The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-27
Discovery of Ku-KluX-K Khan Ritual
Reveals Historical Facts That Have
Long Been Secrets.

as a whole. p~raiseworthy and e~loquently
set forth. The ritual states:
Til IL an institution OF chivalry. hui
mainly, mercy and patriotism. e~mbodying
in Its genius and principles all that is
chivalric In conduct, noble IN sentiment,
generous In manhood and patriotic In pur-
pose, Its peculiar objects being to protect
the weak. the innocent and the defense
less from the ~fndigniies. wrongs and out
RACES OF the l~a-less, the violent and the
brutal; to relieve the injured and the OPP
pressed; to succor the suffering. the un-
fortunate and especially the widows and
orphans Of Confederate soldiers. and to
protect and defend the Constitution of the
United States a all avs passed IN con-
formity thereto). and to protect (the
States and. people thereof from all inva:
sions from any source whatsoever), and to
aid in the execution Of all constitutional
laws and to protect the people from I'M
lawful seizure Inc from trial except by
their peers in conformity to the laws of
the land.1"
h phrases which are In parentheses 20
far toward explaining many happenings In
the Southern States during the unsettled
and turbulent period of reconstruction,
when the South was Just beginning to get
on Its feet again.
They also serve to explain the menacing
attitude of the Ku-Klux Khan toward the
constitutionality of the introduction of
martial law In the Southern States,
which caused so much unpleasantness. as
well as the Governments refusal for a
time to permit Southerners 20 suffer trial
In the military courts.
RESPECT FOR THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
It should be remarked hat throughout
the book there IS a respect for a central
and organized government, as well as a
reverence for and faithfulness to the Con-
stItution OF the United States.
A significant creed Is stated in The fol-
lowing language:
1--WE, the order of the . =, reverently
acknowledge the majesty and supremacy
Of the Divine Being, n recognize the
goodness and providence Of the same.
And we recognize our relation to the
United States Government, the supremacy
of the Constitution. the constitutional
laws thereof. and. the union Of States
Hereunder"
Perhaps the best explanation for the ex-
istence OF the organization and the causes
which gave rise to Its formation IS fur
nished by q series Of i-nterrogatories pro-
pounded for the prospective candidate for
admission to the order and tho general
qualifications for membership rs set
down In print.
The candidate had to give a satisfactory
answer TO every question. and II he fell
short In the slightest detail he was not
only refused admittance In the Ku-Klux
Khan. but was sumrnarily dismissed from
the company of the Examining Board
with a significant and threatening sdmou-
ition to keep what he had heard or seen
an inviolate secret and never to reveal
anything pertaining to the nature Of. the
order or the purposes Of its organization.
Although the questions were searching
In themselves. there were other qualiica-
tions for membership.
The candidates antecedents were close-
iy investigated and his whole career was
reviewed.
HISTORY OF THE
KU-KLUx KHAN.
The Ku-Klux Khan. at It's incepeqea. was
a club formed by some young men OF
Pulaski. Tenn. Who had more time than
they could employ. 49,
The purpose OF the organization was "te'
furnish diversion and amusenlent.:'
The curious name was adopted because
It was perfectly meaningless and threw an
air Of mystery around the club. which the
rneSnbers took care to increase.
The diversion and amusement. osnsist-