Decatur Eagle, Volume 7, Number 8, Decatur, Adams County, 28 March 1863 — Page 1

TH E I) ECA. T I R E AGL E.

VOL. 7.

Ti'’jrar3B32 DECATUR EAGLE. 133t T BD EVERY SATURDAY MORNING, BY. Spencer & Schirmcyer. PUBLISHERS A,ND PROPRIETORS. I hFFWIE—On Sticond Street, in I building, over the’ Drugstore.} Terms of Subscription : , finely. on-e year, in advance, $1 00 [lf paid within the year. j 50 [lf not paid until the year has expired , 200 (IJ’No paper will be discontinued until all irrera'/es are paid except at the option of the I Publisher. Terms of Adverti*in«r: pn(| square,(ten lines)three insertions, $1 00 I R-i-'h sub sequent insertion, 25 1j“Xo advertisement wiTl bpeonsfdered less than one square• over one square will he counted and charged as twofover txvn, as three, etc, 'FT V liberal discount, from the above rates, made ox. i«e treats inserted for <a period pin</pr tlu'ee months. i F The ihrre rat.oF will be strictly adhered to under .ill TrAinisl anwf. JOE F{R I N TIKG: ’,Ve are pr<»parvd bo donll kinds of jon-wAp.K inn oca* and. workpianhke manner, op the no st reasonable ‘IpiAHs. Our material for the completion of Job-Work, being new and of the latest tides. we feel confident that satisfaction pan ho giion. ~ DECATUR BUSIXESS CARDS! iM T irr house. De ca iur, In di an a, "2&i3 SL 7 ES r ProprietorWill give good attention, and makvs reasonable . Irirgcs., . s ril7-yb-ly. I), w. CHAMBER,' 7’7/ YSICAJN <s• SURGEON E Ci A T U R , INDIAN A . I •SKf’lCK—f’n »h° r »nsf *i<h-nf Stcrnnd Sf . in the mom f.wtnerlv nrcupied by J D. N'uttmuias a bmiKing office. v l-n I’2. i II 111 I) STrlMnt KEII , ATTORXf'.V AT !. ‘ VV AVI) C L A IM AC. EN T DE 0 A T UR, INDIANA., "'lll Practice i n AJ-rtn-and .•xljnin'iip Coiidlh r j " ill -icirc b'nint ics, p ■iislons; and all kinds i a tl„. Government. Ir I k ICF. —On Main Street immediately j South i)t the Ati.il Ol ’s Ollie.- —Vti-ui2 JAMES It BOBO’.i Attorney an t Counselor at Law, DECATUR. JXDTAXA (d’J’TCE. in R( rordcr’> Office, r |j Will p-artice in ’th,, n.oirts of the* Tenth Judicial Circuit. A’tond to the Redemption of Lands, the pay...eii’ of Taxes Especial alien, tu.n will h<* o> ven to the roliec'-on of Bounties-i Pension and all claims against the Government \'ov. Pl Hi HE lip I, LI!I! V! P. V. SMITH Ambrotype & Photograph H.ivjnij iHsripan. ntlv located in Decatur and supplied himself with everythin; that maybe found in a Firkt Class Picture Gallery, Wo'Hil call the attention of all who desire good ‘ ictare at low prices, to call at his rooms in Houston's Building immediately over the Drug S ’”'s'y ~ ~ n37-ly Cs? JEFFERSON QUICK, DEALER IN CLICKS, WATCHES, MUSICAL issiamiEMTs,- jewelky, &c., DECATUR. INDIANA. blocks, Watches, Jewelry, Musical Instru dents, etc,, repaired on short not ite. SHOP—On Second Street, .Frazee’s law of fice. v-5-n-41 j VICKSBURG! I. J. MIESSE. ! In his line of business. Defies the World! AB njfier LIKE INSTITUTIONS iiirnwiuin dicjihadel All efforts at COMPETITION none by thp BOARD. It i« acknowledged by all can sell a BETTER article of Harness, Saddles, Bridles; TVhips, and like ! or LESS money than any other establishment ,n His w<»rk is all warranted to be mftde of the very best material,.and made by old and expe-. •Minced workmen. Huggies and carriages trimmed in the latest a »<! most approved sVV|e. Repairing done on notice, at reasonable rates. « j uive us a call, and we will convince von We PAY CASH stock, and eo«MKM)uentJy BUY CHEAP-1 R than jf sre bought ou TUMIS: .andof course can sell in — n"t?-v£.

