The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-10-22


in case Of general outbreak of local dis
order.
The ''McClellan Minute Guard" as APP
pears from a circular issued by the Chief
Secretary at Now York in March last, is or
g"nizcd upon military basis similar to that
of the Order proper. 1t is composed of
companies, one for each election district
ten of which constitute brigade" with IL
"Brigadier General at its head. The
whole is placed under the AUTHORITY of Il
communicating 'icf' \ strict obedience
on the part Of members to the orders Of
their supcriors is crjoincd.
The first supreme commander was p. c.
Wright, of New York, editor Of the New
J FORK petty Ners who is at present in Fort
Lafayette. The present Grand Commander
sons held principal Offices under this organ
ization robert Holloway. of Indiana
DR.. Masscy, Of Ohio; Charles l.. Hunt,
Charles +. Dunn. Green y. Smith and JAS
y. Barrett, Of Missouri; II. IL. Dodd, Hor
ace Hebron, W. II. Harrison. VI. \. Bowlcs,
John c. Walker. l.. p. MilIigan, Andrew
Humphreys, Dr. Athon and Joseph Risinc,
Of Indiana Judd and b. b. Piper, of Hi
nois Judge Bulltt. DR.. n. +. Kaltus and
v. II. Thomas, of Kentucky and in New
y ork, DIR. r. +. Stevens.
der are numerously scattered through the
States Of Indiana. Illinois, Ohio, Missouri
and kentucky. They are also officially re-
ported as established, to less extent. in
Michigan and the other Western States. as
well as in New York, and also in Pennsyl-
vania, New Hampshire, Rhode Island Con-
nccticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware
and Tennessee. Dodd, the Grand Com
mandcr Of Indiana, imam address tothe mem
Hoo, r. . hat L.
that at the next annual meeting of the SUI
prcmc Council lin February, 1861 every
State in the Union will be represented, and
adds :-"lhis is the first and only true ma
! tOnal organization the democratic and con
Servative men Of the country have ever at
temptcd.''
1t has been asserted by delegates to the
Supreme Council of February last that the
number was there represented to be from
500, 00O to 100000; but Valandigham. in
his speech last summer at DAYTON, Ohio,
placed it at 500, 900, which is probably much
nearer the true total. The number of its
members in the several States has been diff.
lerently estimated in the reports and state
ments of its officers. Thus the force of the
Order in Indiana is stated to be from IS, 600
to 125, 0O0 in Illinois, from 100, 900 to 49,.
600; in Ohio. from $4,000 to 1903, 600; in
Kentucky, from 10000 to 10000; in Mis-
souri,, from 10000 10 &C, 000 and in Michi
gan and New York, about q, 600 each
1t is to be noted that the Order, or its
counterpart, is probably much more widely
extended at the South even than at the
North: and that large proportion of the
officers Of the Rebel army are represented
by most reliable witnesses to be members.
In Kentucky and Missouri, the Order has
not hesltated to admit as mem bers, not only
officers of that army. but also u considerable
number Of guerrilas, a class who might be
supposed to appreciate most readily its aims
and purposes. 1t is fully shown that as
lately as in July last several of these rufians
were initiated into the first degree by DR..
Kalfus, in Kentucky.
The great object of this association is
military service against the United States,
and armed resistance to the laws. The
members are drilled regularly, rs many
arms as could be collected have been
bought and stored away, and the conspra
tors seemed to have anXiouSly awaited the
time when they could strike blow. The
number Of fighting men belonging to the
Order has been represented to be as many
as three hundred and forty thousand, which
| is likely an eXaggcration.
Green b. Smith, Grand Secretary Of the
Order IN Missouri, states IN his confession
of July last 81 know that arms, mostly
reyotvcrs, and ammunition have been pur-
chased by members in St. Louis to send to
members in the country where they could
not be had - and he subsequently adds that
he himself alone clandcstinely purchased
and forwarded, between April 18th and 18th
last, about two hundred rcvolvers, with
about five thousand percussion caps and
other ammunition. A muster-roll of one of
the country lodges of that State is exhibited
in which, opposite the name of each mem
her or noted pup,hnrs uuDar 10
heads Of g Missouri Republican, est.
Louis Union,; " AnZeiger," " Miscellan-
eous Periodicals. . Books "Speeches,"
and ''Reports = titles which, when inter
preted, scvcrally signify "single barreled
guns " double barrecd guns ''revolv
ers, "private ammunition," "private
lead" company POWDER company
lead;' the roll thus actually setting forth
the amount Of arms and ammunition in the
possession of the lodge and its members.
The ritual Of the Order, its signs and pass
words, have been fully made known to the
military authorities. A seizure of one hun
dred and twelve copies of the "work Of the
Order was made in August las. in the office
Of the lion. d. W. Voorhees,, NJ. G. for
Indiana. Copies have also been discovered
in other places. The Order is "progres-
sive.' Many Of those who first enter it.,
suppose that it is an ordinary Democratic
| Association tor political objects only. But
they are led onward by degrees until they
become deep in treason. The oaths are
very severe, and impose upon the neophyte
as the penalty for lntidelity shameful death,
having his body cut into four parts and
thrown out Of the four gates of the temple
Members are instructed that the oath of the
Order is superior to all other oaths, and
that it is their duty to perjure themselves
wherever their evidence would be injurious
to the Order This wicked admoniion has
been faithfully followed by various members
of the organization who have been exam
| ined by the United States authorities, and
some of them have afterwards confessed
that what they had originally sworn to was
, false.
The report of Judge Holt is very long
, What we have here given is sufficient to
show the objects of this secret, oath bound,
REASONABLE Society.