The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-10-14
THE PERRYSBURG JOURNAL.

order, and if the candidate refuses to go,
that ends the matter. A man once rejected,
can never enter The order. The recommen-
ding of an application is cause for expulsion,
and should an ofhce-seeker happen to get in
and the fact be sustained, he is not allowed
to hold Office, or take any part in the bust
ness of his regiment.
INITIATIoN-BEAUTIFUL CEREMONIES.
When successful candidate signifies his
willingness to enter the order, he is ccnduc-
ted to a convenient position near the place
of meeting, by the member who proposed
him. There he is kept until signal known
only to the members, is given from win
dow of the regiment headquarters. Both
member and candidate then disguise them
selves with false whiskers and spectacles,
and proceed to headquarters. From this
we infer, that all enter the lodge-room dis
guised. The candidate is conducted TO an
ante-room, where he finds himself alone
with priest, bearing aloft richly mounted
cross. "Son of the Holy Church, why
darest thou enter here? Heresy turks in
every corner of this house, and the curses Of
the damned are upon it. Avaunt! or the
fires of hell shall punish thee, and through
all eternity thy soul shall be with the ac-
cursed. The church speaks, wilt thou
obey"
The candidate may obey, but if he does
not, the officer throws off his priestly gown,
and appears in the uniform of an orderly
sergeant. An inner door opens and the
guard Composed Of four men in uniform
and armed with muskets) enters, and front
ing the candidate or candidates. (for it ap-
p-ars that more than one are initiated at
the same time,) present their bayonets to
the breast of the candidate. The following,
Eve copy from the ritual, then occurs:
The orderly sergeant swears the candidate
to we'll and truly, and without any mental
reservation whatsoever, answer such ques-
tions as will be put TO him.
Orderly Sergeant.-Sir: (or plural If more
than one)-Before you advance farther it
becomes my duty tc inform you as TO the
objects of the association to which you have
been elected, and now evince a desire TO
become member. 1t is thoroughly nation
al, and purely American in its character.
None but those born on The soil, and those
too, who have pride in their country's wei
fare, can enter here. You, sir, are well
aware that the formation and growth of our
country is without parallel in the history Of
the world. In the beginning, she presented
the picture OF an infant conquering giant.
and our forefathers, astounded the old world
with their firm devotion to the cause of
right, and their apparent intention of 5acri-
ficing their all, even life, rather than be the
slaves of a tyrant, or to submit to the yoke
of foreign oppressor. God crowned them
victors, and made them free men. Repub-
licanism was yet an experiment in the
world, when these United States were reluc-
family recognized as an Independent Govern
ment by the crowned heads Of the Eastern
Hemisphere.
Glittering monarchs and tinseled mobiles
looked upon the young nation with no alarm.
for they were confident that few brief years
would find these States a monarchy-itS
people slaves. But our wise forefathers sue
ceeded In framing government unequaled
for its simplicity and grandeur. Under it
we now stand among the greatest Of the ma
tions of the earth--and Americans are yet
free! But sad gloom has of late o'erspread
our fair land. A foreign priesthood with
foreign prejudices, and which has for cautu-
ries been the main reliance of daspotism
has sought to intrude itself in our midst
disturb the tranquility of our people, and
impair. if not destroy the beautiful fabric
erected by our fathers. Alas they have
been, so far, too successful. They have been
supported by hordes of slaves, liberated from
European bondage only to become the tool
of crafty priesthood in free land, and by
o<~GI l..