Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-08-21
Far tie Ea3uir:r.
THE AMERICAN pLhTtORM.-SO. Is.

our ;i:;;i, hostile 10 Huf .Hi.Inrs: tha The nttsiut
I" c!." pis 10 io.gu Immigration. by tho iri.-
position "i hhrJ AMI u.II:G es>hry conditions wuui
oe rrIrt AMI nnm-p'ao.u, Md .r win tho ~
MUS oi free in-firu:nns; tlirt OF il ar.:cf
Wrch .u5'nI;@ ri. viola. i.i~ ui !br Constitution tu tic
iinsl adjudication u, tlG f..".:l Juc:I"v, is &c.
sf'icro II tie Eua".n"ai principles a. State sovo.
:cISI!y m! INC rricca. r.ral; n; he complaints
h;iuGi Executive patronage ar In;"lnG"' thHt the
prcpetui'y "i un Union is iiv H." ra."hnllt good,
an hat Tie l2!h article >: dis iG;io.! st.ikcs from
nnI.r the savc!niliG" StaIrs u: any grIlni Erur,
which :acy cnu Gclr:id their installations. rl their
right 10 occupy wi!h their proper. any iortioa o!
the Territories, b. srI7r,ulef., :lr constitutional
ground, coaI. rxn.ni.ic tie Ritual and Cor
siitn;i"n "i this Or'er, t"r ;nc pnrp0se o showing
hoT si!liallv Gonsiracc! il t!r,:l organization 10
override th'. C"i.,i;'t" Er,. d. al t:is nl'scLici
Ii'c Ritual "ubSc"r:aliy pr0'i'i"s a. follows:
RITUAL OF THE FIRST DEGlEE.
! FIRST pEGELE C5vSc:I.-Io bc n,llncG - member.
sE.pi his Order, lac rTnd:dufc s!,i. be
j. Proposed ari tou'.i Sccrptrbl".
!. in:f"iIrrd ana examined :s sunrGn..e Of
Placed under rae lsa;on which III" Or,.cr .npost-;
Required "a enrol n. ana place q! rcsLrucr;
| Or!c!
d slHnny charged TO tue obi"c,s to be n,tnned snl
! his duirs.
The preliminary OUTSIDE proceedings having been
! s"'IG through, then comes the
OBLIGATION
inr DO roirnuly or a:rn) TINT you will never
reveal my rhiG! sal done ras room the name. U
PERSON present. the existence Of this Society.
whether .OrhJ worthy proceed not and iur all your
d'I!"r':'i1n' >haii /" trs"' :" help y"4 Cod
Tin" following Questions rroonndci l.? hn M"r.hni arr
! to he satisfactorily answered.
"iI,rr vJu tUIEi
Where you- porhan,n; residence
are yDT twenty ono years Ot @2"!
| In religion belief are you Roman Catholic?
Were you born oI P:ors;st pErr!s Or Wei" you rehr
| cd under r.o:rsrii; influenced
| II married, i Your wife Romnn CarhoicI
f'NU,' or "lrs'Ic answer 10 hr valued the Con.
! s,u'ion oi the State Council shni! pravii".l
Ain you willing 20 your influence and vote only for
native born n'!cmn c!zcnS Tor al! "H,"' o no"r ir"t,
profit IN the ;!it %: ir people 10 tile exclusion o All
foreigner, and ALIENS itonn Catholics IL particular, and
without regard tophry predictions:
! (An.wcr: IL avn y
The curdh!a"s having answered all the questions are
next brought in by the Msuo the President, who, alter
preliminary remarks addG"ss"d them with til" fol-
! lowing:
obLIGAri0x.
