Section 1.No person shall be initiated into this order under eighteen years of age.
Sec. 2.No person of color shall be admitted into this order.
Sec. 3.No person shall be admitted into this order who does not sustain a good moral character, and who is in any way incapacitated to perform the duties of a Ku Klux.
Sec. 4.The name of a person proposed for membership must be proposed by thecommittee appointed by the chief, verbally, stating age, residence, and occupation; state if he was a soldier in the late war, his rank, whether in the Federal or Confederate service, and his command.
Section 1.Any member who shall offend against these articles, or the by-laws shall be subject to be fined and reprimanded by the C., as two-thirds of the members present at any regular meeting may determine.
Sec. 2.Every member shall be entitled to a fair trial for any offense involving reprimand or criminal punishment.
Section 1.This order shall meet at ——.
Sec. 2.Five members shall constitute a quorum, provided the C. or S. be present.
Sec. 3.The C. shall have power to appoint such members of the order to attend the sick, the needy, and those distressed, and those suffering from radical misrule, as the case may require.
Sec. 4.No person shall be appointed on a committee unless the person is present at the time of appointment. Members of committees neglecting to report shall be fined 30 cents.
Section 1.Every member, on being admitted, shall sign the constitution and by-laws and pay the initiation fee.
Sec. 2.A brother of the Klan wishing to become a member of this order, who shall present his application with the proper papers of transfer from the order of which he was a member formerly, shall be admitted to the order only by a unanimous vote of the members present.
Section 1.The initiation fee shall be ——.
Section 1.Every member who shall refuse or neglect to pay his fine or dues shall be dealt with as the chief thinks proper.
Sec. 2.Sickness or absence from the country or being engaged in any important business shall be a valid excuse for any neglect of duty.
Section 1.Each member shall provide himself with a pistol, Ku Klux gown and signal instruments.
Sec. 2.When charges have been preferred against a member in proper manner, or any matters of grievance between brother Ku Klux are brought before the order, they shall be referred to a committee of three or more members, who shall examine the parties and determine the matters in question, reporting their decision to the order. If the parties interested desire, two-thirds of the members present voting in favor of the report, it shall be carried.
Section 1.It is the duty of every member who has evidence that another has violated Article II. to prefer the charges and specify the offense to the order.
Sec. 2.The charge for violating Article II. shall be referred to a committee of five or more members, who shall as soon as practicable, summon the parties and investigate the matter.
Sec. 3.If the committee agree that the charges are sustained, that the member on trial has intentionally violated his oath, or Article II., they shall report the fact to the order.
Sec. 4.If the committee agree that the charges are not sustained, that the member is not guilty of violating his oath or Article II., they shall report to that effect to the order and the charges shall be dismissed.
Sec. 5.When the committee report that the charges are sustained, and the unanimous vote of the members is given thereof, the offending person shall be sentenced to death by the chief.
Sec. 6.The person, through the cyclops of the order of which he is amember, can make application for pardon to the Great Grand Cyclops of Nashville, Tennessee, in which case execution of the sentence can be stayed until pardoning power is heard from.
Section 1.Any member who shall betray or divulge any of the matters of the order shall suffer death.
Section 1.The following shall be the rules of any order to any matter herein not provided for; shall be managed in strict accordance with the Ku Klux rules.
Sec. 2.When the chief takes his position on the right, the scribe, with the members forming a half-circle around them, and at the sound of the signal instrument there shall be profound silence.
Sec. 3.Before proceeding to business, the scribe shall call the roll and note the absentees.
Sec. 4.Business shall be taken up in the following order:
1. Reading the minutes.2. Excuse of members at preceding meeting.3. Report of committee of candidates for membership.4. Collection of dues.5. Are any of the order sick or suffering?6. Report of committees.7. New business.
1. Reading the minutes.
2. Excuse of members at preceding meeting.
3. Report of committee of candidates for membership.
4. Collection of dues.
5. Are any of the order sick or suffering?
6. Report of committees.
7. New business.
KU KLUX KLAN.ALERT!
