Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-07-07
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The inluisition.-YeS terday. we took &C.
casion to lift the veil of secrecy partially, with
which the Know Nothing members Of the elec-
ton cOinmittec q. the Board Of Aldermen aim
10 conceal from the knowledge of the citizens
Of Washington the character of the acts by
which large number Of citizens adjudged by
;he United States Circuit Court for the District
IF Columbia T. be legal voters here were de-
frauded Of their right to vote at the recent
Washington city Municipal election.
We styled the manner in which they have de-
termined to conduct the fnYesti cation an in
QUESTION Can sensible and fair men doubt
that it Is being conducted in fair keeping with
the frauds eoncocted originally IN the Lodge
wneTe II was determined that none bot sworr
members of the secret oath-b0und-political-So
ciety should be permitted to act as commission
er- of the election in the wards wherein the
work was 10 be carried Out-spme of whom re-
ceived the votes Of Know Nothing whom thew
knew not to be Of the legal age, and all o:
whom, az least IN five If the seven wards of the
city, rcfused even TO keep a record Of the
names of those voters whom they defrauled of
their rights, as they were declared 10 be by
the Circuit Court for the District of Columbia :,
The acts Of this committee In refusing to adj
init reporter for the press In the room during
the progress II their mock investigation. and in
votin: TO disregard the well-knorn view, of
our highest court Of law as ~ the rights Of
those delrauded under the charter, i. indeed
in fair keeping with the previous action in tie
matter referred t. above
That the uninitiated may comprehend how
IT Is that men who hold Positions on this COM
nittec. only through the frauds by which
hrow Nothinsism was enabled to place q ma.
jority in the Board Of Aldermen Illegally, are
acting In this way under pcetenoe of dis
charging public trust. We subjon a portion
OF the Know Nothing ritual:
Il - voluntarily AMI freely d.
s'lemniy promise and swear before Almighty
G"d and these witnesses around me assembled
that l VIII not under any circumstances whit
ever, dIvUlgc or make known 10 any nersnu or
persons. either directly or Indirectly. OF f.
any Eum9l being other than those. | shall
know L. be good and true members of thi.
Order. the name. secrets. mysteries, or objects
81 the same, or caUze OF allow the same To- h,.
u"ne by Others. If within MY power L. prevent
the SAINT. Binding myself under no Ie,s rcn-
atty than that Of being excormu!icatcI from,
the Order, and having my name rostsd and
circulated throughout the different Councils
oi lhe Or"ef Is a traitor and peDurer to both
my tod and country, and being unworthy IN
be employed, entrusted. couUteHarc,.I. err -un.
ported II any business transaction yrhatcv,r
ana . person totally unworthy of the conf
dencc Of ali good men. and one M whom tE .
finger OF Sc'rn shall ever be pointed frc-
theEInore promise that il should hereafter
De expeiie9 from or leave this Order will
cOnslder thls obligation binding out Of il ~
IN il. All Of which forcgoin. | fr@olv and IL
unfairly subscribe - - help NE G,ui >"
lhc brother + then lei T. an officer called
Inc Judge Adv"r&tC, az TIE other side of III.
room. who haTan-u"S Linn after this n,anrrr-
Ny brother, the Order which has 7, " re-
1eiNed You u a member, may with all ma
ITiejy l." considered u secret organization !,
J. - -ecTe' IN feet THAI II co.. u',5e pL5rcd
bgO'' ~ t.--I' f-,iu7..L 1aLt5c.-, ,,..y,I, >. ~
ne 'f"tH ne "'tOie tS"th OUd ll0fEJ,l,- E1, ;bl
num- You could not FIR y1Vy Iitf yrye,l IL
name, the objects, or the secrets ct that b,rd
81 br'ther> aInDn; v h"n you~ na,nc,po,y ..an.i.
enrolled, am further than tbi. VII, y,,,
IeuIe lf"h! meeting. YOU must return to v,ur
families @nd friends u i,il,rip, .s IL 80,
came. 50 far "a the name If the nr,Icr - -
ccrncd In common with ourselves ,,,
know nothing; and let il hc vuU- .ter, -
lurlpn through life o. Know Npthin,
Tne high and exalted dates wbi..b w.,
owe 70 your God. 10 your country and t.
yourselves. To- the purpose OF the prcscrya,inn
I'll American liberty. requires that you Should
observe the oath which you have this nirht
taken above all other obligations. For fhc
law "i II" land are OF higher importance 10
Noufst'VeS and Your children. than Is that oh
ngatI. n which you have Just taken, t. preserve
american institutions by the entire and abso-
lutte exclusion OF all foreigners from control or
~ ~ l'ion :, .i' ahairs Of your country
sent '- a.
The reader, If r. !, a man Of jnt..,ri,v n
purpose in bis ordinary transactions, will NJ g.,
glance comprehend the condition OF tb,,s,. NH.
having tahen this osfb nd pledged thems,lv.s
/" 0'ey TINS injunction of the judge sdvocats
may 'e''i'e' on todecide on the legal right, #
Si'Ssn; opposed 70 know N0thingisx. There