Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1877-04-06
THE ANCIENT ORDER OF AzrEcs.
[From the San francisco chronicle.l

social, political and unknown objects,
is one of recent origin-at least of re-
cent introduction in the city-styled
the Ancient Order of Aztecs. Wheth.
er this organization assums to perpet.
uate its rites, purposes and mysteries
from the prehistoric period, as its tt
tie would imply, is not publicly init
mated, but probably not. There are
sufficient reasons to suspect that the
objects contemplated in the banding
together of the present race of Aztecs
pertain altogether to new order OF
things since the days of the Montezu-
mas, and especially an entirely differ
ent arrangement of the map of Amer
ica than has occurred since the Span
ish conquest The Order of Aztecs
was instituted in the northern States
of Mexico between two and three
years ago, and has very gradually
been extending through Sonora, Chi
huahua, Durango and Sinaloa, until
now it is very powerful in all those
states. Lodges have lately been or
ganized through the Territory of Ari-
zona and in San Diego county, in this
state, and more recently the movement
has extended to this city. During the
past week five new lodges have been
organized here, the membership COM
prising both Americans and Me1icans,
and the Offices being correspondingly
divided. At the head of the order is
the Royal Court of Montezuma, which
consists of the Montezuma, Grand
Inca, Grand Cacique, Grand Comman-
dant, Grand Almoner, Grand Scribe
and Purse Bearer, Grand Sword Bear.
er, Standard Bearer and Guard of the
Sacred Fire. The location of the Roy
al Court is not definitely known, but
the Montezuma is a Mexican gentle
man resident somewhere below the
line, and in whose veins some stray
corpuscles of the Aztec blood may
course. The Grand Scribe and Purse
Bearer is believed to be an American
resident of this city, whose ancestors
did not come over until the genuine
Aztec stock had become more or less
dissipated.
The royal court is to assemble in
this city on the 29th inst, and will
elect a Grand Almoner and several
Grand Incas as a part of its business
The officers of the Royal Court are
elected for life. The subordinate
lodges are limited in number to fifty
warriors each, and citizenship of Ell
ther the United States or Mexico is
the prime qualification of membership.
The constitution and bylaws of the
Order prescribe its rules of govern
meut, and declare its purposes thus
briefly and somewhat inferentially:
The chief purpose of the order is to
create and induce feeling of perfect
harmony between the citizens of the
Republic of Mexico and the citizens of
tho United States of America. The
two nations, having common desti-
ny, should have common interests and
common laws, and it is the duty of
each and every member of the Order
to labor for this common end. All
moneys received by the Royal Court
|of the Order. from whatsoever source,
shall be applied by the Royal Court
to the fostering and encouragement of
this purpose.
From the general construction of
the constitution the prime mysteries
of the Order are reposed in the Royal
Court, which has supreme direction of
the harmonizing business in all its de-
tails. the subordinate lodges only be.