(Crossed muskets)( and pistol. )(Spade ax ax.)ALERT!ALERT!T T T T T T T T T T T
The B. G. C. of the K. K. K. is in town. You who know the signal of his presence and have seen it be on thealert. You who do not—to a brother—mark the nail of the finger and the(?) must be organized in the future.Traitorsto their racewill not always flemish like the bay. Dimity marks them. Look out. And meet at the cave where the Greased Lightning Slumbers.By order of theB. G. C.In Pro., Per.D. W. S.Forerunner.[57]KU KLUX.Serpent's Den—Death's RetreatHollow Tomb—Misery Cave of theGreat Ku Klux Klan, No. 1,000.Windy Month—Bloody Moon,Muddy Night—Twelfth Hour.General Orders No. 1.Make ready! Make ready! Make ready!The mighty hobgoblins of the Confederate dead in Hell-a-Bulloo assembled!Revenge, Revenge!Be secret, be cautious, be terrible!By special grant, Hell freezes over for your passage. Offended ghosts, put on your skates, and cross over to mother earth!Work! Work!! Work!!!Double, double, toil and trouble;Fire burn and cauldron bubble.Ye white men who stick to black, soulless beasts! the time arrives for you to part. Q. W. X. W. V. U., and so, from Omega to Alpha.Cool it with a baboon's bloodThen the charm is firm and good.Ye niggers who stick to low whites!Begone, Begone, Begone! The world turns around—the thirteenth hour approacheth.S. one, two, and three—beware! White and yellow.J. and T—— P—— and L—— begone.—The handwriting on the wall warns you!From the murderer's gibbet, throwInto the flame. Come high and low.By order of the GreatBLUFUSTIN.G. S. K. K. K.A true copy,Peterloo.P. S. K. K. K.KU KLUX.Hell-a-Bulloo Hole—Den of Skulls.Bloody Bones—Headquarters of theGreat Ku Klux Klan, No. 1,000.Windy Month—New Moon.Cloudy Night—Thirteenth Hour.General Orders No. 2.The great chief Simulacre summons you!Be ready! Crawl slowly! Strike hard!Fire around the pot!Sweltered venom, sleeping gotBoil thou first i' the charmed pot!Like a hell-broth boil and bubble!The Great High Priest Cyclops! C. J. F. Y.Varnish, Tar and Turpentine!The fifth Ghost sounds his Trumpet!The mighty Genii wants two black wethers!Make them, make them, make them! Presto!The Great Giantess must have a white barrow.Make him, make him, make him! Presto!Meet at once—the den of Snakes—the Giants jungle—the hole of Hell!The second Hobgoblin will be there, a mighty Ghost of valor! His eyes of fire, his voice of thunder! Clean the streets—clean the serpents' dens.Red hot pincers! Bastinado!! Cut Clean!!! No more to be born. Fire and brimstone.Leave us, leave us, leave us! One, two, three tonight! Others soon!Hell freezes! On with skates—glide on. Twenty from Atlanta. Call the roll.Bene dicite!The Great Ogre orders it!By order of the GreatBLUFUSTIN.G. S. K. K. K.A true copy,Peterloo.P. S. K. K. K.KU KLUX.Hollow Hell, Devil's Den, HorribleShadows. Ghostly Sepulchre.Head Quarters of the Immortal Ateof the K. K. K. Gloomy month. BloodyMoon. Black Night, Last Hour.General Orders No. 3.Shadowed Brotherhood! Murdered heroes!Fling the bloody dirt that covers you to the four winds! Erect thy Goddess on the banks of the Avernus. Mark well your foes! Strike with the red hot spear! Prepare Charon for his task!Enemies reform! The skies shall be blackened! A single Star shall look down upon horrible deeds! The night owl shall hoot a requiem o'er Ghostly Corpses!Beware! Beware! Beware!The Great Cyclops is angry! Hobgoblins report! Shears and lash! Tar and Feathers! Hell and Fury!Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!Bad men! white, black, yellow, repent!The hour is at hand! Be ye ready! Life is short. J. H. S. Y. W.!!!Ghosts! Ghosts!! Ghosts!!!Drink thy tea made of distilled hell, stirred with the lightning of heaven, and sweetened with the gall of thine enemies!All will be well!!!By order of the GreatBLUFUSTIN.G. S. K. K. K.A true copy,Peterloo.P. S. K. K. K.[58]
The B. G. C. of the K. K. K. is in town. You who know the signal of his presence and have seen it be on thealert. You who do not—to a brother—mark the nail of the finger and the(?) must be organized in the future.Traitorsto their racewill not always flemish like the bay. Dimity marks them. Look out. And meet at the cave where the Greased Lightning Slumbers.