‘Our Country’s Good shall ever be our Aim—Willing lo Praise and not afraid to Blams.”

AW’LITION SECKET SOCIETIES. Danger in the Dark! Proof es the Er'stence of an D.iieneioe Secret Military Organization Extending I Thrmigbottt the Whole Object and Aims of which are to Establish a Military Despotism in the Xorth. To the Editor of the Enqui-er: | Aboui three weeks ago the undersigned observed an editorial article in the Daily Keokuk Constitution, containing some information in regard to a secret military 1 organizati’)ri, which was being rapidly extended over the counirv and which it was th ught was intended to aid in fastening on the American people an odious military despotism It immediately at- ; traded our attention and we determined to endeavor Io learn the Hue facts in reference to this oath bound, secret and [ dangerous organization. We observed that the Gate City, tin Abolition newspaper of Keokuk contained i.n article advocating the formation nt the S B. Societies in Lee oounly, lowa, and stalling that .arrangements were mede at form them in that locality. li was further uahd thatpersonsdesirous of obtaining" information In regard to it could address John Trimble, jr., D. D , box 6,296, Chicago, 111 , who would send circulars constitution, ritual, <fcc. We at once decided loaddress this individual. Thinking it might be better to use some other name than our own, we ob’ained 'he eonseni of Mr. T. B. Griffits, nf lliis place, and sent this John Trnnble jr., D I) , a letter, asking inloruiation and rednesling him to s* nd such documents as he thought proper. He lepiied to Mr. Griffits by sepdding two printed , circulars. In one of Hiesi circulars it is said that every thing now ,!■ pends on speed; wiial we do must be done in the n< xt ninety days or al! is lost ’ He requests Mr. Griffits, in this, to i send him Ihe name of a good loyal man •to act as Colonel for this county, | and five, or leu suitable names fol Cap- ! tains, To them he promised to send commissions, rituals, privale instructions, &c. In another circular lie txplains what j the S B. means. They imply Strong I Bond,’ or Strong Brotherhood.’ and their private meaning is Spartaui Band,’ and they are borrowed from those German Bands’ which in the last days of Napoleon, did so much in uniting the ; people of Prusia Holland, dee. He says the idea implies the cementing of loyal citizens together in an indissoluble bond He says the first men of the nation approved it,’ and that they expect to have a quarter of a million by the 4'h of .l ily next, and four times that number by New Years. A tnong the obj• ots it is stated that they teach bv covenants, emblems and solemas ceremonies, the harmony, strength and beauty of national unity.’ ‘He says that a recruit must be eighteen years and upward, of age but that they will take in’ youths of forte'-n ” He al bo says in this circular that the organization i<- ‘esse ntially,’ military, and that it is war like in structure. ’ He further tells Mr. Griffits that proper persons are b- ing ‘sought out in every eounty in your State' to enlist in this dangerous midnight organization. These circulars are signed John Trimble, jr, General Secretary S. 8., Mr. Griffits sent the following letter in reply to these circulars: ‘Carthage, Hancock Co., III.,) Febuary 8, 1863 j ‘Dear Sir: Yours o! the 4ih instant etime C> hand last evening. I have shown I your circulars to a few reliable friends, and we have agreed that an organization should be immediately formed, I This is a strong' Copperhead’ county, and we wish to organize rs quietly as possible. In consultation with our friends last evening we decided to recommend ! A. M. Ossinan as Colonel for tha county 1 and you may send a eoftimission to me as Captain for this totveship, as this is our understanding here. [ Tn the meantime, I will visit otherparts of the county and ge’. suitable friends to act as Captains. I It will probably be better to have their i consent before any other coir missions are | sent, ‘Please send immediately the rituals, commissions guides, and such private instructions as is necessary. ■Yours, for the Union. ‘T. B. GRU'FITS.’ ‘Jonrr Trimble. Jr. Chicago., To this letter Mr! Griffits received the following reply: •Office Gbn Sec. S B. Box 6,295,) •Chicago, 111, Feb. 10, 1863, ) ‘T. B. Griffits, Captain S. B: ‘Dear Captatx —Yours of the Sth is received and we forward to you by express your coinmissson, rituals etc. Write mo immed’ately on their receipt, and I will send by mail the private key. The rule is not to send c.ammissions, docufnt.uts >fcc , until the persons to act.

