The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-29
BURLINGTON, SATURDAY. OCTOBER % 1864

|64..
be practised upon the ignorant masses By
unscrupulous and unprint ipled leaders,
The members Of the lower degree are offer
for considera bic period kept quite ma.
ware OF the true purposes Of their Chiefs
But to the latter they are bound by theil
| obligation" to yield prompt and implicil
obedience 70 the utmost OF their ability
| without remOnstrance, hesitation or delay,
and meanwhile their minds, under the dis
cipline and teachings 10 which they are
subjected, become educated and accustom-
ed to contemplate with comparative un-
concern the treason for which they are pre-
pairing.
The oaths, "invocations,' 2 Charges, 2 etc.
Of the ritual, expressed as they are in bonn
excite IN the mind OF an educated person
only ridicule or contempt, but upon the il
literate they are calculated to make deep
impression, the effect and importance Of
which were doubtless fully studied by the
trainers Of the instrument.
The oath which is administered upon the
Introduction OF a member into any degree,
is especially imposing in its languages;
prescribes as penalty fora violation Of the
obligation assumed. "a shameful death, !"
and further, that the body of the person
guilty of such violation shall be divided in
four parts, and cast out at the four gates
OF the temple. Not only, as has been said,
does II enjOin blind obedience to the or
ders OF the superiors Of the order, but it is
required to be held Of paramount obliga-
ton to any oath which may be administer
ed to member ina court Of Justice or else.
where. Thus, in cases where members
have been sworn. by officers empowered
to administer oaths, to speak the whole
truth u answer to questions that may be
put to them, and have been examined in
reference to the order and their connection
Herewith, they have not only refused to
give any Information in regard to it's char
acter, but have denied that they were MEM
bers or even knew of its existence. A con-
spicuous instance of this is presented in the
officers OF the order in Missouri, who, upon
their first examination under oath, after
their arrest, denied all connection with the
order, but confessed, also under oath, at q
subsequent period, that this denial was
wholly false, although in accordance with
their obligations rs members Of the order.
Indeed. q deliberate system Of deception in
regard to the details Of the conspiracy is
inculcated upon the members and studl-
ously pursued; and it may be mentioned
in this connection, as similarly despica-
BILE feature Of the organization, that it il
held bound to iniure the Administration
and officers of the Government in every
possible manner, by misrepresentation and
Members are also instructed that their
oath of membership is to be held para
mount to an oath Of allegiance. orany other
oath which may impose obligations incon-
sistent with those which are assumed upOh
entering the order. Thus, if member,
when in danger, or for the purpose Of facil-
itating some traitorous design, has taken
the oath Of allegiance to the United States,
he is held at liberty to violate it on the first
occasion, his obligation to the order being
deemed superior to any consideration Of
duty or loyalty prompted by such oath.
1t is to be added that where members are
threatened with the panalties of perjury, in
case Of their answering falsely to questions
propounded to them in regard to the order
before court Or grand jury, they are in
alleging as q ground for their refusal that
their answers may criminate themselves.
The testimony shows that this course has
habitually been pursued by members, espe-
cially in Indiana, when placed in such a
situation.
Besides the oaths and other forms and
ceremonies which have been alluded to, the
ritual contains what are termed "Declara-
tons Of Principles These declarations,
which are most important as exhibiting
the creed and character Of the order, as in
spired by the principles Of the rebellion,
will be fully presented under the next
branch Of the subject.
The signs, signals, passwords, &c, Of the
Order are set forth at length in the testi-
mony. but need only be briefly alluded to.
It Is most significant tact, as showing the
intimate relations between. the Northern
and Southern sections Of Che secret con.
spiracy, that q member from . Northern
State il enabled to pass without risk
through the South by the use Of the signs
Of recognition which have been established
throughout the Order, and by means OF
meeting ~ strangers, are at once made
known to each other as ssbrothers." Mary
Ann Pitman expressly states in her testi.
mony that whenever important dispatches
are required to be sent by rebel Generals
beyond their lines, members of the Order
are always, selected to convey them. Ger
tain passwords are also used in common in
both sections. and OF these none appear to
be more familiar than the word, "Nu-o-h
lac" or the name calhoun" spelt buck
ward, and which is employed upon enter
ing temple of the first degree Of the o. A.
K K.-certainly . fitting password to such
dens of treason.
Besides the signs of reconition, there are
signs of warning and danger, for use at
signs to warn members of the approach Of
United States oGicials seeking to make ar
rests. The order has also established what
are called battle signals, by means OF which,
as it is asserted, a member serving in the
army may communicate with the enemyin
the field, and thus escape personal harm III
case Of attack or capture. The most recent
of these signals represented to have been
adopted by the order is fiveJpointed cop
per star worn under the coat, which is to be
disclose upon meeting an enemy. who will
thus recognize in the wearer sympathizer
and an ally. A similar star of German
silver, hung in q frame, is said to be numer-
Ously displayed by members or their fami-
lies in private houses in Indiana, for the
purpose Of insuring protection TO their
in case Of q raid or other attack
and il is stated that in many dwellings in
that State portrait Of John Morgan is ex-
hibited for q similar purpose. VI
!. Other signs are used by members and es-
pecially tho officers Of the order, in their
coTrespo.desce. Their letters, when of an
~ - A. II