By order of theB. G. C.In Pro., Per.
D. W. S.Forerunner.[57]
Serpent's Den—Death's RetreatHollow Tomb—Misery Cave of theGreat Ku Klux Klan, No. 1,000.Windy Month—Bloody Moon,Muddy Night—Twelfth Hour.
General Orders No. 1.
Make ready! Make ready! Make ready!
The mighty hobgoblins of the Confederate dead in Hell-a-Bulloo assembled!
Revenge, Revenge!
Be secret, be cautious, be terrible!
By special grant, Hell freezes over for your passage. Offended ghosts, put on your skates, and cross over to mother earth!
Work! Work!! Work!!!Double, double, toil and trouble;Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Ye white men who stick to black, soulless beasts! the time arrives for you to part. Q. W. X. W. V. U., and so, from Omega to Alpha.
Cool it with a baboon's bloodThen the charm is firm and good.
Ye niggers who stick to low whites!
Begone, Begone, Begone! The world turns around—the thirteenth hour approacheth.
S. one, two, and three—beware! White and yellow.
J. and T—— P—— and L—— begone.—The handwriting on the wall warns you!
From the murderer's gibbet, throwInto the flame. Come high and low.
By order of the GreatBLUFUSTIN.G. S. K. K. K.
A true copy,Peterloo.P. S. K. K. K.
Hell-a-Bulloo Hole—Den of Skulls.Bloody Bones—Headquarters of theGreat Ku Klux Klan, No. 1,000.Windy Month—New Moon.Cloudy Night—Thirteenth Hour.
General Orders No. 2.
The great chief Simulacre summons you!Be ready! Crawl slowly! Strike hard!Fire around the pot!Sweltered venom, sleeping gotBoil thou first i' the charmed pot!Like a hell-broth boil and bubble!The Great High Priest Cyclops! C. J. F. Y.Varnish, Tar and Turpentine!The fifth Ghost sounds his Trumpet!The mighty Genii wants two black wethers!Make them, make them, make them! Presto!The Great Giantess must have a white barrow.Make him, make him, make him! Presto!
The great chief Simulacre summons you!Be ready! Crawl slowly! Strike hard!Fire around the pot!Sweltered venom, sleeping gotBoil thou first i' the charmed pot!Like a hell-broth boil and bubble!The Great High Priest Cyclops! C. J. F. Y.Varnish, Tar and Turpentine!The fifth Ghost sounds his Trumpet!The mighty Genii wants two black wethers!Make them, make them, make them! Presto!The Great Giantess must have a white barrow.Make him, make him, make him! Presto!
Meet at once—the den of Snakes—the Giants jungle—the hole of Hell!
The second Hobgoblin will be there, a mighty Ghost of valor! His eyes of fire, his voice of thunder! Clean the streets—clean the serpents' dens.
Red hot pincers! Bastinado!! Cut Clean!!! No more to be born. Fire and brimstone.
Leave us, leave us, leave us! One, two, three tonight! Others soon!
Hell freezes! On with skates—glide on. Twenty from Atlanta. Call the roll.Bene dicite!The Great Ogre orders it!
By order of the GreatBLUFUSTIN.G. S. K. K. K.
A true copy,Peterloo.P. S. K. K. K.
Hollow Hell, Devil's Den, HorribleShadows. Ghostly Sepulchre.Head Quarters of the Immortal Ateof the K. K. K. Gloomy month. BloodyMoon. Black Night, Last Hour.
General Orders No. 3.
Shadowed Brotherhood! Murdered heroes!
Fling the bloody dirt that covers you to the four winds! Erect thy Goddess on the banks of the Avernus. Mark well your foes! Strike with the red hot spear! Prepare Charon for his task!
Enemies reform! The skies shall be blackened! A single Star shall look down upon horrible deeds! The night owl shall hoot a requiem o'er Ghostly Corpses!
Beware! Beware! Beware!
The Great Cyclops is angry! Hobgoblins report! Shears and lash! Tar and Feathers! Hell and Fury!
Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!
Bad men! white, black, yellow, repent!
The hour is at hand! Be ye ready! Life is short. J. H. S. Y. W.!!!
