The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-06-21

Justice which would bring it to an end.
/ During the spring and summer Of 1862 the
| reasonable order of the 6 Golden Circle ~
was extensively organized IN various parts
| of the State, andthe fact was presented by
the Grand sTs Ssgag in the District Court OF
published, but the truth of it was vehe-
nently denied by the members of the or
der and IS partisans everywhere, and the
charged with perjury. During the summer.
of this year the Union army suffered its
greatest disasters, under the command of
Mcclellan on the Peninsula and the reb-I
els and their allies in the North, flushed
with victory, were excited with brilliant
hopes of final success in the struggle. The
ter, watched the progress of the fight with
intense interest, and spent their time in.
recruiting for the armies and providing
supplies for the sick and wounded, while
Democratic leaders gave themselves up
wholly to eIectioneering. the circulation of
slanderous documents against the Govern
i every possible way to carry the election.
In this they were aided by Confederate
agents, with Confederate funds, for it was
well understood by the government at
Richmond that great battle for the re-
belIion was about to, be fought at the polls
| in Indiana. The election in October almost
went by default SO far as the Union party
was concerned, and the Democracy sue
sceeded by a majority of nearly ten thou
ton over. than it was given out in Demo-
PageEf tnaf bJ th th naW n9%fr
and that the Indiana Legion, which had
der, would be dissolved and deprived Of
| About the first of December, twas dis
i covered that the Order of the = Golden
/ Ofrelen had been introduced by Democratic
/ politicians into the camps in this city, and
/ a number ofsoldiers initiated. This Gre
ated the greatest alarm both hereand in
/ Washingtonp and the most vigorous meas
| ures were resorted to, to put 1t down and
/ eradicate 1t from the army. The principal
/ witness who first divulged It's existence In
the camps, was soon after missing and has
| family. 5tts tfttii t1i1 t~7f 7"A ,'A'L
The session of the Legislature. In Jatiti
airy following, was distinguished in the be-
g1hIfn9lng Dy ane most reSSo19rion@rg ana m m
/ Governor was returned to him by the ma
/ jority of the House, aud a resolution passed
| moIir.l 81 New York. Resolutions Of the
most incenaiary and reasonable character
| followed each other in quick succession,
| and the brief time of the session was con-
sumed by the most violent.and infiafnmal
! tory speeches, denouncing the, Government
and the further prosecution of the war.
Soon, the Military Bill, with which the
/ Governor had been Threatened, was intro
| duced by the Chairman of the Committee
on Military Affairs, and the first vote
| taken upon it demonstrated the fact that
| the Democratic party in the House was a
unit in its favor. 1t took from the Govern
orlall power over the military, and trans
ferreG it to the four State Officers, viz: the
Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, and
| Attorney General, three of whom were
| members of the Order of the Golden Cir
Gle" afterwards known as the "Sons of
Liberty" 1t gave these officers the GUS
toby and control of the arms, the appoint
| ment Of general officers, dissolved the In
ganization, which was to. be under their
exclusive control 1t is true it left theGoV-
e0T the aPR9inttmnsd Of h an AdiEtant
General of all power and transferred il to
another, to be appointed by the four
featnre m olatios OF on the we texs5y
of the State, establishing military pro-
visional government, was intended as q
legislative revolution and had ii passsds
bloody civil war, It was put ahead of
every other important measure on the cal
endar, was put through from one stage to
another under the gag of the previous
feated only by the withdrawal Of the
Union, niem bers from the House, thus
leaving It wtth0 .., qn9rgma n. The very
tense excitement throughout the state
and seriously threatened the public, peace
AID had IT passed the House no. doubt
was entertained but what 1t would have
passed the Senate.s4rn1 els % enf3earDI
In few days the Legislature adjourned,
having made no appropriations to ,defray
the ordinary expenses of the State Govern
ment. The benevolent institutions, the
penitentiaries, and other important mat
tiers, were left wholly unproVided for, and
it was confidently predicted by the revo-
lution1sts, that all these institutions would |
be suspended, and the wheels of govern
nent blocked generally unless the Legfsla- |
ture was called back in extra session. But |
bitterly disappointed To calf the Legisla- 1
tuFe back would have been an act of mad /
ness which was not to be thought of for a |
moment. The State had just made an es-
cape from revolution, and the tlanger of it |
was not to be voluntarily incurred a |
second Sc on Tin time: The G9yern9r appealed
by him in this emergency, and they |
did. Counties, banks, railroad leompan- |
iss PriTfa'e 5npiYh14ats an9 me PTesl
forward and. amply supplied him withd
money for all necessary purposes, and thus
the danger passed by and the government
OF the State went on In few weeks after |
the country was surprised one morning by
the appearance in the papers of an official
effect that there was no law authorizingth
payment of the interest on the public debt.
This was matter which touched the credit
of the state na vital part There was the
same law. in force under, which it had beenf
paid for twelve years, and the money was in
the Treasury, paid in for that very purpose.
But a sham law suit was gotten up, snug-
gled through the Circuit Court, and hastily
decided in the Supreme Court, sustaining
the , deeist9n Of tn the Astoo'rney General AI4
and was afterwards treated with open con-
tempt by al parties. But here again there
was bitter disappointment and hope de-
ferred " began to make the Democratic
heart sicksA The Governor negotiated an #
arrangement with the loyal House of VIM
slow, Lanier & Co., by which they came
forward and paid the interest due from the
State up to 1855, thus preserving her credit
and defeating the machinationsF of her 4
During all this time the State authorities
labored without ceasing- to supply the
troops called by the President but the
task shads become one of great difheul- Z
tys-eand labeEs Through the fnces-7
SAINT exertions of Democratic lead
ers and the fierce denunciations of
their press, the spirit of volunteering
was eatlysweakened, and sometimes ap-st
parently d estrUynd, but would again. re- 81
vive and go forward with success; and the
number of troops raised in the State under
the circumstances, and their splendid be-
havior in the field excited universal adj