DECATUR, ADAMS COUNTY, INDIANA, MAU. 28,1863.

• I Does Mr. Ossman agree to act.? If so, let me know, and I will forward his doc-1 uments right away. Please let me hear ■ from you by return mail on this, sub-i ’ ject. i.i ‘I think that you will have no d.fficul- > ty tn operating after you have studied the ! ritual carefully. Hoping to hear from you soon, lam i yours, tor the Union. ■JOHN TRIMBLE, Jr., General Secretary.’ • In reply to this Mr. Griffits stated, on the 16th, that Mr. Ossman consented and requested him to forward all necessary ' documents and to encourage him to think that he was active to work he sent him , ’[two fie'iiious names for Captains toswii: i John Tompkins and William Sparry. On ‘ the 117th List , the box came by express, containing Captain Griffits’ commission, I sevierhl copies of the constitution, the rit-j I ual, tiie gdfde lo enlistment filly invita-1 'ion cards several circulars, arid a nice ’ little.carii staling that John Trimble has; ; room No. 6, up stairs No 96, Randolph 1 street, Chicago. 1 The commission is a magnificent, one in apperance is printed on fine parch-i ’ 1 inent paper has the great seal of the S. B 1 i and is as follows: [S. B ] 1 ‘Office oe the Grand Secretary]_ ; ; Chicago, 111, Feb, 10, 18(63. j i ’ ■ To all whom these presents shall come [ ’ greeting: Know ye, that T. B. Griffits ■ ‘ ! having been duly appointed Captain in ' ' the Illinois S. B, in the county ol H ineock I, John Trimble, jr , D. D , Secre1 I tary of the S. B. Association, and Adju- ’ 1 taut General for the time being, for the 1 (State of Illinois for and in behalf of the ' entire Comradeship of said Association, do commission him to take rank in the S ' B. as Captain from this date; he is, there- ‘ , fore carefully and diligently to discharge j ' the duties of said office, bv doing and I peforruing all matters and things there- : ' unto .belonging. ( And Ido strictly require all officers ! and comrades of the S B , under his com- 1 mand, to be obedient to his orders. And he is to obey all such orders and I directions as he shall receive from time to 1 :time from his superior officer or from this ■'office, | In TE’TIM in, whereof. I have hereunto set my hands and cacsed the sent of the General Registration Office to he attached. Done at Chicago Illinois, this ‘ [seal] tenth day of February, in the I year ol our Lord one thousaud eight hundred and sixty-three,! and of the In'lependence of the United States, th > eighty-eight.! JOHN TRIMBLE Ji , 1) D , General Sec’y and Adj’t Gen’l protein In one of the circulars he enjoins on ; Captain Griffits the necessity of vigor ■| ous action and tells him that they are going to have a grand convocation on July 4th next at the State Capitol and also i that each recruit is expected to pay one 'dollar’ Also that Captain Griffits is charged five dollars for the honor of his commission, which he is not required to i pay until he collects it from recruits. He . '' will not get this five dollars. I The Ritual contains 58 pages. In the ' preface it is said that the sirictestsecrecy ( I is to bo maintained. In chapter first, section first, it is said that the Association is ‘essentially military,’ and that the requirements mental ; and physical of a recruit for the armies of I the united States are followed in the S. B. as nearly as practicable.’ We have i not time to quote more from the Ritual, • Guide, dizc. II We have given enough to show our I fellow cititZ'-ns the nature, objects and in-' I tentions of this secret oath bound and j dangerous organization. We submit below our last letter to this i j Trimble find his reply. We thought that! II if we could get him to say that they were ito arm themseives, that we would have ■' stronger proof Os their intentions than; i anv inference we ca’tld draw ourselves' ■ from their Rituals, «kc. We also give the private key, and show ’ h"’ it how they know each other, and how I 1 we can know liiera and spot the men who| are trying to enbvert our Government and I rob us of our liberties. Our last letter is , as follows: Carthage, Fib 17. i ‘Dear Sir: The box containing my { commission cam? this morning. I have [ j not yet hae lime to full examine it, but hasted to aeknoledge its receipt before ■ the mail leaves. Ilave the kindness to send me the private key and such other j instrcctions as I may need. I desire to ask confidentially whether you think we had better procure arms to use or not. •We do not, know what, contigency j may, arise, and lienee ask, for intorrnarion. •Yours for the Union, •T. B. GRIFFITS. [I John Trimble. Jr , D. D . Chicago. i To this Captain Griffits received the following letter and the honest nnd unsuspecting people can see the hellish pur-