Ghosts! Ghosts!! Ghosts!!!
Drink thy tea made of distilled hell, stirred with the lightning of heaven, and sweetened with the gall of thine enemies!
All will be well!!!
By order of the GreatBLUFUSTIN.G. S. K. K. K.
A true copy,Peterloo.P. S. K. K. K.[58]
The Fate of the Carpetbagger and the ScalawagThe Fate of the Carpetbagger and the ScalawagCartoon by Ryland Randolph inIndependent Monitor, September 1, 1868.ToListFor a larger version, Click image.Read Transcription
The Fate of the Carpetbagger and the ScalawagCartoon by Ryland Randolph inIndependent Monitor, September 1, 1868.ToList
For a larger version, Click image.Read Transcription
TO THE PUBLICK. K. K.TAKEN BY HABEAS CORPUS.In silence and secrecy thought has been working, and the benignant efficacies of concealment speak for themselves. Once again have we been forced by force to useForce. Justice was lame, and she had to lean upon us. Information being obtained that a "doubting Thomas," the inferior of nothing, the superior of nothing, and of consequence the equal of nothing, who has neither eyes to see the scars of oppression, nor ears to hear the cause of humanity, even though he wears the Judicial silk, had ordered some guilty prisoners from Union to the City of Columbia, and of injustice and prejudice, for anunfair trial of life; thus clutching at the wheel-spokes of destiny—then this thing was created and projected; otherwise it would never have been. We yield to the inevitable and inexorable, and account this thebest. "Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth," is our motto.We want peace, but this cannot be till justice returns. We want and will have justice, but this cannot be till the bleeding fight of freedom is fought. Until then the Moloch of Iniquity will have his victims, even if the Michael of Justice must have his martyrs.K. K. K.[59]ANOTHER KU KLUX PROCLAMATION.[60]The following document was discovered on yesterday morning posted on the "legal advertisement" board hanging at the court-house door. We have examined the original and find it is in the same handwriting as the one left with the jailer on the night of the late raid on the jail:HEADQUARTERS K. K. K, DEPARTMENT OF S. C.,General Orders No. 49.From the G. G. C., S. S.We delight not in speech, but there is language which, when meant in earnest, becomes desperate. We raise the voice of warning, beware! beware! Persons there are, (and not unknown to us,) who, to gratify some private grudge or selfish end, like Wheeler's men, so called, are executing their low, paltry, and pitiful designs at the expense, not only of the noble creed we profess and act, but also to the great trouble and annoyance of their neighbors in various communities. We stay our hand for once; but if such conduct is frightening away laborers, robbery, and connivance at the secrets of our organization is repeated, then the mockersmustsuffer and the traitors meet their merited doom. We dare not promise what we do not perform. We want no substitutes or conscripts in our ranks. We can be as generous as we are terrible; but,stand back. We've said it, and there can be no interference.By order of the Grand Chief,A.O.,Grand Secretary.KU KLUX MANIFESTO.[61]Below we publish a document which we received through the postoffice on Monday last, it having been dropped into the letter box the previous night, as we are informed by the postmaster. As to whether or not the paper is genuine, and emanates from the mysterious Ku Klux Klan, we have no means of knowing, as the handwriting is evidently disguised. Although it is our rule to decline the publication of all anonymous communications, we have decided to waive the rule in this instance, and print the document for what it is worth. Here it is in full:EXTRACT OF MINUTES.Article 1.Whereas there are malicious and evil disposed persons, who endeavor to perpetrate their malice, serve notices, and make threats under the cover of our august name, now we warn all such bogus organizations that we will not allow of any interference. Stop it.Article 2.There shall be no interference with any honest, decent, well-behaved person, whether white or black; and we cordially invite all such to continue at their appropriate labor, and they shall be protected therein by the whole power of this organization. But we do intend that the honest, intelligent white people (the tax payers) of this county shall rule it! We can no longer put up with negro rule, black bayonets, and a miserably degraded, thievish set of lawmakers, (God save the mark!) the scum of the earth, the scrapings of creation. We are pledged to stop it; we are determined to end it, even if we are "forced by force to use force."Article 3.Our attention having been called to the letter of one Rose, county treasurer of York,we brand it as a lie! Our lieutenant was ordered to arrest him, that he might be tried on alleged charges of incendiarism, (and if convicted he will be executed). But there were no shots fired at him and no money stolen; that is not in our line, the legislature of the State of South Carolina have a monopoly in that line.By command of the Chief.Official: K. K. K., A. A. G.K. K. K.[62]HEADQUARTERS; NINTH DIVISION, S.C.,Special Orders No. 3, K. K. K."Ignorance is the curse of God." For this reason we are determined that the members of the legislature, the school commissioners, and the county commissioners of Union, shall no longer officiate. Fifteen (15) days' notice from this date is therefore given and if they,one and all, do notat once and forever resigntheir present inhuman, disgraceful, and outrageous rule, then retributive justice will as surely be used as night follows day.Also, "An honest man is the noblest work of God." For this reason, if the clerk of the said board of county commissioners and school commissioners does notimmediatelyrenounce and relinquish his present position, then harsher measures than these will most assuredly andcertainlybe used.For confirmation, reference to the orders heretofore published in theUnion Weekly TimesandYorkville Enquirerwill more fully and completely show our intention.A.O.,Grand Secretary.March 9, 1871.