In the prcsrucc of Anii.nty God and thr-r Witnesses.
you DO soeInuly promise hnd swear thst you will mover
b-ray my o tr secrets VI ln!. -pcety, cOIuni'
cate tc even 10 proper candidates. except within law.
l Coun:u! the Order that you will never permit any
OF the secrets is Society he written ANY other
manner IL be made eghlc except ur the purpose oil.
ci. i:.ruc0n tGi You will no: "Otc give Jour niG
.or nny tor any Office in ihr GIT OF the psGp'
u!n-s hc ne American born ciizcI III favor OF An.r
. railing America nor II he be Roman Catholic; tho,
will IN all political matters, tar this U.icr IL con
crred comply with The will OF the majority though :t"y
rcnIci with yoar personal preference 81 Ion. IL II does
10; conflict with III" Constitution u! tr United Sn:e. OF
h:ricn that oi the State in which y0u reside thar
will hu under any uls.alccs whatever Sii w:a.ly
commend unworthy person for initiation, bUii"r il
h iIn; in yO"r power IL prevent thnf You will not
un-r my circumstances expose the name %! any member
ili- Order. reveal the existence al ur IN !;-o,a.
tiJ thai y,u viii an Imperative notice is.ae by
,I proper authority obey thr command al the Sta'r
Council prcSdrEi or his Deputy lille rs-"nttd 5y such
occ u.l respond the claim Oi sign cry Of :ic
Order uIc,5 b. physically inpO-sluc h that yuuwili
acknowledge tho ~t... Cpu;cl OF -, as the c.saii",.
H. ad the rIn authority and the 4"pIcmi" tribunal ot the
| III fi4,S r,I lp 40
til. National COuAc;! u lie United states ol North AMri'
Ealim. yourecli ~ Ir penalty OF 'Sonm"nlo "iinn
from tr Orcrr the forfeiture q! al in ercOur" with ite
Lr.'"r. and bcr. denounced III all ir Societies o The
sU!nu w.ul traitor 20 your God aud yorr Country
The President sisl cal w every person rrr.sn; by
hIcc hicus Of the suvcl wien the candidates shall all
! pen, after the Vice PRECEDENT in concert:
AL t:ls yoiutnrily anu sincerely promise, with toll
Understanding OF The solemn SANCTIONS and re:alC5.
| These Gr. the outer iurmutes, which Pfecedc the
oraIiiieS OF iuitintiu and only to be di.
| rec;ed against Catholics and adopted citizens, which
viii deprive not only native bur adopted citzeus of
! ticlr clear constitutional rights.
la the thir, article of their constitution the Iect
! of lhis association Is thus avowed:
"ARr. iIl.-rhe object of thisnrganzation shall bO
% resist the usitous policy Gi the Church of Rome
aud other foreign influences against tho institutions Of
! the coantry, By p"c"S az all Gytc"s ~ ne SE q tie
rcpir. by 0;pO.mt,neN.. Lu not:re JorA Pso-
TEsraNr ch'ScnE."
Ard in the Ceremony Of initiation, among many
other things, tlry swear thus
KNOW SurH,sG OATH.
! "fou furthermore promise and declare that you
will nnt vote Lnr give your influence for ANY man ior
any Office III the gift o the people, unless he Us ail
American bo.n citizen. in favor of Americans ruling
America, "oR II nE nE !. ROMAN CACGo,lc."
AgGin: ''i"a s0!cna!y and sincerely swear thGt If
il may be done legally. you wilt hen elected any
office, rem1vc ell t"rc!gl.G.s aEl RoH,< CATHOLICS
FROM OFFICE and tlIsl yoE WILL lN 40 CASE Arrot*r
srCH 10 OFFICE.
Contrast thi ,,lh with the 9th article Of the enu.
stuc!, n! the tn,ir.l States whc.l reads thar
"AKt. -. NJ raielo"s tGSt Gha rc.r lie required
qualification 70 any O:hcc OF Tat;Io trust under
this government.
And tho ljt!: SCr;;::: >f the Consultation OF Nr'
giuia, wi::ch lcasl: !h.s:
cnySfITUTrcv OF VIRGINIA.
