Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-09-09
Expose of the Know Nothiugs.

| The organization Of the Society of Know
| Nothings having by its immense numbers anC
dangerous doctrines attracted the attention G
| the wise and good, is sufficient reason for ths
author of this little work to contribute to society
| in general, and the world in particular, hi:
| large stock of knowledge and facts concerning
| them In doing this, he is well aware Of ths
responsibility he assumes, and the risk of hi;
| life he runs. But neither of these should weigh
a feather where the truth is involved, and the
public liberties endangered. The first thing
then. to make the reader acquainted with is thei1
| DESIGNS.
It is the design Of the Know Nothings to
Americanize foreigners, especially Roman Ca
tholies, to give each farm from the unappro-
priated public land, and vote in the National.
State. Municipal and other local elections. as
soon as he arrives in the country, joins the
society, and signs the Constitution Especial
favors are to be shown Roman Catholics be-
cause they furnish what is to be the prevailing
| religion.
Place Of Aeeting
Their places Of meeting are three-one for
each degree of the order- and all under ground
the third apartment being below all the others
Tine Of Meeting.
The time of meeting in the first degree com
menees at 10 O'Clock at night; in the second at
IL; in the third at IL. Each member puts .
piece Of chalk in his mouth, by which the un-
derground rooms are brilliantly lighted
Passports Of the first Degree Netting.
Some of the Committees. whose duty it is to
stand on the wharf when the emigrant ships
arrive, approach any foreigner, as soon as he
comes on shore, and ask him if he would like to
be one of the rulers of this country. If he says
he would he is then asked what religion he
brings with him, whereupon he unties his bag
and unIocks his iron-hound chest, and shows the
Catholic religion when heis pronounced au right
He is then informed that he must have, as 8
further qualification his great tee-nail scolloped
and his hair cropped which prepares him for
admittance to the first room. He is furnished
with an air-gun- and informed Of the locality Of
the place, to which he at once proceeds. As
he descends the first step, small hole in the
door springs open, through which he puts his
gun, and fires four discharges in quick success
sion, when the gun goes in without his agency,
the door opens and he is admitted.
Taking Of the frst Degree.
The candidates are all drawn up in the form
Of a he1agon. Their great toe-nails are then
ascertained to have been scolloped A curtain
then arises in the midst Of charcoal dust, and
the burning of = bundle of =traw.when the dust
and smoke clear away, reveals the officers, who
=
itatfon ceremony The priest then says:
Children you have arrived IN good time to take part in
the next election but before you do you an take
an OATH which must be kept sacred and nvolase through
al time
All give assent, when each takes the follow
ing oath.
Of Col Patrick o'Rouke leach substituting hi. name
kewse do soemnTy swear in the presence of the Virgin
Mary, and these Witnesses and my scnaped tonas that
will truly and sincerely hate and oppose all native born
honor profit, unless hs Roman Catholic further
soemny promise and that in all pertaining
others know iess-n
The priest then rises. with uplifted hands and
says, OK wiwe," being quotation from Virgil,
which means, may you all be kept steadfast
The attorney general then advances into the
jury box, saying, Il present these chips of the
block for your approval and Instruction.
GRIPS AND PASSWORDS.
The grip is to take member by theleft hand.
turn over the palm. and scratch it with the
middle finger. The pass word for all the orders
Of the first degrees, ssCooly." which is derived
from Malay. and means good society.
- Second Degree.
Any person who wishes to become of the
Second Degree, must consent to be bIindfoIded
which being done. he is told to search for the
to- the room below him. II he is to
succeed he will find himself preeipitated dis
sl-e y So .ses, es, ".sooo1 iiiJ"i he - aaAed
by some one IN whisper what he is doing there.
Wnen ne repHes, m gong 1t blnd- Then
4 renfv is made ss Go ft.' He keeps on going
~ .ha sra.a - ,brao w,ot-. rhor IL. a;xLt ~ I
1e- N ~
comes eItingulshed- and the bandage tails on.
He tn m II tiN he rea ehes the Third
p,~-oo p, -, t:s. Ii. :s...,- :,
s-, on MS Sishs - :, Iss1oieu, $3.50 au0
ne mas himsefl Id the presence OF fifteen tnou-
sand Know Nothinrs 80 feet rrr,der Ground He
then reads and subscribes to the following
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Article In shall be the duty of al Know Nothngs
,lssnsE to attend the minsaons Of the Holy Catholic
Art AMY Know Nothing Who shall use cop.su,psuon.
d-respecal words against the Pope Of Rome Or any
'shsr person Once .ho s Roman sa1hoie shah Be ss
r.x se ax ss.oss. ,a sss 0'ef = 'e ass .
Azr. s.-Any Know Nothing who shan strike Know
or ra or MT up any weapon edsr any violence
s. se.t n- , o,Es- M n N.
ury q eighty shan desermine.
I AEr ANY Know Noshing who s'an eoununicaIe to |
eos - 1,s ~ g I ~ M
A.s.. Ts