The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-01-05

THE NEW KNOW-NOTHING
ORDER.

Secrets of the Order of tho Amer
lean UniOn-Presiden Grant
and Speaker Blaine said to
be Members of it-An
Anti-CathOlic Third
Term Organiza-
ton.
In elaborate articles the New York
Herald gives what it terms the "real
facts regarding the Order of the
American Union-the organization
to which John Y. Foster probably re-
ferred in his letter to ex-Speaker
Blaine. The order has for it's aim a
decided and persistent social and
political war upon all Roman Catho-
lies in this country. 1t is to oppose
the extension of the Church of Rome,
the prevention of Catholic citizens
from holding Office, AMI for the pur-
pose of carrying out settled plan
of campaign in favor of the election
of President Grant for third term.
According to this version, "Presi-
dent Grant is a member of the or
der, having been privately initiated
by Special Deputy Edgar few days
before he delivered his military
speech on the school question at
Des Moines. EX-Speaker Blaine is
the baby in the order, having been
initiated only few days ago by
Special Deputy E. Cowles. wEo was
sent by the executive committee
from the St. Nicholas Hotel last
week to Washington TO perform the
ceremony" Postmaster General
Jewell and Governor Hayes, of Ohio,
are also said to be members of the
order, but the statement seemingly
rests on a slender basis. The con-
stitution and forms of initiation,
while they contain no direct evidence
of "third term conspiracy dis
close the anti-Catholic spirit Of the
organization.
The order of the American Union
was organized in 1867 so disfran-
chise Roman Catholics and to pre-
vent them from holding Office The
fundamental principles of the order
are thus defined in the preamble and
its constitution
''In view of the intolerant, persis-
tent, aggressive efforts of ROmanists
and their evident determination to
control the government Of the United
States, and to destroy our civil and
religious liberty, we do declare our
selves adhcrents to the following
propositions. viz:
First, That any interference in
political affairs by any man or body
Of men acting in behalf or by direc.
ton of any ecclesiastical body OF
power, for the benefit of such organ.
ization, is opposed to that principle
of civil and religious equality fought
for by our fathers and guaranteed by
our national constitution.
Second, That any recognition oi
sectarian questions or distinctions il
the management of our public edu
! catioIal or reformatOry Institutions
or in political affairs, is opposed tC
| the spirit of our institutions.
Third, That there is danger thai
the Roman Catholic Church, profess
edly a body superior to all Govern
ments, and demanding from their ad
herents an allegiance paramount tt
that given to the State, may take
advantageous they have done il
tie past-of the equality allowed tC
them in common with other forms o
religious belief, to strive for politi
cal influence for the purposes of ad
vancing the interests of the church
Therefore, as that organization
have introduced this issue into polit
ical affairs in various sections of on
country, and are urging their owl
recognition as an element in politi
cal problems, and demanding specia
legislation for their own benefit, W,
further declare it to be our convic
tion that true Americans should or
ganize such attempts"
1t is in the forms of initiation, how
ever that the spirit Of the organiza
tion finds its most direct expression
The name of the candidate for ad
mission to the order is proposed b,
an active member, and an examinin;
committee makes the most searching
inquiries in regard to his antagonist
to or sympathy with the Roma
Catholic Church. On the night Q
initiation a table in the centre Of th
lodge-room is covered with the I'm
ted States flag, and on it is place
the Bible. The password" Glad
stone" at present-then goes aroun
and the candidate is asked the 70
lowing questions:
/. Will you support the constitu
tion Of the order of the America
Union?
Ii. Are you in sympathy with Re
man Catholicism?
III. Are you in favor Of the Bibl
in our free schools?
". Are you in favor of our fire
school system?
V. Are you opposed to sectariai
schools. the Roman Catholic in par
ticular?
VI. Are you opposed to the diyis
ion of the school fund for any sec
tartan purposes?
VII. Will you pledge yourself t.
use your vote and influence to retail
the Bible in the public schools an,
all other public institutions?