In silence and secrecy thought has been working, and the benignant efficacies of concealment speak for themselves. Once again have we been forced by force to useForce. Justice was lame, and she had to lean upon us. Information being obtained that a "doubting Thomas," the inferior of nothing, the superior of nothing, and of consequence the equal of nothing, who has neither eyes to see the scars of oppression, nor ears to hear the cause of humanity, even though he wears the Judicial silk, had ordered some guilty prisoners from Union to the City of Columbia, and of injustice and prejudice, for anunfair trial of life; thus clutching at the wheel-spokes of destiny—then this thing was created and projected; otherwise it would never have been. We yield to the inevitable and inexorable, and account this thebest. "Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth," is our motto.
We want peace, but this cannot be till justice returns. We want and will have justice, but this cannot be till the bleeding fight of freedom is fought. Until then the Moloch of Iniquity will have his victims, even if the Michael of Justice must have his martyrs.
K. K. K.[59]
The following document was discovered on yesterday morning posted on the "legal advertisement" board hanging at the court-house door. We have examined the original and find it is in the same handwriting as the one left with the jailer on the night of the late raid on the jail:
HEADQUARTERS K. K. K, DEPARTMENT OF S. C.,
General Orders No. 49.
From the G. G. C., S. S.
We delight not in speech, but there is language which, when meant in earnest, becomes desperate. We raise the voice of warning, beware! beware! Persons there are, (and not unknown to us,) who, to gratify some private grudge or selfish end, like Wheeler's men, so called, are executing their low, paltry, and pitiful designs at the expense, not only of the noble creed we profess and act, but also to the great trouble and annoyance of their neighbors in various communities. We stay our hand for once; but if such conduct is frightening away laborers, robbery, and connivance at the secrets of our organization is repeated, then the mockersmustsuffer and the traitors meet their merited doom. We dare not promise what we do not perform. We want no substitutes or conscripts in our ranks. We can be as generous as we are terrible; but,stand back. We've said it, and there can be no interference.
By order of the Grand Chief,A.O.,Grand Secretary.
KU KLUX MANIFESTO.[61]
Below we publish a document which we received through the postoffice on Monday last, it having been dropped into the letter box the previous night, as we are informed by the postmaster. As to whether or not the paper is genuine, and emanates from the mysterious Ku Klux Klan, we have no means of knowing, as the handwriting is evidently disguised. Although it is our rule to decline the publication of all anonymous communications, we have decided to waive the rule in this instance, and print the document for what it is worth. Here it is in full:
EXTRACT OF MINUTES.
Article 1.Whereas there are malicious and evil disposed persons, who endeavor to perpetrate their malice, serve notices, and make threats under the cover of our august name, now we warn all such bogus organizations that we will not allow of any interference. Stop it.
Article 2.There shall be no interference with any honest, decent, well-behaved person, whether white or black; and we cordially invite all such to continue at their appropriate labor, and they shall be protected therein by the whole power of this organization. But we do intend that the honest, intelligent white people (the tax payers) of this county shall rule it! We can no longer put up with negro rule, black bayonets, and a miserably degraded, thievish set of lawmakers, (God save the mark!) the scum of the earth, the scrapings of creation. We are pledged to stop it; we are determined to end it, even if we are "forced by force to use force."
