Ku Klux Klan: Its Origin, Growth and Disbandment Part 12

ARTICLE IV

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

SECTION 1. The Grand Wizard shall be elected biennially by the Grand Dragons of Realms.

The first election for this office to take place on the 1st Monday in May, 1870, (a Grand Wizard having been created, by the original Prescript, to serve three years from the 1st Monday in May, 1867); all subsequent elections to take place every two years thereafter. And the inc.u.mbent Grand Wizard shall notify the Grand Dragons of the different Realms, at least six months before said election, at what time and place the same will be held; a majority vote of all the Grand Dragons _present_ being necessary and sufficient to elect a Grand Wizard. Such election shall be by ballot, and shall be held by three Commis- sioners appointed by the Grand Wizard for that purpose; and in the event of a tie, the Grand Wizard shall have the casting-vote.

SEC. 2. The Grand Magi and the Grand Monk of Dens shall be elected annually by the Ghouls of Dens; and the first election for these officers may take place as soon as ten Ghouls have been initiated for the formation of a Den. All subse-

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quent elections to take place every year there- after.

SEC. 3. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Grand Wizard, by death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, the senior Grand Dragon of the Empire shall immediately a.s.sume and enter upon the discharge of the duties of the Grand Wizard, and shall exercise the powers and per- form the duties of said office until the same shall be filled by election; and the said senior Grand Dragon, as soon as practicable after the happen- ing of such vacancy, shall call a convention of the Grand Dragons of Realms, to be held at such time and place as in his discretion he may deem most convenient and proper. _Provided_, however, that the time for a.s.sembling such Con- vention for the election of a Grand Wizard shall in no case exceed six months from the time such vacancy occurred; and in the event of a va- cancy in any other office, the same shall imme- diately be filled in the manner herein before mentioned.

SEC. 4. The Officers heretofore elected or ap- pointed may retain their offices during the time for which they have been so elected or appointed, at the expiration of which time said offices shall be filled as herein-before provided.

ARTICLE V

JUDICIARY.

SECTION 1. The Tribunal of Justice of this Order shall consist of a Court at the Head-quar-

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ters of the Empire, the Realm, the Dominion, the Province, and the Den, to be appointed by the Chiefs of these several Departments.

SEC. 2. The Court at the Head-quarters of the Empire shall consist of three Judges for the trial of Grand Dragons, and the Officers and at- taches belonging to the Head-quarters of the Empire.

SEC. 3. The Court at the Head-quarters of the Realm shall consist of three Judges for the trial of Grand t.i.tans, and the Officers and attaches belonging to the Head-quarters of the Realm.

SEC. 4. The Court at the Head-quarters of the Dominion shall consist of three Judges for the trial of Grand Giants, and the Officers and at- taches belonging to the Head-quarters of the Dominion.

SEC. 5. The Court at the Head-quarters of the Province shall consist of five Judges for the trial of Grand Cyclops, the Grand Magis, Grand Monks, and the Grand Exchequers of Dens, and the Officers and attaches belonging to the Head- quarters of the Province.

SEC. 6. The Court at the Head-quarters of the Den shall consist of seven Judges appointed from the Den for the trial of Ghouls and the officers belonging to the Head-quarters of the Den.

SEC. 7. The Tribunal for the trial of the Grand Wizard shall be composed of at least seven Grand Dragons, to be convened by the senior Grand Dragon upon charges being preferred against the

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Grand Wizard; which Tribunal shall be organ- ized and presided over by the senior Grand Dragon _present_; and if they find the accused guilty, they shall prescribe the penalty, and the senior Grand Dragon of the Empire shall cause the same to be executed.

SEC. 8. The aforesaid Courts shall summon the accused and witnesses for and against him, and if found guilty, they shall prescribe the pen- alty, and the Officers convening the Court shall cause the same to be executed. _Provided_ the ac- cused shall always have the right of appeal to the next Court above, whose decision shall be final.

SEC. 9. The Judges const.i.tuting the aforesaid Courts shall be selected with reference to their intelligence, integrity, and fair-mindedness, and shall render their verdict without prejudice, favor, partiality, or affection, and shall be so sworn, upon the organization of the Court; and shall further be sworn to administer even-handed justice.

SEC. 10. The several Courts herein provided for shall be governed in their deliberations, pro- ceedings, and judgments by the rules and regu- lations governing the proceedings of regular Courts-martial.

ARTICLE VI.

REVENUE.

SECTION 1. The revenue of this Order shall be derived as follows: For every copy of this Pre-

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script issued to Dens, $10 will be required; $2 of which shall go into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand Giant, $2 into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand t.i.tan, $2 into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand Dragon, and the remaining $4 into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand Wizard.

SEC. 2. A further source of revenue to the Empire shall be ten per cent. of all the revenue of the Realms, and a tax upon Realms when the Grand Wizard shall deem it necessary and in- dispensable to levy the same.

SEC. 3. A further source of revenue to Realms shall be ten per cent. of all the revenue of Do- minions, and a tax upon Dominions when the Grand Dragon shall deem it necessary and in- dispensable to levy the same.

SEC. 4. A further source of revenue to Domin- ions shall be ten per cent. of all the revenue of Provinces, and a tax upon Provinces when the Grand Giant shall deem such tax necessary and indispensable.

SEC. 5. A further source of revenue to Provin- ces shall be ten per cent. of all the revenue of Dens, and a tax upon Dens when the Grand Giant shall deem such tax necessary and indis- pensable.

SEC. 6. The source of revenue to Dens shall be the initiation fees, fines, and a _per capita_ tax, whenever the Grand Cyclops shall deem such

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tax necessary and indispensable to the interests and objects of the Order.

SEC. 7. All the revenue obtained in the man- ner aforesaid, shall be for the _exclusive_ benefit of the Order, and shall be appropriated to the dissemination of the same and to the creation of a fund to meet any disburs.e.m.e.nt that it may be- come necessary to make to accomplish the ob- jects of the Order and to secure the protection of the same.

ARTICLE VII.

ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP.

SECTION 1. No one shall be presented for ad- mission into the Order until he shall have first been recommended by some friend or intimate who _is_ a member, to the Investigating Commit- tee, (which shall be composed of the Grand Cy- clops, the Grand Magi, and the Grand Monk,) and who shall have investigated his antecedents and his past and present standing and connec- tions; and after such investigation, shall have p.r.o.nounced him competent and worthy to become a member. _Provided_, no one shall be presented for admission into, or become a member of, this Order who shall not have attained the age of eighteen years.

SEC. 2. No one shall become a member of this Order unless he shall _voluntarily_ take the follow- ing oaths or obligations, and shall _satisfactorily_ answer the following interrogatories, while kneel-

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ing, with his right hand raised to heaven, and his left hand resting on the Bible:

PRELIMINARY OBLIGATION.

"I ---- solemnly swear or affirm that I will never reveal any thing that I may this day (or night) learn concerning the Order of the * * *, and that I will true answer make to such interrog- atories as may be put to me touching my com- petency for admission into the same. So help me G.o.d."

INTERROGATORIES TO BE ASKED:

1st. Have you ever been rejected, upon appli- cation for membership in the * * *, or have you ever been expelled from the same?

2d. Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Radical Republican party, or either of the organizations known as the "Loyal League" and the "Grand Army of the Re- public?".

3d. Are you opposed to the principles and policy of the Radical party, and to the Loyal League, and the Grand Army of the Republic, so far as you are informed of the character and purposes of those organizations?