Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-05-30
THE "UNIoN" OR THIRD DEGREE.

Iraternal aHection which should ever bind together
the States of the Union-forming a ring in token
of your determination that so far as your efforts
can avail, this Union shall have no end-do solemn
ly and sincerely swear (or affirm that you will not
under any circumstances disclose in any manner,
nor suffer it to be done by Others if in your power
to prevent it, the name signs, pass words other
secrets of this Degree, except to those whom you
may prove on trial to be brothers of the same De.
gree or in open Council for the purpose of instruc.
ton that you do hereby soemnly declare your de-
votion to the Union Of these States that in the dis
charge of your duties as American citizens, you will
uphold, maintain and defend it that you will dis.
courage and discountenance any and every attempt
conf: from any and every quarter, which you be-
iieve to be designed calculated to destroy, SUBJ
vert it, or to weaken its bonds and that you will
use your influence, as far in your power, in en-
deavoring to procure an amicabie and equitable ad
justment of all political discontents and differences
which may threaten its injury or overthrow. You
do further promise and swear for afirm) that you
will not vote for any one to fill any Office of honor
profit or trust of political character, whom you
know believe to be in favor of dissolution of the
Union of these States, who is endeavorng to pro-
duce that result that you will vote for, and support
for, all political Offices Third Union Degree MEM
bers of this Order in preference all others that
if it may be done consistently with the Constitution
and laws of the land you will! when elected ap-
pointed to official station which may confer on you
the power to do so, remove from Office place all
persons whom you know or believe to be in favor
OF a dissolution of the Union, are endeavorng to
produce that result and that you will in no ap-
point any such persons to any political office or
place whatever. All this you promise and swear
(or ahrm) upon your honor as American citizens
and friends of the American Union, to sustain and
abide by without any hesitation mental reserva.
ton whatever. You also promise and swear (or af-
frm) that this, and all other ob.igatons which you
have previously taken in this Order, shall ever be
kept sacred and nviolate. 10 all this you pledge
your lives, your fortunes and your sacred honors.
So help you God and keep you steadfast! Each one
shall answer, II do
This degree, it will be observed, imposes an oath
upon the member to stand by the Union of the States
under any and all circumstances and to oppose every
thing which he "beleres" calculated to subvert it
or weaken its bonds. This is the substance of the
degree. 1t is one which no Southern man ought at
this time to take. The South is the weaker section
and the free States continually encroachng upon
rights. Massachusetts, deliberately nullites the
fugitive-slave law, as Connecticut has done-it is
every where avowed among the Know Nothing ma
jortes in the free States that slavehOlding
States shall be admitted into the Union and if such
a policy is carried out the Southern States will be
compelled to choose between prompt and stern re-
sista nee to aggression and submission and submis
sion Must at early day result in the destruction Of
This oath binds ecery person taking 1T to submit to
schaterer the majority may decide to be desirable and
erpedient and that Southern man who takes it is at
once the manaced slave of the freeso maorities Of
the Northern States! There is not word in this
degree about the reserved rights of the States-no
pledge maintain the fugitive slave law in its letter
and spirit-no declaration that the Missouri restrc.
ton shall not be again imposed on the South-no
assurance that slavery shall not be circumscrbed by
federal legislation and thus ultimately starved out
and the slavehodng interest utterly destroyed. 1t
is the old song of Union by force and without regard
to Southern rights. Seward, Wilson, Hale, Tuck,
and the whole abolition horde were the leading par
ties in pitching the tune. 1t is favorite of theirs.
They declare that they the best friends the Union
has-that their scheme of circumscrbing slavery,
of aboishing it in the District of Columbia, of re-
pealing the ugitiveslave law and the like, is the
cey thing to gice repose to the Union and to make it
perpetual; and that those who may resist this
scheme will be traitors liable to be hunted down and
punished. We assert this upon the authority Of the
speeches Of these men, and we defy contradiction
They are for slavery it exists in the Statesthat
is they do not propose to disturb it. They Union
men, they say, and those who differ with them are
est of Know Nothing humbugs the Union DEGREES" ="
Gov Gardner, of Massachusetts,, whose veto message
| we publish in another column, has taken this third
| degree-so has Minor, the abolition Governor of
Connecticut. Gov. Gardner, it will be seen, declares
that "very many of the provisons" of the act of
Massachusetts nufying the fugitive law, "hace has
hearty approuap-he is hostile to the law, and would
be glad to see it utterly imperative in Massachu-
sets; but then he cannot approve bill so papably
unconstitutional. In this connection ask attention
to the following article from the Boston Post De-
mocratic piper. The Post, printed in the midst Of
these abolition Know Nothings, fully sustains our
views of this Union degree" 1t also gives some
Of the features of the act multiplying the fugtvesave
law, passed by the Know Nothing Legislature OF
Massachusetts; which act as we have stated, was
vetoed by Gov. Gardner but it has been passed orer
his reto By tsoothirds cote Of both Houses and the
Legislature has adjourned!
| --- From the Boston Post.l
| TREASON IN MAssACHUsETTs-THE PERSONAL LIB.
ERrY B1LL-The bill entitled "An act to protect
the rights and liberties of the people of the com.
monwealth" is passing through the various stages
and will soon be before the Governor for his sigma
ture It is the cornpletest code of notification ever
adopted by State legislature. Its inevitable effect
| will be to array the State government against the
general government; to prevent the execution o.
the laws of the United States within the limits o.
this State.
A few years ago, the abolitionists put forth docu
ments in which they boldly proclaimed their deter
mnation to do what they could to produce dis
solution of the Union There was this merit in th
TO ho