Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-06-02
For the Standard.
SECRET SOCIETIES.


authorities of a country who administer them, only
wheN unavoidable, and punish the violation OF them
as a crime not only, against the laws OF God anu
man. but against society, for the safety ana Protec
ton of which, and for that purpose only, they may
be used.
Oaths are administered to all public officers be-
,ause their trust is public one, and the community
REQUIRES from them the highest pledge that they Will
execute the trust faithfully. Oaths are administered
to witnesses in court of justice because the me-
liberty property, of another is at stake, ana De-
cause in that capacity they guardians pro t""10
of vital social interests
can oatbs must be lawful allowed by the COM
mon law or some statute; if they are administered
by persons in private capacity, or not duly author
lied they are non juice and VOID anu tnose
administering them are guilty OF high contempt,
for doing it without warrant of law and punishable
by fine and imprisonment.'- Lao Dictao7a-
arg ART. Oath
Private persons then, mot duly authorized" who
administer oaths to each other for purpose med
die with a sacred weapon OF the law ana commit an
outrageupon society.
Oaths must be regarded as portion of the bull
warks of society, for society," keenly alike to IN
uries inflicted upon it by breach either OF the dl-
vine or human laws, upon which its very existence
depends cannot without injury to itself, permit
men to bind themselves by oath to the performance
of any thing not in common with its own broad IN
terests. And though society may and does tolerate
such acts they not the less dangerous at bottom
and in essence The law does not punish the breach
of such secret oaths. Why?, Because, in the eye
of the law they regarded as invald-as 'OoaG"-
and therefore, as not binding, not punishable.
It follows that such oaths being unlawful, are
immoral; though if man take such an oath 6etieU-
ing to be binding and break it deliberately, he
commits a crime against God and his conscience.
Nor can man take such an oath, knowing it to be
void, for the purpose of obtaining knowledge of any
secrets, and betraying or divulging them, without
committing the double crime of first, doing an un.
lawful act and second, of practising lying deceit
upon mis- unsuspecting though mistaken neighbor.
Whatever is binding in law is binding in morals,
unless where they may conflict, and in such cases
the human law becomes nullity, for the interests
of our souls are above every other consderatlon(
and though the converse is not strictly true IN ali
cases. yet it is in many, interviewer are the spirit
ual and temporal laws and so essentially dependen
are they upon each other, for we read in st. Pau
that disobedience to the temporal power is disobe
dience to "the ordinance of God" Where law
therefore is just based upon the necessities of So
ciety and instituted for its protection against inter
nal external enemies it becomes morally binding,
and breach of its ordinances, is disobedience to
the ordinances of God. " Such law is law
against secret oaths. And without lengtbening out
these few remarks to prove phosophically that Sc
cret- societies unlawful, nay, dangerous, it may
suffice to say that the existence of law against Sc
cre oaths is prinaG cie evidence of that fact else,
why does it exist? What prompted its formation,
but the secret instincts of society itself?
IF men be permitted to form secret societies, not
only is society broken up into clans but the solem-
nifty of oath is proStituted to any purpose which
men in their weakness wickedness may devise,
and the general laws become insecure. If men have
the right, it becomes question whether there is
such thing as an unlawful oath. Clearly not, for
heright becomes private one which each individ
ual possesses, and who will restrict the number
men who may swear? If ten can, why not two!
And 0iee cersG, why cannot ten thousand? Further
STILL it is perfectly logical deduction to assert that
one enjoys this private right as much as two, who
only exercising this right as distinct Individuals
and that is to set at naught the divine injunction
against swearing.
The laws of God or society permit no such liberty
?f conscience. Each individual thus sets himself
above the laws of society, for individuals depend
upon society in reality than society upon indi
Viduals. If individuals will not be bound by the
avs which framed to hold them together as a
society, society ceases to exist and each man be-
comes so to speak, separate and Independent State,
depending solely upon his right arm for protec-
ton redress.
Causes which could produce such effects are at
variance with Christianity, whose broad bond of
sublime charity and brotherhood is sufficient for all
men.
There are some who pretend to find distinction
between an assembage of men bound by secret
" private oath and secret session of the national
Congress- held for temporary expedency, the
members of which are bound by solemn and pub
ic oath to obey and support the Constitution. But
What ii the Congress were always to meet and leg
slate in Secret-does any suppose it would be
olerated for week? 1t is argued in favor of ,
ecret political society, that party caucus always !
meets in secretl Do those gentlemen really perceive
10 dlnerence try to persuade themselves there is
one in order to soothe their conscience? Is it not
lain that when meets with closed doors it is
one from erpediency, every day motive for many ,
f our private actions? Nay more, those same per-
ons insist that they have much right to be Sc
ret society any two private persons have to hold
secret in common. This is putting secret asso-
iation on the same footing with private family.
he mistake is in supposng that if secrecy be tole
ated in one way it will in ALL But the difference is
cry wide. We must consider the bject purpose, ,
ne manner of observing secrecy, whether by secret
uman respect often obge to keep secrets through
decent respect for others, that scandal may not
rise, to Illustrate the evil-disposed The differ
noes are in a word the secret OATH which is I'M
awful under all circumstances, and the motive for
ecrecy, for intention is everything, though indeed
ne motive, however good cannot excuse an unlaw-
IL oath We measure the corruption of a commu-
itH by the amount of disregard it pays to its
ital interests. When right principles, which are
ernaf and unchanging truth are cast aside for the
1voious tissues of certain modern philosophy which
he Tapid, seEcomplacent world calls progress, and
hile admiFing the unsubstantial bubble as it floats
y, pulls down lighthouse to let it pass; when
rivate bias is substituted for justice; when right
nd wrong are COMPOUNDED because private opinion
lies the conscience we'll as the intellect develop
q or blotting it out, as it may suit; when men
ave driven charity from amongst them to lurk in
1iet places away from the turmoil of the world
I'D substitute nothing in its place when these signs
,pear is time TO be warned, and easy to predict
fects
The time was when Rome was sold by her Proc
ran guards. Human nature, aohen left to itself
the same to-day as in the days of that great citys
lame; and the human mind now, as then, will pot
ar mere hunoaa culture without worshipping itself
very divinity. It will bear no yoke, but such !
sovereign Reason that 20 will |