Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-17
A DEMOCRATIC DARK LANTERN
SECRET SOCIETY.

ton in New York, under the name of the
| Foresters," who meet in masks, and who take
an oath of secrecy and obedience to the will 81
majorities. None but members ofthe Tamlnany
Society are eligible to become members, so that
there is IA wheel within wheel" in this po-
litical machine.
| The candidate for admission isireoeiyed at
the outer door by one of the rosters, (Wit-
ters) and is then informed that he has been
brought there to join society of Democrats,
which has for its object the regeneration Of the
Democratic party. "Are you wiling to join,
and to unite in an obligation which we have all
taken2" If he answers yes" the reply is
"pass him" He is then taken to an inner door,
where the same form is gone through, only a
little stronger. After walking round the room,
he is conducted to the chair Of the Visible
Vice, who addresses him as follows:
"Son of Tammany You are presented
here for obligation as q Democrat and as a
member of the Tammany society. The secrets
and workings about to be made known to you
are not to be revealed under the penalty Of
everlasting disgrace and eternal damnation |
Are you willing to take the obligation on the
Holy Evangelists ?
90 If it be answered in the affirmative, the
scales fall from his eyes, and he finds himself
surrounded by masks. The Visi6le grand Ger
nando Wood) then proceeds to administer the
following obligation:
81 do hereby solemnly promise to keep
secret the workings of this association in rela-
ton to all matters appertaining to the Tamma-
ny Society, and to support the ticket nominal
ted by majority of this association at the en-
suing election Of Sachems and officers. So help
me God jia I
n" He then signs the pledge, and is informed
that Mr. Wood is the Visible Grand, but that
Augustus Schell is the Invisible Grand"
The existence of this Dark Lantern" So
ciety was announced by the New York San
somsDweeks ago, and no one questions the
fact the correspondent of the National Intelli-
gencer speaks thus 60 N,
(" The new organization of the Democracy,
called "The Foresters" are quite active. They
met last night to appoint their Regular Gen
eral Committee, consisting of five members
from each ward association"
But though the fact Of its existence is noto-
rious and undenied, we have seen no anathemas
poured out upon it by those papers which were
so Mortified at the existence of Know-N Nothing
Councils. What is the reason? Have they ex-
hausted all their indignation and expended all
their ammunition of curses upon the latter, or
do they look upon Democratic secret societies
and " horrid oaths" as quite blamessa
Well, circumstances alter cases very much,
Nth some people.
The Louisville journal says at is stated
that there are two of these Democratic asso-
Citations, one of which, composed principally Of
foreigners, is secretly waging war against the
public schools with view to break them down.
This one is probably under the control of
Archbishop Hughes, of the Roman Catholic
Church-whose deadly hatred against Protes.
tant free schools will be appeased only by the
demolition Of the system. The other is said
to be under the control of Elk. Mayor Wood
The difference between the Know Nothing Sc
cret societies and these Democratic secret So
cieties is simply this The Know N othing or
ganization was instituted for purely patriotic
purposes, prominent among which were the
maintenance of the Union, the establishment
of purely American nationality, and the pro-
lection of.our Republican institutions from the
blightiug influence of fcreignism These Dem
ocratic dark lantern associations are or
ganized only for the purpose Of destroying our
free school systems, and to give to the Church
of Rome political supremacy in this country,
and to control the party nominations for office.
Therseerecy. Of the Know Notbings has long
since been abandoned, that Of the Democratic
is but just begun to be assumed. Let the hon
est and fair minded men Of our country Judge
between them. -.
IGNORANCE, EGOTIsM, ULTRAIsM.