The Modern Ku Klux Klan Part 11

"_d.a.m.nant quod intelligent_"

"APPELLATION"

This organization shall by styled and denominated, The Order of * * *

"CREED"

"We, the Order of the * * *, reverentially acknowledge the majesty and supremacy of the Divine Being, and recognize the goodness and providence of the same. And we recognize our relation to the United States Government, the supremacy of the Const.i.tution, the Const.i.tutional Laws thereof, and the union of States thereunder.

"CHARACTER AND OBJECTS OF THE ORDER"

"This is an inst.i.tution of Chivalry, Humanity, Mercy, and Patriotism embodying in its genius and its principles all that is chivalric in conduct, n.o.ble in sentiment, generous in manhood, and patriotic in purpose; its object being,

"First: To protect the weak, the innocent, and the defenseless from the indignities, wrongs, and outrages of the lawless, the violent, and the brutal; to relieve the injured and oppressed; to succor the suffering and unfortunate, and especially the widows and orphans of Confederate Soldiers.

"Second: To protect and defend the Const.i.tution of the United States and all laws pa.s.sed in conformity thereto, and to protect the States and the people thereof from all invasion from any source whatever (_Nec scire fas est omnia_).

"Third: To aid and a.s.sist in the execution of all const.i.tutional laws, and to protect the people from unlawful seizure, and from trial except by their peers in conformity to the laws of the land.

ARTICLE I

t.i.tLES

"_Section 1._ The officers of the Order shall consist of a Grand Wizard of the Empire, and his ten Genii; a Grand Dragon of the realm, and his eight Hydras; a Grand t.i.tan of the Dominion, and his six Furies; a Grand Giant of the Province, and his four Goblins; a Grand Cyclops of the Den, and his two Night Hawks; a Grand Magi, a Grand Monk, a Grand Scribe, a Grand Exchequer, a Grand Turk, and a Grand Sentinel.

"_Section 2._ The body politic of the Order shall be known and designated as 'Ghouls.'

ARTICLE II

TERRITORY AND ITS DIVISIONS

"_Section 1._ The territory embraced within the jurisdiction of this Order shall be coterminous with the States of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee; all combined const.i.tuting the Empire.

"_Section 2._ The Empire shall be divided into four departments, the first to be styled the Realm, and coterminous with the boundaries of the several States; the second to be styled the Dominion and (_Amici humani generis_) to be coterminous with such counties as the Grand Dragons of the several Realms may a.s.sign to the charge of the Grand t.i.tan; the third to be styled the Province, and to be coterminous with the several counties; provided, the Grand t.i.tan may, when he deems it necessary, a.s.sign two Grand Giants to one Province, prescribing at the same time the jurisdiction of each.

The fourth department to be styled the Den, and shall embrace such part of a Province as the Grand Giant shall a.s.sign to the charge of a Grand Cyclops.

ARTICLE III

POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

_Grand Wizard_

"_Section 1._ The Grand Wizard, who is the supreme officer of the Empire, shall have power, and he shall be required to appoint Grand Dragons for the different Realms of the Empire; and he shall have power to appoint his Genii; also a Grand Scribe and a Grand Exchequer for his department, and he shall have the sole power to issue copies of this "Prescript," through his Subalterns, for the organization and dissemination of the Order; and when a question of paramount importance to the interests or prosperity of the Order arises, not provided for in this "Prescript," he shall have the power to determine the question, and his decision shall be final until the same shall be provided for by amendment as hereinafter provided. It shall be his duty to communicate with, and receive reports from the Grand Dragons of Realms as to the condition, strength, and progress of the Order within their respective Realms, and (_Quemcunque miserum videris, hominem scias_) it shall further be his duty to keep, by his Grand Scribe, a list of the names (without any caption or explanation whatever) of the Grand Dragons of the different Realms of the Empire, and shall number such Realms with the Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3 etc. _ad finem_; and he shall direct his Grand Exchequer as to the appropriation and disburs.e.m.e.nt he shall make of the revenue of the Order that comes to his hands.