ST. -. M r,;sr Ehnli 90 compelled ~ frequent or
=GLpor: an rr.!g:U.S wu;-r, 2aGC nr ministry what
ever sLaii any h@ vorcci or re: trained,
,nn..slGi hur!!irI..i - !s body goods. Nttr
ri' Sn;r acc,:...t g: nis religious upn:ua or be-
Isl. bUl i.. si!! y" Ii.: Ia iror;&, and by ar
,re': 10 l.,4:hu. ,teir pr'i1Hs matters y: rcii'
,iyI, A%c riI siHL sIh,i - so wIsH AFFECT. Il
,;iyisii or rSLAEGr fI.2;2 "I"l'. CAPACITIES"
ani Isl: Il! lr"p.o ui lbs ccw:tr: :.hrth'r these are
not oarlls s)!.uu!,, hG ~ j:ae!y ;'.,a L. vin.Gc
t." Gonat;utun ii ;he United STAGES. tnl. 30 tnr +!
rc:aes to The pLrty in Ni..,il. The Constitution -!
Tie State. The n"n who take ,aGl rstE. canEo: DC
regarded in any "lier l.: man ns cu'ispra'or'
against iho Cnastrit, ,;ii. Ihay =" no. pi"p"s" 70
reach their nhec, ~ aG..imrnt 10 the r"asti!n-
tion in H., ,.Tie which ti Constitution. ii,clf pre-
scr:t y. bubY nSccr,, ,a;ihailoD whicl
i, nothing more ur irss ;i!Gn u ...aSp,racy.
Wc sla!I nuw see that ~ legislative rnnctnont
procured By rucre' tA,h-taking, il a intended To
! override the rvsirti:utinn and i!fmp!e 1t undei
iuut.
L. the first place ;rv Claim. in hc frs; rrtica OF
thnr constitutions, jurisdiction "rd power over ali
The States, Dstric,s ahd Ierritorlc2 CT tho United
S:.rs o! Nnr!!i li,ner.ca
III. 81 s:.;,iul cl tie J,i article p,uV.das thus
80, fIoS :j--rIe Grand tuuu: u: shall be composed
l.: i,":l ,lr~at.- ir,..l. each STATE, 20 !'c chosen
Ly the State C"unc-i a1 .nch District Territory.
where di.tr.T o. Territorial Council sEa!i cx!st,
shall hc cattle: /" sshd FIVE delegates. 10 be chosen
trG,u s=i Council; end WHERE District or Terrific
rial Cruac:l shall exist. such District or Territory
shall w. entitled 10 real live delegates, t.T6 more
Subordinate Cparr:ls snll exist in s:.cl Ds;rct or
Territory pr0"itcd thar in ;lcH. 80
- o ,i27i1,.,, !9l2 for >>Ij,a,l:,E 92 ll.2
lSI,j9.G, iG9,l:,E 1873, ,l,97,
l2lilI4?l2 u caoA Sale shall DC entitled t" cast ihe
Same nilihc; ni votes the" shu have incinorrs Ill
both hxses OF Congress- In nil sessions u the tirnnG
C.ancil, :hirty-,wO delegates, repreSonm; thirteen
States Territories, Distrc'- snail constitute quo
rum for the transaction IL ba'Iness.
And the l,h section provides thus:
"Ssc RIOS !.--Yhc Grand Council shall te -ested
with Tie i.towns powers and privileges:
"N shall be the head OF tho Organization for Tie
Upit.,, States Of North Auarita, and shcl fix aud
secret mork, may seem 10 it necessary.
81. shnl have power ~ decide upon all matters ar
per,pining Ia NArIoSAL PVLIricS.
-; shn have the power 10 eiaci from the State
Councils quarterly or annual statements rs to the
number OF members ,,ndcr their Jurisdictions, and IL
relation to all 0teS svra necessary for rs isoT'ne
ton.
.>!t shah have ihe power to form state lerri'"-
rial ~ District Coanc- and u grant dIspcnsnii"'
for the formation ni such bodies wh"n tive Saoo:dl'
n6;c Councils siGl have been put in operation in
"my Snir Territory or Distrc, aud application made.
at shall have the power 10 d":ts,,Ii.a Ipon
mode of punishment in case ef n nerelction OF duty
OH the Part oft, members or "ttcers.
Can any man ia to that this secret organization,
binLu, il ,,.mbcrs to eowpllance ~ horrid os,hs
m infamous sanctions, his assumed 10 dictate ani
control all the political interests of.lhis country, and
all tho operations OF the government Can he fal to
sec that in the Grand Council, which all State Coun-
rils md nelnbe.s ere swasa 10 obeY UPON eYsrY