OBLIGATION.

You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will never reveal anything said or done in this room, the names of any persons present, nor the existence of this society, whether found worthy to proceed or not, and that all your declarations shall be true, so help you God?

Ans." I do."

Marshal.-Where were you born?

Marshal.-Where is your permanent residence?

(If born out of the jurisdiction of the United States, the answer shall be written, the candidate dismissed with an admonition of secrecy, and the brother vouching for him suspended from all the privileges of the order, unless upon satisfactory proof that he has been misinformed.)

Marshal.-Are you twenty-one years of age?

Ans.-"I am."

Marshal.-Were you born of Protestant parents or were you reared under Protestant influence?

Ans.-"Yes."

Marshal.-If married, is your wife a Roman Catholic?

("No" or "Yes"-the answer to be valued as the Constitution of the State Council shall provide.)

Marshal.-Are you willing to use your influence and vote only for native-born American citizens for all offices of honor, trust or profit in the gift of the people, to the exclusion of all foreigners and aliens, and Roman Catholics in particular, and without regard to party predilections?

Ans." I am."

INSIDE.

(The Marshal shall then repair to the council in session, and present the written list of names, vouchers and answers to the President, who shall cause them to be read aloud, and a vote of the council to be taken on each name, in such manner as prescribed by its bye-laws. If doubts arise in the ante-room, they shall be referred to the council. If a candidate be dismissed, he shall be admonished to secrecy. The candidates declared elected shall be conducted to seats within the council, apart from the brethren. When all are present the President by one blow of the gavil, shall call to order and say :)

President.-Brother Marshal, introduce the candidates to the Vice-President. Marshal.-Worthy Vice-President, I present to you these candidates, who have duly answered all questions.

Vice-President, rising in his place.-Gentlemen, it is my office to welcome you as friends. When you shall have assumed the patriotic vow by which we are all bound, we will embrace you as brothers. I am authorized to declare that our obligations enjoin nothing which is inconsistent with the duty which every good man owes to his Creator, his country, his family or himself. We do not compel you, against your convictions, to act with us in our good work; but should you at any time wish to withdraw, it will be our duty to grant you a dismissal in good faith. If satisfied with this assurance, you will rise upon your feet, (pausing till they do so,) place the left hand upon the breast, and raise the right hand towards heaven.

(The brethren to remain seated till called up.)

OBLIGATION.

In the presence of Almighty God and these witnesses, you do solemnly promise and swear that you will never betray any of the secrects of this society,

nor communicate them even to proper candidates, except within a lawful council of the order; that you never will permit any of the secrets of this society to be written, or in any other manner made legible, except for the purpose of official instruction; that you will not vote, nor give your influence for any man, for any office in the gift of the people, unless he be an American born citizen, in favor of Americans ruling America, nor if he be a Roman Catholic; that you will in all political matters, so far as this order is concerned, comply with the will of the majority, though it may conflict with your personal preference, so long as it does not conflict with the Constitution of the United States of America or that of the State in which you reside; that you will not, under any circumstances whatever, knowingly recommend an unworthy person for initiation, nor suffer it to be done if in your power to prevent it; that you will not, under any circumstances, expose the name of any member of this order, nor reveal the existence of such an association; that you will answer an imperative notice issued by the proper authority; obey the command of the State Council, President, or his deputy, while assembled by such notice, and respond to the claim of a sign or a cry of the order, unless it be physically impossible; and that you will acknowledge the State Council of as the legislative head, the ruling authority, and the supreme tribunal of the order in the State of acting under the jurisdiction of the National Council of the United States of North America.

Binding yourself in the penalty of excommunication from the order, the forfeiture of all intercourse with its members, and being denounced in all the societies of the same, as a wilful traitor to your God and your country.

(The President shall call up every person present by three blows of the gavil, when the candidates shall all repeat after the Vice-President in concert :) All this I voluntarily and sincerely promise, with a full understanding of the solemn sanctions and penalties.

