, written thus: o. a
/ X. It's real object Is to embarrass and
] tbwart he administration Of the general
! Government in the conduct Of the war,
and 0vbthrow the Gouernment If that De
/ necessary to secure the supremacy OF the
order.
4 The Idea on which the organization Is
| predicated is that Abraham Lincoln is a
usurper, and that it Is not only the right
but duty Of all true democrats to drive
him from his seat, even by force. Tomake
4 this evident read the following part Of the
oath
in accordance with the principles upon
which is founded the American theory,
! Government can exercise only delegated
I powers 4 hence If those who shall have
/ been chosen 10 administer the Government
4 shall assume to exercise powers not dele
/ gated, they should be regarded and treated
The meaning Of this, to leave no doubt,
! is explained in the same obligation still
further by these words:
"The reference to inherent power, as
also to existing necessity, on the part of the
functionary for the sanction Of any arbi-
trary exercise of power, by him we will
not accept in palliation or excuse.
The Order Of American Knights, as it
termed, is built upon thu ruins of the
Knights Of the Golden Circle. The chief
commander Of the new order is the rebel
General Price.
While Vallandigbsm was at Richmond,
he was made commander Of the northern
section. he then proceeded to Windsor,
Canada, to complete the organization Of
the northern section. Among those who
are said to have aided him are such men
as William B. Reed, Of Philadelphia;
George H Pendleton and GeorgeE. Pugh,
of Ohio Christian Cribben, of St. Louis
Wilbur F. Storey and Merrick Of Chic4-
go. alY
On the 10th Of last March it was deci-
ded to inaugurate an outbreak, but for
some reason it was adjourned. A meeting
was subsequently, held in April at Wind
sor, when programme was agreed upon
which will be forth coming before long.
The obligations of this order are of a
truly astonishing character, A few ex-
tracts from them will show their nefarious
character:
Al solemnly promise that ! viii never
reveal or make known to any person or
persons, by sign or signs word or words,
nor in any other manner, the ceremonies
in which I have Just taken part, nor the
names nor persons who have participated
with me, nor any single word nor thing
which have heard or seen herein.
a
81 do solemnly promise and swear sa-
credlv to observe, perform and keep, with |
q full knowledge and understanding, and !
with nay full assent, that the penalty |
which will follow a violation of any or
either of these my solemn VOWS will be a
shameful death"
OF the strength of the organization the |
following statements are made:
Between 10000 and 900 in Missouri;
nearly 10000 in Illinois, of whom $4,000 |
were well armed and organized; 100000 |
in Indiana; nearly 100000 in Ohio, of |
whom one-half were well armed and or
ganized; in Kentucky, from 10000 to 7O,-
OOJ; in New York, New Jersey and /
Pennsylvania already very strong, are
rapidly on the increase; in Michigan, |
Iowa and other Western States, not yet |
very strong, nevertheless making rapid |
progress. A principal officer Of the or
ganlzation in New York State, where it Is
known the Mcclellan Minute Men, has
stated lis strength in that State at over
20O,0vo1 E
The programme agreed upon in Wind
sor last April was that Vallandigham
must be sent back to Congressa and be made
a delegate to Chicago. At Chicago he was
to proclaim Lincoln n usurper and urge
his removal by force. In this declaration
he was to be sustained by delegations, well
armed, from the various lodges. His sud
den return from Canada and appearance
at the Congressional convention was TO
insure his being sent to Chicago.
Last January Vallandigham issued an
address TO the lodges or temples through
out the loyal states The following is an
extract from that address;
"Brothers, again renew your solemn
vows. Swear at your bearthstones-at
the.alters consecrated to your household
gods Swear in the holy sanctuary where
your fathers worshspped-at their tombs
and by their sacred memories that There
quoting the language Of the obligations of