The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-09-11
KNOW NoTHrNGIssr REVIVED
"BuIIy'' Agnew On the Circuit!
He SwearS I'm the DOubffuli
Horrible oath of the Upper Degrees

Horrible Oath of the Upper Degree!
We have received the following from
a correspondent at Imler's Store in
Bedford tp.;
FRIDAY, Sept. 4.
EDITOR GAZETTE: Last night ]
happened to be at Imler's store, when
l noticed considerable commotion a.
mong some of the people of that neigh
borhood. l soon recognized the pres
ence of Mr.. Agnew (tBully') and l
wondered whether some poor devil OF
"deserter" was to be haltered, or
what could be "BuIly's" business in
our neighborhood. / waited little
and soon the door was locked, and
"Bully" proceeded to draw from his
pocket Httle book. A certain "Republi-
cam" who has been considered little
doubtful, then stood up and 'Bully''
read him the oath of the G. A. r. from
the little book. He then went on to
explain that he was going around to
swear people into this midnight order,
but there were some men in the party
that could not be trusted with the Sc
crets. He said, too, it was no use to
swear in such men as Isaac Imler or
John Leonard, Sr., as they were all
right any how. He said he was on
his way to St. Clair where he expected
to do some work. 1 give you this for
public information.
Yours,
A DIsGUsTED REPUBLICAN.
And this is the game, is it? Oh, ho!
Another oathbound political society
to cheat the people! What do the de-
cent men of the Radical party think
of this dirty trick? Many of them are
not to be trusted with the secrets of
this conspiracy. The old men of the
party, too, are ignored, the leaders
counting on their willingness to follow
them in any course they may take.
The poor, unsuspecting tools who
are thus "roped'' into this organiza-
ton are to be used, after a little, for a
far different purpose. They are to carry
nauSkets IN the Ca3' a0hich the Radicals
propose to inaugaTdte in case Grant is
defeated The following exposition
of this horrible Oath-bound society, we
find in an exchange; it is enough to
shock and disgust any true man:
g The Post is the initiatory degree
in this order, and here the rite of initi-
alton is very simple. In order to de-
lude those who have been in the SER
vice of the United States into joining
them, the statement is made that the
G.. A. r. is not of a political character.
and that its object is only to promote
the interests of those who were in the
army. But upon initiation the novice
is obliged to vote for a soldier as a
gainst a civilian, unless otherwise in
structed by the order, which means
that in case a Radical civilian is can
Ni1NiSIlC lOL Oi1ANC Gt5Gtlt40b a DGblDSicRhl
soldier, the order will instruct its men,
bers to vote for the civilian. Thus the
Post is used as a political machine,
and as it is under the control of the
Supreme Commandery, this sabordi-
nate branch is subject to military duty
under the orders of the Supreme Com
mander. This, however, is studiOus-
ly concealed from the knowledge of
the members of the Post, and SO are
many other things which are deemed
safe only in the breasts Ofthe members of
the higher degrees. Only those who
have risen to the grade of 'Brigadier
General in the order, can take the
highest degree and only by taking the
following oath:
Il; --, in the presence Of Al
mighty God and upon his Holy Evan
gelists, do solemnly swear that | will
bear true allegiance to the American
Nation, that | will recognize all men
without distinction of race or color as
my political equals, and that | will
oppose and stand ready at all hazards,
to assist in abrogating, or if need be,
in Overturning, all laws, under what
ever name, not in harmony with this
doctrine of equality and | furthermore
swear that | will, at all times and un-
der all circumstances, favor the con-
centration of power in the Federal
Government and oppose the idea of
reserved rights residing in the States,
or in the people; and l furthermore
swear that will resist, to the extent
of my power, even if it should require
the sacrifice of life itself, the continu-
ance of the States Rights theory in
the policy of the Government of the
United States: and in token of my
sincerity, l hereby announce my will
ingness to submit to the extreme pen
atty, even death, which this order may
choose to infiict upon me, if at any
time | should prove unfaithful to this,
my oath of loyalty. So help me God
and keep me true"