, 1864-03-28

NEW RITUAL OF THE KNIGHTS
Of THE GOLDEN CIRCLE.
I TIE FIRST OR LOWEST DEGREE
PREPARED nv CHICAGO
COPPERHEAD6.
| LODGES ARE BEING INSTITUTED ALI
OYER TIE STATE.
DECLARATION OF rRNC1P1Es.''
Our country belongs to the uhite people
who inhablt it, and al political power resides
primarily In them. BY the Constitution Of
the United States, they have by express Grant
delegntcd portion Of that power TO the Fed
eral Government, the balance they. have re-.
t served to themEelvrs, md the States respect
lively. In this Constitution and, the ConstI-
tutions Of the several statea, the people con-
secrated and declared certain great rights az
fundamental, inalienable and imperishable;
among these, and chiefest among them are
freedom Of speech, freedom Of the press; free
dom Of elections, the right Of speedy public
trial BY jury, to be secure in their persons,
Aouhehs papers Aao POSSESSIONS lrom -Qn-
reasonable Searches and seizures, the right to
keep and bear arms. and to Worshlp Almighty,
God according to the dictates Of their own
+ copscicuces. :
These are absolute and vital rights accord
Ing to our system Of Government which are
nevor to bo intringed- This wise arrange
mcut forms the palladium OF American liberty,
and is mutual bond, a common blessing, 80
long rs its principles are faithfully adminis-
tered; md SO long rs the officers Of Govern
ment acknowledge and deport themselves as
the servants Of the people. The Federal Gov,
e1nment is not :oio faithfully administered.
The plain provisions ofthe Constitution hare
been disregnrded, the great landmarks Of lib
crty have been broken down, and the guarau-
teed rights of the citizen have becn trampled
under foot A wholesale usurpatfon Of power
and M uttercontempt Of private rights have
marked the history Of the present AdminIs-
tration It's only e1snse is the tyrants Piles
ment is still onward until every principle, :.
every interest, every institution, every hope,
cherished and revered BY fraemen, is iu-
per1lled. The remedy is ,aloAe with
the people. They IRE the sovcre1gns, md
can; rcbnke their unfaithfo1 and guilty SER
wants.
=. Their supreme will only can save the con
: stitutlon and the country. Tint constitution
must be restored; and the salvation Of the
Country accomplished: We hereby devote
ourselves to, these high duties, We are for
the constitution our fathers gavh us, the
ore for the supremacy Of the white race, the
integrity and Sovereignty Of the States, the
sacred right Of the citizen. We denounce the
doctrine Of military necessity; are against
the nsurpation, Suppression, aqd fanaticfsm In
a1l their forms We are agaihst the e1termi-
nation OF the white. race Of the South, and
against The universal enancipation Of the
black r1ce by Federal authority. We are
agatus the effort now making to bring black
labor In competition. with the 1abor Of the
frccmen Of Illinois. We arc against every in
fringcment ofthe rules ofciyi1fzcd war. We
are against the administration of Abrahan
Lincoln; aud We believe that policy look
ing to peace, founded On good faith, an hon.
cft Interpretation Of the constitution, and
real desire to restore the former brotherhood
of StAtes and sections, are the only means to
reconstruct the Union and save the Re-
public.
"MEMBEn's 'rLEDGE."
1solemnly pledge my word OF honor to the
members Of this organization, that / will not
rcycel its existence to any one whose politi-
cal principles I do not know to- be unnIs-
takably the same as our own, and whom
desire to initiate. That will not reveal its
pass words or signs. Or any Of It's secrets to
That Will stand shoulder to shoulder with
this brotherhood in faithful and manly sup
port Of Its purposes and principles, and that
will at al times promptly obey every order
TINT ehall be given me under Its regulations
fin my power SO to do. Ipledge the honor
IS fei,3: that will keep these promises faith
"onARGE.n -.