poses of these individuals: ! ‘Office of tiie Gen Skc’t. S. 8., ) •P. O. Box, 6,293, Chicago, 111 , ) I Feb. 19. 1863. J ■‘T. B. Griffits, (Captain 5.8.) Carthage: ■Dear Captain—Yfursofthe 27»b is received and I enclose key. We leave ithe matter of arms to the Slate division iwhen formed. I will say this individually | that arms will not be wanting to defend i our flag when the time requires it. I will send you the camp ritual to-day. You I can have arms in your camp if you so de--1 sire it. Wishing you all success, I am vours, for the Union. JOHN TRIMBLE, Jr., Generally S-cretary., ! We give the following letter, in reply ; to ours asking him to send the commiss- > ion for Mr Ossman: ‘Office on the Gen. Sec’y. S. 8., j ' |‘P. O. Box 6,295. Chicago, 111., I I ‘Feb. 18, 1863. J ! !'Captain T. B. Griffi's: ! ‘Dear Sir—Your letter of Feb. 16 as- ■ 1 fords us greatpleasure as giving evidence ] jof your going heartily to work. Since [ iyour last the Colloncy has been accepted (by Mr. Thomas Geddis, of Fountain I Green. ‘The Captains already commissioned are yourself Joseph Ogden Duiham; j K. N. Leach Fountain Green; Joo. R th, ' Pilot Grove: and L. Smith Cogswell,! ( Laharpe. j ‘Your nominations for Captains will [ to-day be submitted to Cal. Geddis, and; ( unless orders have already been made in their townships, they will doubtless he approved, in which event commissions! will be promptly forwarded. I hope ere this you havh received your I package ‘Youis for the Union. •JOHN TRIMBLE. Jr.’ General Secretary, >S . B.’ It will thus be seen that we have men j base enough in our county to go into this ! infamous organization. We have given j ( their names in order that their fellow cit- I izens mav spot and beware of them. Here [is the key above refirred to: ‘KEY. ' ‘Page 23 (Ritual), at A, use the word i I Gibeon. ‘Page 25 (Ritual), at B, use the word Marathon ‘Page 36 (Ritual), at C, use the word Bannockburn. ‘Page 38 ( Ritual), at D, use the word ( ! Switzerland. ! ‘Page 40 ( Ritual), at E, use the word i Yorktown. ‘Page 52 (Ritual), at F, here deliver 1 he foilowng explanation: I ‘Gibeon was the battle field described i in the tenth chapter of Joshua. There the , Israelites under the immediate supervision of Jehovah, achieved their final triumph over their foes nnd gained possess- i ion of the promised land. Matathon wheoe the Grecians routed the hosts as Persia nnd preserved the fadedom of their counirv. ‘Bannockburn is the scene of the de-1 feat of the English by the Scottish aimy | under Bruce. •That brave people achieved immorial 'honor nnd independence upon that: I field. ( ‘Switzerland bus been in al] ages the 'ground of the noblest struggles between) freedom and despotism. ■Yorktown witnessed the crowning) struggle bet ween the British and A meri- i cans and virtually terminated the Revolutiooary Wnr in our favor. •These five names designated on the Signet Ring by the initials G M. B. 8. Y call to mind some of its sublimest events [on the pages of history and arouse every impulse of patriotism. 9 I ‘Page 51 G. Theralite seven meansof recognition. The fiirst is to exhibit the Registration . Certificate. Without this no comrade ! can be recognized outside of the immed- j iate circle of hia acquaintances. Second: J’he Signet Ring which should always be worn by comrades when 'traveling. Use it by explaining to each ' other alternately the initials, beginning with the letter B. ‘Third: The Medal. This is worn as a breast pin or suspended on the watch- ■ guard, &c., and has the wearei’s name I and number on it, I ‘Page 53. Use the following address: 1 '‘l have already explained to you the first three means of recognition, viz:—. ! The Registration Certificated Signet Ring ‘and Medal. The fourth is the Quarterly ! Password used for gaining admission in ;to a Camp. The fifth is a reference to) ■ the five worthies of the S. 8., viz: War- ’ ren, Webster, Clay Jefferson and Washington. The sixth is a reference to the thirty-four States as on the seal of the Registration Certificate. The aeveuth is by the use of a fivebarrelled revolver.’ [Full explanations of the seven means ot recognition are found in the Ritual of the Camp now in pt ess. ] This is a correct coppy ol tbeir key.

