" But unlike the Freemasons or other secret societies, who were focused on longtime traditions, the KGC wanted something far more hateful: for the Union to end so they could run their own slave-based society. Their goal was to create a true, physical “golden circle”—with Mexico and the Caribbean—to build a private part of the country where slavery would continue. If that led to breaking up the Union, the KGC was all for it. "

― Brad Meltzer , History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time