Article 3.Our attention having been called to the letter of one Rose, county treasurer of York,we brand it as a lie! Our lieutenant was ordered to arrest him, that he might be tried on alleged charges of incendiarism, (and if convicted he will be executed). But there were no shots fired at him and no money stolen; that is not in our line, the legislature of the State of South Carolina have a monopoly in that line.
By command of the Chief.Official: K. K. K., A. A. G.
K. K. K.[62]
HEADQUARTERS; NINTH DIVISION, S.C.,
Special Orders No. 3, K. K. K.
"Ignorance is the curse of God." For this reason we are determined that the members of the legislature, the school commissioners, and the county commissioners of Union, shall no longer officiate. Fifteen (15) days' notice from this date is therefore given and if they,one and all, do notat once and forever resigntheir present inhuman, disgraceful, and outrageous rule, then retributive justice will as surely be used as night follows day.
Also, "An honest man is the noblest work of God." For this reason, if the clerk of the said board of county commissioners and school commissioners does notimmediatelyrenounce and relinquish his present position, then harsher measures than these will most assuredly andcertainlybe used.
For confirmation, reference to the orders heretofore published in theUnion Weekly TimesandYorkville Enquirerwill more fully and completely show our intention.
A.O.,Grand Secretary.
March 9, 1871.
Warning Sent by the KlanWarning Sent by the KlanFrom Ku Klux Report, Alabama Testimony.ToListFor a larger version, Click image.Read Transcription
Warning Sent by the KlanFrom Ku Klux Report, Alabama Testimony.ToList
For a larger version, Click image.Read Transcription
THE OATH.[63]I, before the great immaculate God of heaven and earth, do take and subscribe to the following sacred binding oath and obligation: I promise and swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States as it was handed down by our forefathers in its original purity. I promise and swear that I will reject and oppose the principles of the radical party in all its forms, and forever maintain and contend that intelligent white men shall govern this country. I promise and pledge myself to assist, according to my pecuniary circumstances, all brothers in distress. Females, widows, and their households shall ever be specially in my care and protection. I promise and swear that I will obey all instructions given me by my chief, and should I ever divulge or cause to be divulged any secrets, signs or pass-words of the Invisible Empire, I must meet with the fearful and just penalty of the traitor, which is death, death, death, at the hands of my brethren.[64]I, T. A. Hope, before the Great Immaculate Judges of Heaven and Earth, and upon the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, do, of my own free will and accord, subscribe to the following sacred, binding obligation:I. I am on the side of justice and humanity, and constitutional liberty as bequeathed to us by our forefathers in its original purity.II. I reject and oppose the principles of the radical party.III. I pledge aid to a brother of the Ku Klux Klan in sickness, distress, or pecuniary embarrassments; females, friends, and widows, and their households shall be the special object of my care and devoted protection.IV. Should I ever divulge, or cause to be divulged, any of the secrets of this order, or any of the foregoing obligations, I must meet with the fearful punishment of death and traitor's doom, which is death, death, death, at the hands of the brethren.[65]I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Invisible Circle; that I will defend our families, our wives, our children, and brethren; that I will assist a brother in distress to the best of my ability; that I will never reveal the secrets of this order or anything in regard to it that may come to my knowledge, and if I do may I meet a traitor's doom, which is death, death, death: so help me God, and so punish me my brethren.[66]
I, before the great immaculate God of heaven and earth, do take and subscribe to the following sacred binding oath and obligation: I promise and swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States as it was handed down by our forefathers in its original purity. I promise and swear that I will reject and oppose the principles of the radical party in all its forms, and forever maintain and contend that intelligent white men shall govern this country. I promise and pledge myself to assist, according to my pecuniary circumstances, all brothers in distress. Females, widows, and their households shall ever be specially in my care and protection. I promise and swear that I will obey all instructions given me by my chief, and should I ever divulge or cause to be divulged any secrets, signs or pass-words of the Invisible Empire, I must meet with the fearful and just penalty of the traitor, which is death, death, death, at the hands of my brethren.[64]
I, T. A. Hope, before the Great Immaculate Judges of Heaven and Earth, and upon the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, do, of my own free will and accord, subscribe to the following sacred, binding obligation:
I. I am on the side of justice and humanity, and constitutional liberty as bequeathed to us by our forefathers in its original purity.
