Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-01-28
The B. P. L. IN MAINE.

IHE b. r. l.. IN hAlNk-
The B. p. L. begai its existence IN Maine
on the eleventh of September last, when tne
mrs, ..circle" of the Order was formed IN tins
civ by some of the Western adventures thep
in the State. This afterwards became the
grand central State circle, from which all the
local circles derive their authority and 10
which thew look for instructions and leader
ship. To il came prominent greenback lead
ers from Andrvscoggin and other counties
farther east. xho were initiated, and VINO then
went home to organize local leagues. Sinee
September the Order has been steadily IN
creasiny and nov reaches from Rockland 10
Biddeford- 1t was but a few days since on
the 18th inst. that circle was formed III
saco. The central junto which controls the
League consists of seven men, all prominent
currency and IabOr-reform agirators. Ii was
intended to exercise great discretion in the
admission of members, and but comparative
ly few greenbackers have been acquainted
with even the existence of the order. The
ritual commands that only known and tried
men" shall be admitted. But II is proyerbiai
that conspIrators' secrets are never kept, and
thus il comes about that the Press Is IN pos
session of the names OF the men
who make up the central Junto, OF
the officers of the various local CIR
cles and the dates of their establishment, OF
the constitution and obligation. OF the ritual
and ci,her. The names OF these men will.
if the public interest demands, be made pub
lie. Such publication is now deemed un-
necessary for these dangerous oath-hound
organizations are under surveillance. and
the plot to seize the State House Is believed
to be defeated by the prompt action OF the
| State authorities. But any overt act on the
part of tine plotters will provoke condisn
punishment Enough her, will be indicated
| to show them that they have been betrayed
The document under which the local cir
cles hold their powers from the central au-
thorities Is in this form:
HEADQUARTERS.
State Circle OF Maine. II. p. l..
PORTLAND, - 1880.
| This cer,fces that Circle No. located
at County has been
organized and is working under the authority
| of the state Circle Of Maine, Is. L. L.
-- State Pres.
| State Sec.
| Under this document circles were orga-
nized at Decring, mo. =. Letter b." Oct.
2; at North Gorham, ''B, 4" Oct. 80; at
Yarmouth. .B. s. Oct. 81 These. with the
Cape Elizabeth Circle, ''B, g." make five To-
cal circles in this county. The Letter A.
circles, taking their start in Biddeford, are
confined TO York County, and the ''letter f.
to Knox, and so on. The paren, Knox cir
Gle was instituted at Rockland, Oct. "a.
| When an applicant is accepted into the or
der he is informed of his acceptance and at
the next regular meeting of the ciicle the
form of imitation is gone through with and
the ritual Of the order read. The following
is the oath by which each member pledges
himself to the purposes of the organization !:
| |, Pledge my most sacred honor as
a man that l will do all in my power to
| build up and sustain this order, and the pur-
poses as set forth in its Declaration of Prin-
ciples. 1 further pledge my honor that
will not propose the name nor vote for anv
man as a member of this order whose honor
| can not rely upon; and that | will not
| make known the name of any member or the
work done in this organization to any one
not a member of the same.
The Press then goes on to explain the ritual
| and show some Of the ciphers used. The
article closes as follows:
The above are samples taken at random
| from the ritual and circulars OF the b. z. L. ,
by which our readers may judge of the lot
Its purposes and personnel are now fully
known to the State government. and anv at
~ "P' '' rs P"t' W put INTO execution the
threats contained in Hot Drops" or anv
other of the incendiary circulars it has been
sending over the State will be promptly sup
pressed.
NOT THE CHARTERED GREENBACEERs
The b. p. L., must not be COMPOUNDED
with the regular greenback clubs. CHAR
| tered clubs. they call themselves. that have
been in existence in Maine for the past two
years. Mr.. Charles p. Cotton. of Gorham,
who is the head of these regular organiza-
tons. informs us that they are in no way
connected with the revolutionary movement
to seat Joseph l.. Smith, in the Governors
chair, and have no sympathy with it. They
generally believe. he says. that the Rcpub-
licans elected a majority of the Legislature
and are entitled to control it,
This assurance is gratifying. and shows
that the greenbackers have been belied by
their leaders. 1t shows. too, that the b. 7.
L.. is an organization within an organization.
and keeps its purposes and very existence
secret from the original greenback clubs.