By it any one car. tell these ft Hows who ) reeogn izes each other by the Use of a five-barrelled revolver, lor ths: purpose of taking the lives of their fellowci'iz ns. We have not adverted to hall of the astounding statements contained in the Ritual, because we have not the limo at present to do so. The public will hear more from us on this subject. Enough is here given to arrou-e the peo- ; pie of this Slate and of all the Stales, io a full sense of their danger. All around us are secret bands of men —uur neighbois who are nightly deciding plans v hereby we call be deprived of our liberties. ; Let the Democrats and conservatives !of the land arouse and w hile these des I periite men are arming under State and i Federal influences Democrats and Conservatives can least procure five-barrelled revolvers.’ Let Democratic Invincible i Club sbe formed all over the land, hold \ fall their meetings openly and openlyreI solve to maintain their rights or die defending them. The people must arm against these secret assailants ol our Government, anil when they strike let the peopl strike , in return and give them bullet for ! bullet. 1 We are not alarmists, but we have felt 'it to be our duty to expose this most infamous organizat-on, and warn our fellow-citizens ol llir dangers impen[ding. We obtained all these by sim- : ply writing far them. We have taken no ’obligations to keep them. We have not I even signed any receipt for them or given any promise or pledge not to expose ; them; neither has Mr. Griffits. We ini’ formed John Trimble, Jr., D. D., that this is a strong Copperhead county, and we think that he will agree with us, and | that when he sees this he will conclude , that he has been bitten by three Copperheads.’ GEO. W. HALL, ' M. COUCH MAN. Carthage. 111,, Feb. 23, 1863. The undersigned hereby certify that all of the foregoing statements that relate to us are true. T. B GRIFFITS, A. M. OSSMAN. I Reading the Signs.—Henry J. Rayi mond, editor of the New York Times, i (Abolition) in a recent speech, said: ' “We are about played out as a party. We rdaved the ‘Maine Law,’ a good ' l r . . . , enough Morgan for the time being—but [it was played, and so Abolitionism is ! played out. It. may last Lincoln’s time j out—but if we hold on till then, there is ' not one of us living, that will ever get in'to public life again. Weed is wisely getting out of the scrape. Greely is fool ’ enough to hang on. The only hope there 1 is for any of us, is to keep on the war tin- ! [til the Union is so thoroughly split up, that it never can be got together again. ■ A reunion with the South on any terms lis death to all this generation. Rnt at; any rate, the taxes, which the people have [ not begun to feel; the debt, and the coni scription, not yet begun, but to come, will damn every man concerned in levying ithefti.” j The abolition papers generally copy and ! give prominence to the Albany corres- ) pondence of the New York Herald which ! professes to give the results of a late inI terview between governor Seymour, of ! New Y'ork, and Messrs. Vallandigham, ( of Ohio, and Bigler, of Pennsylvania.— iWe have good reasons for stating that I most of the Herald's letter is the pure ini' vention of the writer, and an unmitigated ' humbug. Governor Seymour's action, we have no doubt, will be that of the pa- ; triotie statesman, who will make the con- ' i stitution the guiding stat of. his action. \ - Messrs. Vallandigham and Bigler left ( highly pleased with their interview u ith i Governor Seymour. No change of proi gramme was agreed upon: but Governor 1 Seymour will unflinchingly maintain ev- < ' ery position enunciated in his intrugural. ■ ' —[Cin. Enq. Propo-ko Execution or Brigham Young. — The Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer says: There was a Cabinet meeting on thurs- ; day over Utah affairs. General Nve, Governor of Nevada, was before the Cab- ! inet meeting, and, after narrating the condition of affairs there, expressed the belief that nothing short of the arrest and execution of some .>f th« leaders, including Brigham Y»a..»r. will bringpeace and order to that section.’