II. I reject and oppose the principles of the radical party.
III. I pledge aid to a brother of the Ku Klux Klan in sickness, distress, or pecuniary embarrassments; females, friends, and widows, and their households shall be the special object of my care and devoted protection.
IV. Should I ever divulge, or cause to be divulged, any of the secrets of this order, or any of the foregoing obligations, I must meet with the fearful punishment of death and traitor's doom, which is death, death, death, at the hands of the brethren.[65]
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Invisible Circle; that I will defend our families, our wives, our children, and brethren; that I will assist a brother in distress to the best of my ability; that I will never reveal the secrets of this order or anything in regard to it that may come to my knowledge, and if I do may I meet a traitor's doom, which is death, death, death: so help me God, and so punish me my brethren.[66]
[57]Montgomery Mail, March 23, 1868.
[57]Montgomery Mail, March 23, 1868.
[58]This and the two preceding orders were written by Ryland Randolph and printed in his paperThe Independent Monitor, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
[58]This and the two preceding orders were written by Ryland Randolph and printed in his paperThe Independent Monitor, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
[59]From theWeekly Union Timesof Unionville, S.C., February 17, 1871; South Carolina Testimony, pp. 1003, 1092. The negro militia of South Carolina had killed a man who refused to sell whisky to them. Several were arrested and imprisoned. A radical judge named Thomas, in Columbia, 60 or 70 miles away and out of the district where the crime was committed, directed that the prisoners be removed to Columbia for trial. The whites believed that this was done as the first step toward releasing the criminals. A mob came in, took the men from jail, shot them and gave to the sheriff the above notice with instructions to have it published in the newspapers.
[59]From theWeekly Union Timesof Unionville, S.C., February 17, 1871; South Carolina Testimony, pp. 1003, 1092. The negro militia of South Carolina had killed a man who refused to sell whisky to them. Several were arrested and imprisoned. A radical judge named Thomas, in Columbia, 60 or 70 miles away and out of the district where the crime was committed, directed that the prisoners be removed to Columbia for trial. The whites believed that this was done as the first step toward releasing the criminals. A mob came in, took the men from jail, shot them and gave to the sheriff the above notice with instructions to have it published in the newspapers.
[60]Weekly Union Times, Unionville, S.C., February 24, 1871; Ku Klux Report, South Carolina Testimony, p. 1004. The Ku Klux Klan had many imitators, and lawless conduct was often carried on under the protection of the name and prestige of the Klan. The above warning was meant for those who had been using the name of the order to cloak evil deeds.
[60]Weekly Union Times, Unionville, S.C., February 24, 1871; Ku Klux Report, South Carolina Testimony, p. 1004. The Ku Klux Klan had many imitators, and lawless conduct was often carried on under the protection of the name and prestige of the Klan. The above warning was meant for those who had been using the name of the order to cloak evil deeds.
[61]Yorkville Enquirer, Yorkville, S.C., March 9, 1871; South Carolina Testimony, p. 1347. Another warning to those engaged in lawlessness and using the name of the Klan.
[61]Yorkville Enquirer, Yorkville, S.C., March 9, 1871; South Carolina Testimony, p. 1347. Another warning to those engaged in lawlessness and using the name of the Klan.
[62]Union Weekly Times, March 17, 1871; South Carolina Testimony, p. 1096. This order illustrates one method of getting rid of obnoxious officials.
[62]Union Weekly Times, March 17, 1871; South Carolina Testimony, p. 1096. This order illustrates one method of getting rid of obnoxious officials.
[63]The oath of Ku Klux Klan was not printed. The three versions here given were given from memory. The similarity is marked, however.
[63]The oath of Ku Klux Klan was not printed. The three versions here given were given from memory. The similarity is marked, however.
[64]Ku Klux Report. North Carolina Testimony. Court Proceedings, p. 422.
[64]Ku Klux Report. North Carolina Testimony. Court Proceedings, p. 422.
[65]Ku Klux Report, North Carolina Testimony, pp. 399, 400.
[65]Ku Klux Report, North Carolina Testimony, pp. 399, 400.
[66]South Carolina Testimony, p. 361.
[66]South Carolina Testimony, p. 361.