The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-09-01
The Western Conspiracy.

The Western Conspiracy.
The papers at present are teeming with
expositions of the great Western Conspir-
acy. The chief OF these is in the form
Of legal cross-examination. This testi-
mony is the confession o. several leading
members of the "Order Of American
Knights" or "Sons of Liberty" lately
arrested by Col. SanGerson, provost mar
shall Of ST. Louis. The witnesses, Hunt,
Dunn, and Smith, acknowledge themselves
| to have been, respectively, Grand Com
msnder, Deputy Grand Commander, and
Grand Secretaty, for the Order In Mis-
souri,, and are impelled to this confession
| by the fullness of the revelation which led
to their arrest. The general objects OF
the Order, as explained by these gen
| tlemen, is to assist the rebellion and es-
| tablish the Southern Confederacy. Its
main creed is that President Lincoln has
usurped authority, and that it is the duty
Of the knights to expel him by force
| from power, if necessary. The impression
of its members is that union with the
Democratic party is necessary to aid the
| rebellion; and among Its projects Is one
| to arm and equip It's members at Govern
mens expense for the benefit OF the re-
| beliion. The Order in Missouri was a
coalition with the rebel General Price,
| and its numbers are stated at forty thou
sand, while in Illinois it is said to be one
hundred thousand strong; in Indiana,
| eighty thousand, and in Ohio sixty thou
saId. Many names have been diyulged,
which the military authorities think it
best not to make public. All this evi-
dence is deposed within knowledge of a
large city, and by men not unknown to
| the public. Leaving aside the loyal
belief of the case, interests too many and
too deep are involved, and the evidence
| is TOO full and characteristic to make it
(what is hinted by journals Of the Oppo-
sition) a conspiracy upon the part Of the
authorities against the Democratic party.
So convinced are the loyal Western peo-
Pile of the reality of the dangers revealed
| in such testimony as has been printed
that we hear Of a mass meeting at 1ndi-
annapolis to adopt measures of warning
and safeguard Can the enemies of the
| Administration afford to throw ridicule
upon the explicit proof of the completely
of large portion Of disloyal men North
with the treason of the South? The mass
of corroborative testimony during the war
has been too great for loyal men to doubt
the existence of a conspiracy in the North
| (whatever be its numbers or strength to
! aid the South and to overthrow the Gov
| crnment.
The rumors of conspiracy in the West
have not been sudden. Throughout the
past year, and, we think, for much
longer period, a suspicion was created in
the Western papers of secret societies fol-
resistance to the draft and the aid of the
rebel invasions in the West. Correspon-
dents of ST. Louis, Chicago, and Cincin-
natl papers have given, from time to time
details of the organization and movements
of the conspiracy in Indiana and Illinois
The attempted inroad upon the North
from Canada, the raid in Indiana and
Ohio, the burning of steamers on the
Mississippi, the draft. resistance in the
Western States, ard we might include the
Reading and Pottsville troubles in this
State gave weight to the conviction that /;
portion, at least, Of the opponents Of the
Government were none too good to oppose
it by reasonable conspiracy. The shame
ful record which we notice we wish could
be blotted out forever. The depravity anG
cowardice which would resort to conspir
acy against magnanimous Government
to aid party or rebellion, 1t is difficult
to conceive. But the rebellion itself is
the parent of conspiracy.
That secret order should find its op
portunity in the troubles of our Govern
ment to work evil to the country, is no,
altogether surprising. Ina aperiod of great
war the anarchical spirit finds its tempta
ton, and we presume that the numbers Of
the Order Of American knights have
been recruited from the unsettled dregs ol
the country tho ignorant, idle, mischiev-
Gus, and base These form the ever-ready
Judas party Of the country. AT theil
head Mr.. Vallandigham is represented te
be-Peter the Hermit of the new crusade
for Disunion. If not implicated, he viii
be bold enough, we presume, to deny the
impeachment at once. Whatever the
proportion of the conspiracy revealed at
st. Louis, its exposition is caution to
the Peace Democracy and warning t.
| the country