Golden circle, the.
The scheme for establishing an empire whose corner-stone should be negro slavery contemplated for the area of that empire the domain included within a circle the centre of which was
Havana, Cuba, with a radius of 16 degrees latitude and longitude.
It will be perceived, by drawing that circle upon a map, that it included the thirteen slavelabor States of the
American republic.
It reached northward to the
Pennsylvania line, the old “
Mason and
Dixon's line,” and southward to the Isthmus of
Darien.
It embraced the
West India Islands and those of the
Caribbean Sea, with a greater part of
Mexico and
Central America.
The plan of the plotters seems to have been to first secure
Cuba and then the other islands of that tropical region, with
Mexico and
Central America; and then to sever the slave-labor States from the
Union, making the former a part of the great empire, within what they called “The Golden circle.”
In furtherance of this plan, a secret association known as the “Order of the
Lone Star” was formed.
Another association was subsequently organized as its successor, the members of which were called
Knights of the Golden circle (q. v.). Their chief purpose seems to have been the corrupting of the patriotism of the people to facilitate the iniquitous design.
The latter association played a conspicuous part as abettors of the enemies of the republic during the
Civil War. They were the efficient allies of those who openly made war on the
Union.