_Grand Dragon_

"_Section 2._ The Grand Dragon, who is the chief officer of the Realm, shall have power, and he shall be required to appoint and instruct a Grand t.i.tan for each Dominion of his realm (such Dominion not to exceed three in number for any Congressional District), said appointments being subject to the approval of the Grand Wizard of the Empire. He shall have power to appoint his Hydras; also a Grand Scribe and a Grand Exchequer for his department.

"It shall be his duty to report to the Grand Wizard, when required by that officer, the condition, strength, efficiency, and progress of the Order within his Realm, and to transmit, through the Grand t.i.tan, or other authorized sources, to the Order, all information, intelligence, or instruction conveyed to him by the Grand Wizard for that purpose, and all such information or instructions as he may think will promote the interest and utility of the Order. He shall keep, by his Grand Scribe, a list of the names (without caption) of the Grand t.i.tans of the different Dominions of his Realm, and shall report the same to the Grand Wizard when required, and (_Magna est veritas, et prevalebit_) shall number the Dominions of his Realm with the Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, etc. _ad finem_. And he shall direct and instruct his Grand Exchequer as to the appropriation and disburs.e.m.e.nt he shall make of the revenue of the Order that comes to his hands.

_Grand t.i.tan_

"_Section 3._ The Grand t.i.tan, who is the chief officer of the Dominion, shall have power and he shall be required to appoint and instruct a Grand Giant for each Province of his Dominion such appointment, however, being subject to the approval of the Grand Dragon of the Realm. He shall have the power to appoint his Furies; also a Grand Scribe and a Grand Exchequer for his department. It shall be his duty to report to the Grand Dragon, when required by that officer, the condition, strength, efficiency, and progress of the order within his Dominion and to transmit through the Grand Giant, or other authorized channels, to the Order, all information, intelligence, instruction, or directions conveyed to him by the Grand Dragon for that purpose, and all such other information or instruction as he may think will enhance the interest or efficiency of the Order.

"He shall keep, by his Grand Scribe, a list of the names (without caption or explanation) of the Grand Giants of the different Provinces of his Dominion, and shall report the same to the Grand Dragon when required; and shall number the Provinces of his Dominion with the Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, etc. _ad finem_. And he shall direct and instruct his Grand Exchequer as to the appropriation and disburs.e.m.e.nt he shall make of the revenue of the Order that comes to his hands. (_Ne tentes aut perfice._)

_Grand Giant_

"_Section 4._ The Grand Giant, who is the chief officer of the Province, shall have power, and he is required, to appoint and instruct a Grand Cyclops for each Den of his Province, and such appointment, however, being subject to the approval of the Grand t.i.tan of the Dominion. And he shall have the further power to appoint his Goblins; also a Grand Scribe and a Grand Exchequer for his department.

"It shall be his duty to supervise and administer general and special instructions in the organization and establishment of the Order within his Province, and to report to the Grand t.i.tan, when required by that officer, the condition, strength and progress of the Order within his Province, and to transmit through the Grand Cyclops, or other legitimate sources, to the Order, all information, intelligence, instruction, or directions conveyed to him by the Grand t.i.tan or other higher authority for that purpose, and all such other information or instruction as he may think would advance the purposes or prosperity of the Order. He shall keep, by his Grand Scribe, a list of the names (without caption or explanation) of the Grand Cyclops of the various Dens of his Province, and shall report the same to the Grand t.i.tan when required; and shall number the Dens of his Province with the Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, etc. _ad finem_. He shall determine and limit the number of Dens to be organized and established in his Province; and shall direct and instruct his Grand Exchequer as to the appropriation and disburs.e.m.e.nt he shall make of the revenue of the Order that comes to his hands. (_Quid faciendum?_)

