The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-27

ment to brother member in preference to one
who is not. In the event of my being elected
or appointed to office / solemnly swear ant
obligate myself to appoint none under me but
members Of this association 1 Furthermore
swear that will faithfully keep whatever
sssrets %scf may - ne 60 oondsd to me, and wiz mo-
OF this aes 1ciaton to any being in the world
except in the manner prescribed by the con
stitu i tion and the laws. For the fulalment OF
this solemn obligation hereby pledge my
most sacred honor, under no less q penalty
than death. So help me God.
UNDER NO LESS PENALTY THAN DEATH
Death, then, is one of the penalties of the
Association. Death is within the discre-
tion of Mr.. Hunts committee of FIVE and
Mr.. Bourges' select SECRET committee to
deal with such men as Long and Demo.
In the presence of such facts-and no one
has denied them-can we recognize in the
workmen the instincts of civilization 7
Here is law within a law, q government
within government, an organization ig-
noring the institutions of society as it
exists, and assuming to itself the highest
of all social prerogatives, the empire over
human life. 1t is assassination recognized,
approved, adopted, systematised, organic
ed, by civilized men who in public claim to
| be actuated by the principles of Christian
polity. We do not suppose that all or a
majority of the mem bers of this Association
understand the full import of their own
| institutions. Perhaps no one of them may
realize the extent to which their theory
would lead. But we speak of the theory
in itself, and of such persons, if any,
| as understand and adopt it practically.
- &ho Of
life and you, at least; take them to be
| civilized; their outward demeanor is in
conformity with the customs of Christian
civilization. They have schooled them
selves to feign sentiments of humanity,
respect for the laws, horror of crime,
sympathy with all the higher teachings of
divine religion. But look beyond the
mask of their enforced conformity and you
recognize nothing but the feroc;ous in
stincts of the most savage human barbar-
ism. The widest Indians, the grossest
African Cannibals, reject assassination as
an institution. A lower grade still of
human ferocity is reached in anarchy, and
there alone do you find it recognized and
approved.
Men who under eacreligious oaths SOL
emnly pledge themselves to the crime of
murder, have cast aside the principles of
humanity and reduced themselves to the
habits of the lion, the tiger and the hyena.
Their route leads from lawless murder to
indiscriminate slaughter. They become
beasts Of prey. 1t is in vain that they
pledge themselves to recognize their breth
rem in crime to the extent of dealing
exclusively with them and giving Offices
to them only. The same principle
which arms them against society in general
would eventually make them fly at each
others throats and dissolve their brother
hood in blood.
1t seems from the publications alluded
to that the American party and the
National party of this parish are pretty
much the same thing, and that o success
of the 30 called National ticket would be a
success of the Native American party.
Such misfortune would fill our subordi-
nate places with Thugs. Sheriffs' officers,
constables' deputies, and policemen would
be selected for their unscrupulous disre-
gard of human life and their handiness
with k-lanterns, brass -knuckles and
slQng-shOt.
Such contingency is not pleasantto to con-
template as finishing touch to series of
misfortunes running through carpet bag
rule, financial panic, broken levees, frozen
crops and the yellow scourge. Let US not
risk the Thugs
Democratic rule has been weak and sli-
my and barren-but not bloody. Can the
Citizens party give Us absolute assurance
that hearty support of it by Conservative
voters would not divide the white popula-
ton merely to let a Know Nothing con-
spiracy ride in on a treacherous negro
vote 2