The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-08-24
who are the Assassins.

course, the palpable motive of which utterly
destroyed it's effects upon native opponents
of the order, produced it's legitimate fruits
among extitable and uniformed foreigners.
Murder has stained our cities, and national
antipathy has grown up, pregnant with evil.
And yet these men, while donouncing Sc
cret societies, branding their members as
assassns and traitors, and tanning into a
fierce confagration the hostility of foreign
ers to them, have cherished secret society
more 'oGious in every feature, and more sure
ly directed to evil, by its very constitution
than any association, secret or open, since
the destruction OF the Thugs.
The "Sag Nichts,"a society with all the
Objectionable features of the K. N. and pone
of its exceIlencies, instituted by native dem
agogues amongst foreigners, to counteract
the influence of the Americans, has been in
existence for some time, as is we'll known.
1t was started in Ohio, we believe, and was
early transplanted to this place, and other
Western cities. 1t exists in Louisville, and
the obligation ofthe third degree of the order,
copied below, will show how the foreign ers
came to be so well provided with arms on
the election day, as the testimony of some of
the women. whose afddavits we copied from
the Louisville Journal recently, shows they
were. This obligation tallies exactly with
the state in whichit was proved the houses
of the foreigners were found. and in it, and
the nsligators of riot and murder who pro-
mulgated it, aad deluded poor ignorant for
eigners to take il, will be found ell the evils
which the old line press have 80 hypocrit-
caIly, but enthusiastically denounced in
the Know Nothings. To them belongs justly
the many bitter epthets they have applied
f to their opponents Let them wear the
brand of "midni ght assassins,' and "oath
bound traitors
This obligation is copied from deg-ee
, book of the "Sag NIGHTS" lodge of Knoxville,
= Tenn, and can be found on page eight Of
y all their degree 5ooks:
:, OBLIGATION OF THE THIRD DECREE.
!"You and each Of you, Of your own free a c.
cord. in the presence of Almighty God, anC
i gether, forming circle, in token of the af
o lection and oneness of purpose which binds
Ia you together-do solemnly swear. (or affirm
:, if you prefer IT'D that you will never deser
his Order, or betray any of its secrets, ex
o cept to those whom you know to be member
t. after trial of them; that as third degree
v men are to be appointed to guard the poll
at elections, To see that our Roman Catholic
brethren aud Foreigners are allowed to vote
at all hazards, you will, when appointed oil
III that duty, take your stand there, with you
/. brethren associated with you, ARME
- WELL, and prepared for the worst, keepin!
it strictly secret that you are anything NOR
l. than an idle spectator. The sign is be givei
IL to members of the first and second degrees
g. when cur friends are denied justice by tn
J. Judges, in which they are well instructed
:. is the rubbing of the right eye slightly witt
CT the right hand The indication foe com
We menciDg hostilities is the clearing the throa
- audibly, and wiping the mouth with tn
I'd right hand. You also promise and swear 60
=, afirm) that you will not give these sligo
y without you see enough of your friends a
10 hand, to render an attack upon the enem
he successful.
" "To all this you pledge your lives, you
-, property and your sacred honrrs. So bel
: you God, and keep you steadfast."
This is the society which was actively en-
gagged in initiating members in the Capita
last winter, while G.. N. Fitch and A. P
Willard were cursing secret societies to tn
sod Line'' Conven ton assembled in tn
-" Capitol Some honest sod Liners" VIII
were really opposed to all secret societies
- were solicited to join, but refused, and tol
on Them. This is exactly what might b
~ expected from sold Liners" Their antece
dents have loaded political history with de
), ceits, andtheir last great achievement was
:; "fraud. ''-Stdte Journal.
Vi ntyThe letter published in the State Ser