_Grand Cyclops_

"_Section 5._ The Grand Cyclops, who is the chief officer of the Den, shall have power to appoint his Night Hawks, his Grand Scribe, his Grand Turk, his Grand Exchequer, and his Grand Sentinel. And for small offenses he may punish any member by fine, and may reprimand him for the same. And he is further empowered to admonish and reprimand his Den, or any of the members thereof, for any imprudence, irregularity, or transgression whenever he may think that the interests, welfare, reputation or safety of the Order demands it. It shall be his duty to take charge of his Den under the instruction and with the a.s.sistance (when practicable) of the Grand Giant, and in accordance with and in conformity to the provisions of this Prescript, a copy of which shall in all cases be obtained before the formation of a Den begins. It shall further be his duty to appoint all regular meetings of his Den, and to preside at the same; to appoint irregular meetings when he deems it expedient; to preserve order and enforce discipline in his Den; to impose fines for irregularities or disobedience of orders; and to receive and initiate candidates for admission into the Order, after the same shall have been p.r.o.nounced competent and worthy to become members, by the Investigating Committee hereinafter provided for. And it shall further be his duty to make a quarterly report to the Grand Giant of the condition, strength, efficiency and progress of his Den, and shall communicate to the Officers and Ghouls of his Den all information, intelligence, instruction or direction conveyed to him by the Grand Giant or other higher authority for that (_Fiat justicia coelum_) purpose; and shall from time to time administer all other counsel, instruction, or direction, as in his sound discretion, will conduce to the interests, and more effectually accomplish, the real objects and designs of the Order.

_Grand Magi_

"_Section 6._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Magi, who is the second officer in authority of the Den, to a.s.sist the Grand Cyclops, and to obey all the orders of that officer; to preside at all meetings in the Den, in the absence of the Grand Cyclops; and to discharge during his absence all the duties and exercise all the powers and authority of that officer.

_Grand Monk_

"_Section 7._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Monk, who is the third officer of the Den, to a.s.sist and obey all the orders of the Grand Magi; and in the absence of both of these officers he shall preside at and conduct the meetings in the Den, and shall discharge all the duties, and exercise all the powers and authority of the Grand Cyclops.

_Grand Exchequer_

"_Section 8._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Exchequers of all the different departments to keep a correct account of all the revenue of the Order that comes to their hands, and of all paid out by them; and shall make no appropriation or disburs.e.m.e.nt of the same except under the orders and direction of (_Dormitus aliquando jus, moritus nunquam_) the chief officer of their respective departments. And it shall further be the duty of the Exchequers of Dens to collect the initiation fees, and all fines imposed by the Grand Cyclops, or the officer discharging his functions.

_Grand Turk_

"_Section 9._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Turk, who is the executive officer of the Grand Cyclops, to notify the officers and Ghouls of the Den of all informal or irregular meetings appointed by the Grand Cyclops, and to obey and execute all the orders of that officer in the control and government of his Den. It shall further be his duty to receive and question at the outpost, all candidates for admission into the order and shall there administer the preliminary obligation required, and then conduct such candidate or candidates to the Grand Cyclops, and to a.s.sist him in the initiation of the same.

_Grand Scribe_

"_Section 10._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Scribes of the different Departments to conduct the correspondence and write the orders of the Chiefs of their Departments when required. And it shall further be the duty of the Grand Scribes of Dens to keep a list of the names (without any caption or explanation whatever) of the officers and Ghouls of the Den, to call the roll at all meetings, and to make the quarterly reports under the direction and instruction of the Grand Cyclops. (_Quieta non movere._)

_Grand Sentinel_

"_Section 11._ It shall be the duty of the Grand Sentinel to take charge of post and instruct the Grand Guard, under the direction and orders of the Grand Cyclops, and to relieve and dismiss the same when directed by that officer.

_The Staff_

"_Section 12._ The Genii shall const.i.tute the staff of the Grand Wizard; the Hydras, that of the Grand Dragon; the Furies, that of the Grand t.i.tan; and the Night-Hawks that of the Grand Cyclops.