NO. 8.

[PRESIDENT TOBE IMPEACHED Ntapch 15. I I learn from a distinguished gentleman - from New York that there is a niove- ! inent on foot in that, city looking toward i the impeachment of the President at the ’ opening of the next Congress, in the manner provided by the constitution. The ( movement originated with tho most emi- ! nent constitutional lawyers of the country including two from the west, and is in the hands of men whose chhi'aeter for decij sion and firmness, as well as for courage is a sufficient gdarrantee that they will I carry it through. Every intelligent man iis aware that the crimes committed by '.the Executive, and his utter inability to conduct the affairs of the nation even in : a time of peace, have furnished ample grounds for his impeachment: and every ; true patriot will rejoice to learn that he is to be brought to punishment. The lirst draft of the articles of impeachment is already drawn up. It iinbraees charges . which, if proved against Queen Victoria; i would bring her to the untimely end of Charles I The English people would not have endured the outrages on their rights to which the American people have patienty submitted. No English King would have dared to violate tho English j constitution as our President has violated j the constitution of the United States.— , On this poin the decisions of the Supreme Court, deliveretl here last week, will open the eyes of the people who have been de hided into the belief that the subsequent act of a corrupt congress could legalize unconstitutional acts of the I’resident.— i Chief Justice Taney, and Justice Clifford Justice Catron and Justice Nelson said in . their opinion: “A war cannot be lawfully commenced without an act of Congress. The right of making war belongs O O ."5 to the supreme or sovereign power of a nation. By our constitution this power -is lodged in congress. No power short of this cau change the relation from peace < to war."’ And in speaking of various unconstitutional acts acts of the president, these same learned judges said: “These acts are constitutioimllv void.—• No subsequent ratification by Congress ) can make them valid.” This decision is a stunner to the president. He cannot understand how the Supreme Court could have rendered such an opinion. But he u ill be still more bewildered when subsequent decisions of the same court come to be delivered. No question has yet come before the court involving the constitutionality of various other nets of this corrupt Congress, among others the conscription bill and the bill abolishing the habeas corpus. But such questions will soon arise and, when they do, the court will decide them both to be unconstitutional. Indeed, the bill authorizing the President to arrest whom he pleases, and alxrlishiug the habeas corpus. was never rcgularlv passed bv congross at all. It was declared passed by Air. Pomeroy, who temporarily occupied the chair, at five o’clock in the morning, after a session that had continued through the night. But at the time Mr. Pomeroy ma le the declaration, a Senator was speaking against the bill had the floor.— And, although he was deprived of the floor by the abolition majority, and compelled to take his seat, in violation of all parliamentary rules: still, he hml the floor by right, and ho was only deprived of it by wrong. These facts will be proved, and, when tliey are established, the Sn- ' pretne court will decide the act unconstitutional and void. Whenever, therefore the President arrests any man under this act, or refuses to any man the habeas corpus under it, he does so at his peril. i To recur tor a moment to the matter .of the impeachment. It is no secret i among legal circles in New A ork, as is i proved by this statement in the Herald! “If President Lincoln shall faii-toexting-uish the rebellion before next winter, Congress may be compelled to impeach him.” [Correspondence of Chicago Times. An enthusiastic Frenchman to build a railroad f.vm Paris to Pekin. Fifty millions of dollars are to be expended in tunnels alone.