Ny friends, the declaration of principles
have just read to you explains briefly, yet
truly, the spirit and purposes Of this ory;anl-
zatIon- They are the tine honored principles
Of ffreemcn, bcqueathed to us BY our fathers,
the true men Of better age. These priucI-
pies arc our birthright, the sinews Of our
manhood, giving dignity and equality to all,
and peace and projection to every hearth
stone. They arc written in the constitution
OF our country, In the constitutions Of tho
several States, md cherished in the heart Of
every honest llberty-lovIng man. A faithful
adherence to these grand old landmarks Of
human prosress and freedom Ia the only true
loyalty, the only genuine patriotism, tbe only
reasonable hope nc can have for the protec-
It is needless for me to descant upon the dan
ger to which these sacred principles are now
subjected: We all see It, We sll feel It deeply.
The laws Of our country, the principles upon
which bur Government was founded must be
susrained, or our liberties n Ill be ore1thrown:
and prompt action Of all who still love and
: would uphold them. 4 single thread Is easily
broken, but combine many such threads into
q cable und 1t will resist giants strength
One man, however brave Of 1e2rt, and patri~
otic In purpose, can offer no effective resist
abolition: but let all true men touch esbons,.
and stand firmly together in this pesilous
hour, Tor their mutual protection and the
maintenance Of the right; and their united
voices viii be heard, their united power
respected, and the giant deepotism which
fhrhHfpnR he PhANEad nnH
This organization will very soon embrace
all true, unbought, unpurchnsable men, nnd
particularly every Simon Ptre Democrat; for
these are the cherished principles OF his
heart. As Jon experience Its workings
you will be convinced that It is gotten up
to protect the individual rights Of its mem-
bers; cash exactly alike; each aiding the rest
to accomplish mutual benefit, to maintain
amutual right You will see that it win I
not and cannot be prostituted to subserve
viii see TINT 1t is no merccnasy scheme for
the procurement Of money; but every order
which will come to you, every direction
which Will be given, will always be in keep
ing with the declaration Of principles which
lave just read to you, md every act that
Tor the protection Of your own interest. and |
for the actual sustatnmcnt Of your individual
rights and the laws Of your country.
We havc sign Of recognition, and its |
password and test; e1gn Of canton to pru-
dence In conversation and action, and sign |
and bail Of distress.
Here give and instruct in these signs.] Il
Brothers, he careful that you do not use
these signs Improperly; guard them sacredly
for the honor and success of the organization |
to which you belong. You must never use
them idly, never through curiosity or anusc-
mcnt; never On my occasion or for any pur-
pose except your life or liberty are in actual,
immediate 1au%er because Of your adherence
to the principles Of this organization. They /
are not intended, nor must they be used, Ia |
private difficulties or quarrels. As you do |
selves the private QuarTels and difficulties OF |
those who are associated with you In this |
Brotherhood, so you cannot ask TINT they |
shall do so for you. This organization is |
made up Of Clubs [of ten) for greater Secrecy |
and quickness Of Communication with nll Its |
members, and promptness Of action, al |
though the true men around you will |
be united in Its folds and working !
with you in q, common cause You viii !
know none except those in your own Club;
nor Will any outside Of your own Club know |
you. If \ Club acts fmprudently and exposes |
its members, 1t exposes only those who are |
in that Clubi they cannot expose you; they |
do not know you rs members, and you do not /
lnoW Them The Chief.of your Club reports
Beyond these two Clubs, he knows nothing /
OF the individual members Of this great Bro
therhood. Sufficiently connected for unity |
Of action and promptness OF Communication, |
yet completely isolated, this arrangement il \
for your protection and safety. As you do
not wish others to know of your Clubs, and
each Of you, rs ita members, do not seek to |
Know anything Of the Clubs around you, be
content to work quietly, noiselessly, yet eff
fncfiyA1E n cntrtun nn nt1i Sprrad rnYfaa. vorv 1