Year: 1866

81


| am no alarmist would gladly bear
Testimony to tho fact that the Southern peo-
plo cheerlully aud honestly "accept tho sit.
nation, and feel willing TO abide the pledg
cs they made, when, more than year since
they laid down their arms but cannot
do It. There is as deep a spirit of rebellion
IN the South to-day as in 1851 but the ut.
ter hopelessness Of striking blow, at this
timo, renders the traitors moro quiet. They
have learned discretion, not loyalty.
But although there is no intent on the
part of the Southern people Immediately to
strike for disunion, they are preparing tho
way Tor such an event by both open and
secret means, as any one at oil convorsant
with the situation hero now oan readily
testify. Openly, every one is armiug SO.
cretly the people are organizing. We all
recollect how we secuted the idea that the
order OF the Knights of the Golden Circle
could over become formidable yet to-day
we know that it was chiefly through its ma
chnations that the rebellion was matured.
We umled, too, when in 1863 we heard of
the Sons of Liberty, in the Southwest ; yet
time demonstrated that, instead of being
oontemptible, the organization was so for
midable that nothing but the utmost ideli
ty, watchfulness anG resolution on the part
| OF tho loyal people of several of the States
prevented On open espousal of the cause OF
the rebellion


The Knights of the Golden Circle are
Knights no moro tho Sons Of Liberty
ceased TO hold their midnight conspiracies
when their brethren and allies of the South
| yielded up their arms but in their stead
has arisen another organization-the Knights
of Arabia-which proposes to do tho work
OF both its predecessors, revolutionize both
the Northwest and the South.


| am aware that some of tho friends of
the order deny that it is hostile to the Gov
ernnlent of the United States. They stoutly
assert that it is designed not to sever the
Union, but to add territory to its already
extended domain E; aud Cuba, Mexico and
Central America are all vaguely hinted at
as the prey which the gallant knights will
bring to Uncle Sam as free will offering
but believe them not. The order means
mischleti means,a second rebellion moth.
ing less, nothing more. But it needs for
the present, to put on false garb, and il
will wear it till strong enough to throw of
tho mask


flow was il with the Golden CircleY
knew something of that Years since, an
advertisement appeared in the Cincinnati
Conmercidt-l was residing in that city
theu-inviting all young men desrous OF
adventure, and at the same time of making
money, to meet alta designated room, in the
Carlisle building, on Fourth Street. was
young man, or rather hoy, desirous OF adj
venture ana OF making money-and went;
ana who would you suppose was tho prime
moVer--the man who inserted tho adver-
tisement in tho paperf g. w. G.. Brickley.
About thirty of us were there. and George
explained to us that he was forming an as
sociation, the object Of which was to make
a descent on Mexico, at the Same timo stat.
ing that we could pay ourselves out of the
church property we coul conliscate. did
not relish the project, and in company with
several others retired but few remained
and an organization of tho Golden Circle
was effected in that city, but scarcely one
but supposed its objects were to make
descent upon Mexico. Only trusty few
knew that it meant ebelion-dsuniou;
but that it meant nothing else all now
know.


Now, what was true of the Golden Circle
is true of the Knights of Arabia, an organi-
zation which it is the object of my present
letter to expose, as far az in my power.


Since the conclusion of the war isolated
secret societies have existed in the South,
the objects OF which were to secure the ul.





like the isolated societies which preceded
the Golden Circle, they held correspondence
but had no common bond of union, except
common aim. The association of the
knights of Arabia is intended to unite
these societies in one, and place them under
n single commander in order to give them
elliciency and to secure concert of action.
The idea of this, in fact as am inclined to
belleve-though upon that point | am not
oertain-was conceived by Lieutenant John
w. bralne and other pirates, who are long
ing Tor another cruise against the rich com
meroe OF tins country; aud should not be
surprised if Raphael Semmes was intimate
~ CONNECTED with the organization.


But yet the organization is weak as yet
it must wear a false garb Southern Con-
gressmen have not vet been admitted to
their seats in the Senate and House Of Rep
resentives, and We're an opealy rebel organ
ization formed they would not very soon be
admitted. The Southern people are aware
that our faithful Congress has determined
to sift the condition of the South to the
bottom that investigating committees are
sent out to look after the loyalty of the late
rebels in suspected quarters and they are
now further aware that the faithful Con-
| gress has been sustained by the loyal peo-
PIE, while the policy of the President has
been scornfully rejected. Nor is that al
They know that before these Congressman
are admitted to seats in the Senate and
House, such guarantees for the future good
behavior of the South as are necessary will
be demanded, and if the danger is great the
demands will be the more stringent There
tore, their rebel association is living and
thriving by false pretenses and it will so
live and thrive till Soufhern Cougressnen
arc in their old places, when, feeling them.
selves secure, they will throY off the mask,
az the Golden Circle did in 1859 and 1860
Mark my words upon this point, reader,
and few years will prove that have spo
ken truly.


have seen document in some Northern
papols, pnrpOrting to be the by laws of the
order. Now | do not know positively
that this is absolutely correct, yet do
know that Il is not very incorrect but the
writer is very ca eful TO assure lhe public
that 1t means no harm TO the Tn ted States;
tEat Cuba is the point OF destination that
many ex,Union soldiers, as well as ex.rebals
are enrolled in the order, aud that 40 much
is their respect entertaiuo !or tie United
Statos Government that they will not even
allow their I'M Locent little expedition 10 em-
6roil tho Cabinet at Washing ton with any
foreign power.


The man who penned that declaration is
one OF two things-he is either a wiful DE-
celver or has himself been deceived. The
only ex'AortherA so.diers enlisted into Q
order are few deserters-iust such as