Additional from the North.
From Northern papers of the 30th we get some additional intelligence.
The
Yankees are considerably befogged about the whereabouts of
Early, though they state positively that be has retired beyond
Martinsburg.
General Hunter, who has been relieved at his own request from the command of the army in the
Valley, is carrying on a contemptible and cruel prosecution of the citizens of
Maryland.
He has exiled the secession citizens of
Frederick.--
Messrs Bingham and
Norris, editors of the Frederick
Citizen, have been sent South.
The St. Louis
Democrat publishes a long account of the conspiracy for the erection of a Northwestern confederacy, referred to a few days since.
The organization engaged in this conspiracy is known as the Order of American Knights, and their object is to embarrass the
Government in the conduct of the war, and to overthrow the
Government, if necessary, for the supremacy of the Order.
Its professions and purposes are different in different States.
It proclaims a war policy in New York,
Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and other Eastern States, while in the
West it is for peace.
The
Democrat's account says:
‘
The Order is of Southern origin, being erected on the ruins of the Knights of the
Golden Circle.
Of the
Southern organization
General Sterling Price is Supreme
Commander.
C C
Vallandigham, while in
Richmond, was made the
Supreme Commander of the
Northern section or Order.
A conspiracy, it is said, was entered into between him and the rebel authorities to divide the
East from the
West, and to thus aid the
Southern rebellion.
’
Vallandigham's time in
Canada, it is said, was principally spent in furthering this scheme.
He had a conference with some of the leading spirits in the
North, and soon after his arrival in
Canada arranged for the establishment of an Order throughout the loyal States.
The names of all who visited him at the
Clifton House are known to the
Government.
Among them the names of several prominent politicians are published.
The results of the conference are also known to the
Government.
About the 1st of January
Vallandigham issued an address to the members of the
Golden Circle in the loyal States, in which he called upon them to renew their vows, and said the time was fast approaching which will test their sincerity; that the prosecution of the war is in violation of the rights of the States, and
President Lincoln is a usurper.
A meeting of the grand commanders of the different States was held in New York on the 22d of February for the purpose of organizing an outbreak on the 10th of March, the day fixed for the draft, but no definite plan was resolved upon.
The names of these conspirators are also known.
The same commanders had a general consultation with the supreme commanders at
Windsor, Canada, early in April.
Amongst those in attendance were
McMasters, of New York,
Charles L. Hunt,
St. Louis, and
Lafayette Devlin, of
Indiana.
The programme adopted at those meetings was, that
Vallandigham should represent his District of Ohio in the Democratic National Convention, and there proclaim the doctrine of the Order, viz: Pronounce the existing Administration of the
Government a power usurped, which the people had a right to expel by force, if necessary.
In fact, to inaugurate a rebellion in the
North, in which he was to be supported by the Order.
Each Grand
Commander was to have an armed bodyguard at the
Convention for the defence of
Vallandigham.
This, it was thought, would precipitate the people of the
Free States into armed conflicts and would be the signal for the members of the Order to unite against the lawful authorities, kill or capture the civil and military authorities, seize the arsenals, arms public property of all kinds, and proclaim the
Government overthrown.
The numerical strength of this Order is said to be considerably over half a million. One hundred and fifty thousand of the whole are organized in New York, and are called McClellan Minute Men.
There is the most convincing evidence of the truthfulness of this statement.
The reason of the sudden return of
Vallandigham to
Ohio was the fear of being defeated as a delegate to
Chicago, and it was only by his presence that his election was secured.
The Grand
Commander of
Missouri is Charles L. , a nephew of
James H. Lucas, and many years the
Belgian Consul, and the
Deputy Grand Commander,
Charles E. Dunn, a city officer of
St. Louis.
A long list of the names of the members of the Order of the different states, together with full information concerning the whole scheme, is in the hands of the authorities at
Washington, and will probably be given to the public in a short time.
The statements are based upon very voluminous testimony, taken during several months past by the
Provost Marshal General of the Department of Missouri.
Mrs. Mary E. Sawyer, of
Baltimore, for corresponding with the
Confederates, has been sentenced to be confined in the female prison at Fritchburg, Massachusetts, during the war, and "to be employed in labor for the benefit of the
Union soldiers"
Johnson S. Palmer, a blockade runner, of
Loudon county, Va., has been sentenced to the
Albany (N. Y.) penitentiary for the war for trading with the
Confederates.
Charles L. Weller.
Ex-Postmaster of
San Francisco, has been arrested and imprisoned at Fort Alcatraz, on the charge of using treasonable language at a meeting of a Copperhead Club. --
Weller is chairman of the
Democratic State Central Committee.
