The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-25
SEEN IN THE SIXTIES.
How an Abo1itiOniSt Was Driv-
en- Out of Town.

fellow named D. S. Newcomb, o New Yorker,
who was clerking for Mr.. John Ryan, made
himself obnoxious to the citizens by his aboll-
ton talk. The man seemed to have no dis
erection, and the warnings of his friends had no
effect. He was q man of bibulous propensities,
and when he filed up with beer his tongue
wagged recklessly.
The people stood Newcomb's conduct until
they heard that he had been defending old
John Brown, of Harpers ferry fame, and then
they boiled over. The imprudent and foolish
New Yorker publicly drank a toast to the
memory of Brown, and said the execution was
a crime.
1t did not take long to dispose of this mall
content Some of the citizens visited Mr..
Ryan, and informed him of the true character
OF his clerk. The merchant was surprised and
indignant when he learned that one of his en-
ployes had so grossly insulted the community,
and he at once gave him notice to leave.
The Intelligencer of tho next day briefly
mentioned the matter and said:
Newcomb could not be found last night, al
though delegations of citizens would have been glad
to pay him their respects, could they have discov
cred him. He is doubtless off for parts unknown
and the sooner he treads northern soil the better it
Will be for him. q
Some time i'll january citizen. signing him
self 'Longstrect," published an appeal to the
merchants of Atlanta, urging them to with
draw their trade from the abolitionists. He
said that the southern merchants who went to
Now York to patroniZe abelitionists merited
no patronage at home, and would receive mono
If the facts of the Gaze were known. There
were native Georgians in New York, engaged
in the wholesale trade, and 1t was not neces-
sary for Georgia merchants to patronize the
enemies of the south.
To make the advice emphatic, this patriotic
citizen said:
Strike, merchants of Georgia, at the black repub-
can and abolition trade of the north! Repudiate It,
give IT no countenance no quarter reject it. spurn
1t and spit upon It'll In so doing you will not only
display your own patriotism and loyalty to the
south, but you will carry out the wishes--we may
say,the stern demands-of those from whom you ex-
Poetic derive your profits at home. The times de-
mand that no black republican aboltionist shall
profit by southern trade. either directly indirect
~, from cupidity nor from ayarice.
But this ripple of excitement i'll commercial
circles soon quieted down, and new sensations
engaged public attention.
In March, General George Buckley, the COM
mander in chief of the knights of the Golden
Circle, visited the city in the interests OF his
order. A meeting was called, and Colonel
Robert j. Cowart explained its object Gen
eral Buckley made speech and took the posi-
ton that the knights were the bulwark of
southern rights, and that with proper aid from
the south they would succeed in extending the
area of slavery. One of the objects of the or
der, he said, was to go to Mexico to assist
Juarez in establishing republican govern
ment. The general stated that he had about
$1,000 knights enrolled.
In April large meeting was held. 1t was
addressed by Colonel A. A. Gaulding, Colonel
Ne, A n
speakers said that it was to the interest of the
south to ciyilize and Americanize Mexico.
The union was denounced as an engine Of op-
preston, and the point was made that the
south should provide place of refuge in Mex
leo where her people could seek shelter with
their institutions, and bid defiance to the COM
b1ned forces of aboIitionism.
The feasibility of the scheme and vague
but dazzling visions Of the "halls of the Mon
tezumas," made our young men and some of
our old men quite jubilant at the prospect
For months the enthusiasm was kent up.
Even the boys, little toddlers on their way to
school, wore military caps emblazoned with
"K. G. c." in big gilt letters.
In April the New Orleans True Delta de.
nounced the Circle as fraud, and said that
Buckley and his fellow-leaders could not sob
tain credit from their washerwomen, or for
glass of grog in respectable barroorn''
This stirred up quite rumpus. General
Buckley wrote cards and made speeches, but
Atlanta began to lose confidence in his move
ment. Several months later the Intelligencer
published the following letter from Browns
vile, Texas:
We are in receipt of large number of people
Familiarity known as knights of the Golden Cirle
They have come from Maryland and Virginia. and
their appearance contadicts their actions for they
look like intelligent men, but submit It to you if
tits the act ofinteligent men to be ised Thesemen
have been mised into the folly Of coming 800 miles
to invade Mexico on the assurance of General Bick
ley that he has contract with the Mexican gov
eminent TO introduce American volunteers in that
ountry. This has been denied thousand times
Cautious have been Published officially and other
wise, land yet there are to be found men who are
weak enough to contribute their money, and green
enough to take 1900 mile trip to find at the end of
their purse and their journey that the whole thing
was an unntgated, mendacious and criminal de-
ception.
of course after this exposure the Atlanta
knights let the whole business drop. In COM
mon with thousands of good men they had
been imposed upon by an adventurer whose
dashing appearance and smooth tongue had
made him popular fayorite.
The knights of the Golden Circle, however
did not entirely disappear from the stage. In
Indiana and Illinois they maintained their
organization during the war, and were so BIT
terly hostile to the federal government that
many Of them were arrested and tried for trea-
son.
The martial-spirited young mon of Atlanta
were easily reconciled to the loss Of the Golden
Circle. About that time they had something
better to take its place. Instead OF wearing
the mystic letters ok G.. c." ON their hats the
cockade fashion had just been imported from
South Carolina, and every good secessionst
fastened TO secure and wear ono Of these
badges.
A oockade was very pretty thing. 1t was
made Of blue silk ribbon and was a little larger
than a silyer-dollar. The ribbon was arranged
in circular rows Of Topped ends, with big
Georgia military button in the centre. On this
button was stamped the coat Of arms of tho
state, bearing the suggestive legend; owls
dom, Justice, Moderation" and fellow trot-
ting around with one of these big, blue cock
AIDES on his hat felt so chock-full Of wisdom,
justice, etc., that he was in danger Of explod-
ing at the slightest touch.
Those were tremendous days, with the
''K q. c." caps, their cockades, their torch