The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-06-21
From the New York Tribune.
OUR SECRET POLITICAL SOCIETIES.

l
| According to the opponents of what is term
| ed the Native American party, 1t claims to nave
been originated by the first founders OF our ma
tionality. and to have existed under the name OF
Federalism subsequent to the passage OF the
! Alien and Sedition Laws in l79S. Whether or
| not the Federalists were imbued with the true
principles of Hindooism, it would be unnecessa-
rv for us to inquire; it is sufficient to know
glancing only at the origin and progress of Sc
| cret societies-that the first organization OF
proscrptive character was that termed the
Columbian Order or Sons of st. Tammany.
| At the time of its formation, this was undoubt-
| edlx a Native association of the most sectarian
| kind; but of the changes which have taken
pa,s in its character since then, 1t is scarcely
necessary to speak. Every one who knows
anytling of politics is aware that Saint Tam
| many is now the patron saint OF the Democrat
| ic party. But for long time, the Native asso-
| ciatio1s did not increase very rapidly In num-
| Der. The mysterious Order of Red Men made
| its appearance in 1885, and at one period num-
| bered about two thousand members in this city.
| It had for its device Deaths Head, with
| hand grasping knife. This ridiculous emblem
| was characteristic of the exaggeration and bonn
| bast which predominated in the Order. After
| feeble existence of a few years, this organiza
| ton became extinct.
| The Native American revival, which lasted
| from 1912 to l845, is doubtless well remember
| ed by the mass of our readers. The Order of
| United Americans was born in this city during
| that excitement, and at one period assumed to
| hold balance of power IN the local elections
| The principal originators OF this Society we're
| Jared Bancker, now Grand Secretary OF the
| Order; Thomas K. Whitney, Passed Grand
| Sachem: Robert De Witt, Francis B. Striker, of
Brooklyn; and Simeon Baldwin, of New Haven
| At the present time, the O. U. AS number
about sixty Chapters, and have an existence in
| five States. Jacob Broom, of Pennsylvania, j.
B. Cleveland, and c. w. Dickinson, of Newark,
are among the latest converts to this phase OF
Nativsm. With respect to journals, the Ihaid
delphia Sun was the first to advocate the prin-
ciples of the party. The conduct of that paper
was then intrusted to Lewis c. Levip-or, as he
was known in Natchez, Levy-who took quite
an active part in the Kensington riots, which
resulted in the death of Shifler. In New York,
the party was supported by kindred organs.
Ned Buatliues Opn and The Sacten were,
during their brief existence, regarded as the
shining lights of so-called Amerieanism.
Messrs. Judson, Picton, North, and their asso-
ciates, held fast to the Order while it was prof
liable to do so, and only abandoned it when
convinced that public credulity with reference
to themselves was completely exhausted.
The seal and emblem of the o. U. A. is a
hand grasping snake. The badge worn in
Chapter-rooms and on parade is sash of red,
.white, and blue, ornamented with thirteen sill
yer stars-the original number of States. There
are also distinctive badges of blue and silver
worn by the sachems and officers of Chancery.
Divisions, caused by the intolerance ofleaders,
have been frequent in this body, as indeed they
have been in every other political faction which
has attempted to work in secrecy and darkness.
The society called United American Mechanics
was originated by seceders from the Order; and
subsequently, another branch took root in Penn
sylvana known as the United Sons of America.
In both. however, the character and purposes
of the Society are very yearly similar to the
original. The qualifications necessary to become
a member are, that the candidate shall be native
born, Protestant, and eighteen years of age.
The fact that the Society admit members who
were not voters proves that it was not originally
intended as political organization, and also
accounts for the origin, at later period, of the
more powerful and guarded body, the influence
of which is now SO widely felt in our politics.
In l84S, the "Order of the Sons of the Sires
of '76" first made its appearance. 1t was found
ed by three persons William l.. Bradbury, q
Hunker Democrat; s. s. Austin, Soft and
Charles B. Allen, Silver Gray. Bradbury, the
principal man of the party, has since deceased,
and his remains now occupy lowly grave In
the Potter's Field. The first of the councils, or
lodges as they were then called, was organized
in the Eleventh Ward, and was presided over by
Charles b. Allen, who wrote the ritual and by
laws necessary to work upon. The Order did
not increase very rapidly during the first three
or four years Of its existence and it was not
until the spring of 1853 that it assumed any i'm
portance as political body. At that time it
was in the hands of clique led by Chauncey
Shafer, and was represented by a small daily
paper called The Budget, edited by 81. F. Far
rington, now Grand Secretary. The original
ritual had been revised during this time; and
new form Of initiation was invented by John E.
Elliott then occupying the Office Of Grand Sec
rotary in the Order. A star, with the number
CT in the center, was the acknowledged emblem,
except in the Grand Council, the members Of
which wore regalia consisting of a small ro
settle with ribbons of red, white, and blue, and
small silver star with red centre. The num-
Der on the star was in commemoration of the age
| to which Washington had attained at the time
of his decease-sixty seven years.
About two months previous to the elections
of 1853, Mr.. James w. Barker, who had been
for some time member of the Order, was in
itiated into the third degree. A delegation con-
sisting of DR.. Beecher, of New York, j. i. FL
lott, and Joseph Hiss, of Baltimore, (since,
however, better known in Boston, called upon
Mr.. Barker at his residence, and administered
the obligations. The ceremony, as we have
been informed, was of very affecting cbarac-
ter. We copy portion Of the third degree OBJ
legation
You do further promise and swear Ter af
firm that you will not vote for any one - fill
any Office of honor profit or trust, of 1oliti
cal character, whom you know or betieee 20 be
| in favor of dissolution of the Union of shese
States, or who is endeavoring to produce that
result that you wM cote for and support ! ~ all
| political Offices Third or Union Degree aem-
| bers Of this Order IN preference 10 all Oh :ers ;;
| that, if it may be done consistently with the
Constitution and laws Of the land, you WILL when
| appointed to any official station which may
| confer on you the power to do so, remove from
| office or place all persons whom you KIN or
| believe to be in favor of dissolution { the
| Union, or who are endeavoring to produc that
result; and that you will in no case al point
such person to any political Office or place
whatever All this you promise and swef {, Tor
affirm,) upon your honor as American eli liens
and friends of the American Union, to 81 stain
and abide by, without any hesitation or n entail
reservation whatever. You also promis. and
swear Tor afirm) that this and all other o; lga-
tons which you have previously taken il this
Order, shall ever be kept sacred and invi ilate.
To all this you pledge your lives, your fort anes,
and your sacred honors. So help you Co., and
keep your steadfast"
| The operations of this "wheel wit, in a
Wheel" which still exist in the Know NJ .'hing
party can be readily understood. The -nem-
bers of the Third Degree exert an aut ority
| quite as despotic as that of the Gar. Only