The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-01

officer We're almost autocralic,
The grand dragon OF the realm and his
eight hydras.
The grand titan of the dominion and his
six furies
The grand cyclops Of The den and his
two nighthawks.
A grand monk. Agrand cxchcqucr. A
grand lictor.
A grand scribe. A grand Turk. A
grand sentinel.
The genii, hydras, furies, COLLINS and
nigh,hawks wcrestatf officers, Thcgrada.
ton and distribution OF authority was per.
feet.
But for one source Of weakness the khan,
under the new organization, was one of
the most perfectly organized orders that
ever existed in the world. Ii was vulncr-
able, and failed because of the character of
its methods Secrecy was no first its
strength. II afterwards becgmp It's greatest
weakness. As long as mystery was con
joined with il il was strength Whom
masks and DISCUSSES ceased 10 uc mystcri-
Gus secrecy was weakness,
One of the most important things done
10y this Nashville convention was 10 make
positive and emphatic declaration Of the
principles OF the order. Ii was the follow
ing terms:
I'VE recognize our relations to the
United States governments the supremacy
OF the constitution; the constitutional laws
thereof, and the union of the states there
under"
This Nashville convention also defined
and set forth the peculiar objects OF the
order as follows:
THE PRINCIPLE.
!. To protect the weak, the innocent,
and the deienseicss from the iudgnitiCs,
wrongs and outragrs OF the lawless, the
violent and the brutal; 10 relieve the in,
jured and the oppressed; 81 suCcor the SUI
ierng, and especially the widows and or
phans Of Confederate soldiers.
.. To protect and defend the consiitu-
ton OF the United States and all laws
passed in conformity thereto, aud to pro.
tcct the states and people from all inya-
sion from any source whatever
3. To aid and assist in the execution Of
all constitutional laws, AMI To protect the
people from unlawful seizure, and from
trial except 10y their peers in conformity 10
the laws OF the land.
4 few new features were added hv the
reorganization, the essential features OF
mystery, secrecy, and grotpsqlencss were
retained, and they attempted to push 81 the
extreme limits Of illustration the power OF
the mysterious over the minds of men.
llcnccl1rth they courted publicity asassid.
uously ~ they had formerly appeared to
shunit They appeared al different points
at the same time, and always when they
were least expected. Devices were multi.
piled 10 deceive people in regard 10 their
numbers and everything clsc and 10 play
upon the fears of the supentitious.
As Il was now the policy of the Khan 10
appear in public, an order vas issued by
the grand dragon Of the realm OF Tennessee
10 the grand gcnii Of the provinces for
general parade IN the capital town OF each
province on the night OF the ilh of July.
1867 II will be- sufficient to describe that
parade rs witnessed by tho citizens Of pu-
laski similar scenes Wcrr enacted at most
Of the chief towns oi the south. On the
morning of the lih Of JUL. 1857, the citi.
zcns Of Pulaski found the sidewalks thictly
slrcwn with slips OF paper bearing the
printed words, "Ihc kuklux will parade
| the streets tonight"
This announcement created great excite
ment The people supposed that their GU
! ri0sity, ~ long baillcd, would now be- graf
! ifcd. They were confident they would
now discover who were the kukluX.
4 GENERAL PARADE.
Soon after nightiall the streets were
lined with an cxpcctant and excited
throng of people. Many came from the
surrounding country. The members Of
the khan la the country left their homes
in the afternoon aud travelled alone o. In
squads OF two or three with their para
phcnalia carefully concealed. II gucs-
toned they said they werc going 10 Pulaski
to see the kuklux parade. After nightiall
they assembled at the designated points
near the four main roAls leading into
town. Here they donncd their robes aud
| DISCUSSES and put covers on their horses.
A sky rocket sent up from the town was
| the signal 90 mount aud move. The dit.
/ icrcnt companies met aud passed each
other on the public sqnaW In perfect
/ silence; the discipline appeared t0 be- nd
miable. No, word was spoken. Nccrs-
sary orders were given by means oi the
whistles. In single Tile IN doaih.likc still
ness, with funeral slownCss they marched
and couniermarchcd throughout the
town While the column vas headed
north on one street u WHs going south
/ on NNhllNfF ltN NINHIIlH 'NfN wv
opposite directions The lines were
kept up in almost unhrvkcn con-
| linuity. The effect was b. create
the impression Of vast numbers. This
marching and countor-marchIng was kept
up for about two hours, and the Khan dis
appeared M noisclcssly NJ they came. The
public were mystiiicd nni more curious
Than ever. All had iailed tp discover who
they were. One gentleman from the coun-
| try, great lover Of horscF, who claimed Ia
know every horse in the country, was con
| iidcnt that he would be aba tu identify ihc
riders 10y the horses. Bui the horses we're
disguised ~ well ~ the ridUn. Dricrmin-
ell not 10 be- baiilcd, during halt Of thc
column lac lifted the cover 81 horc that
was near him, tho rider Offering no 0blcc.
ton, and recognized his own stccd and
saddle upon which he had ridden into
town.
The young men Of tn town who were
kuklux did not attend thc parade, but APP
pcarcd openly ~ disintorsird spectators.
This demonstration had the effect for
which Il was designed Perhaps ihc
greater illusion produce by Il wa IN r.
gard 30 the numbers participating IN u.
Reputable citizens were confident that the
number WIS not loss Than 900 Others,
whose imaginati0ns vpre moro easily
wrought on. were lO,ODA The truth h.
the kuklux ON that ocrtaOn did not ex'
coed between 400 and 500.
THE NuMunEs
This delusion In rcyanl 10 numbers pre-
vailed wherever the kukluI appeared, and
illustrates how little the testimony OF even
an eyewitness Is worth in regard 20 any