Vice-President.-You have now taken solemn oaths, and made as sacred promises as man can make, that you will keep all our secrets inviolate; and we wish you distinctly to understand that he that takes these oaths and makes these promises, and then violates them, leaves the foul, the deep and blighting stain of perjury resting on his soul.

President.-(Having seated all by one blow of the gavil.)-Brother Instructor, these new brothers having complied with the demands of the order, are entitled to the secrets and privileges of the same. You will, therefore, invest them with everything appertaining to the first degree.

Instructor.-Brothers: the practices and proceedings in our order are as fol

lows:

We have pass-words necessary to be used to obtain admission to our councils; forms for our conduct while there; means of recognizing each other when abroad; means of mutual protection; and methods for giving notices to members.

At the outer door you will* (make any ordinary alarm to attract the notice of the outside sentinel.)

When the wicket is opened you will pronounce the (words-what's the pass,) in a whisper. The outside sentinel will reply (Give it), when you will give the term pass-word and be admitted to the ante-room. You will then proceed to

*In the Ritual the words in parenthesis are omitted. In the key to the Ritual, they are written in figures-the alphabet used being the same as printed below. So throughout.

Key to Unlock Know Nothing Communications.

the inner door and give (one rap). When the wicket is opened, give your
name, the number of, and location of your council, the explanation of the term
pass, and the degree pass-word.

If these be found correct, you will be admitted; if not, your name will be
reported to the Vice-President, and must be properly vouched for before you
can gain admission to the council. You will then proceed to the centre of the
room and address the (President) with the countersign, which is performed thus,
(placing the right hand diagonally across the mouth.) When this salutation is
recognized, you will quietly take your seat.

This sign is peculiar to this degree, and is never to be used outside of the
council room, nor during the conferring of this degree. When retiring, you
will address the (Vice-President) in the same manner, and also give the degree
pass-word to the inside sentinel.

The "term pass-word" is (We are.)

(The pass-word and explanation is to be established by each State Council for
its respective subordinates.)

The "explanation" of the "term-pass," to be used at the inner door, is (our
country's hope.)

The "degree pass-word" is (Native.)

The "travelling pass-word" is (The memory of our pilgrim fathers.)

(This word is changed annually by the President of the National Council of
the United States, and is to be made and used only when the brother is travel-
ing beyond the jurisdiction of his own State, District or Territory. It and all
other pass-words must be communicated in a whisper, and no brother is entitled
to communicate them to another, without authority from the presiding officer.)
The "sign of recognition" is (grasping the right lappel of the coat with the
right hand, the fore finger being extended inwards.)

The "answer" is given by (a similar action with the left hand.)
The "grip" is given by (an ordinary shake of the hand.)

The person challenging shall (then draw the fore finger along the palm of the
hand.) The answer will be given by (a similar action forming a link by hook-
ing together the ends of the fore finger;) when the following conversation en-
sues-the challenging party first saying (is that yours?) The answer, (it is.)
Then the response (how did you get it?), followed by the rejoinder (it is my
birth-right.)

Public notice for a meeting is given by means of a (piece of white paper the
shape of a heart.)

(In cities† the *** of the *** where the meeting is to be held, will be written
legibly upon the notice; and upon the election day said *** will denote the ***
where your presence is needed. This notice will never be passed, but will be
*** or thrown upon the sidewalk with *** in the centre.)

a

If information is wanting of the object of the gathering, or of the place, &c.,
the inquirer will ask of an undoubted brother (where's when?) The brother
will give the information if possessed of it; if not, it will be yours and his
duty to continue the inquiry, and thus disseminate the call throughout the
brotherhood.

If the color of (the paper) be (red,) it will denote actual trouble, which re-
quires that you come prepared to meet it.

The "cry of distress"-to be used only in time of danger, or where the
American interests requires an immediate assemblage of the brethren—is (oh,
oh, oh.) The response is (hio, hio, h-i-o.)

The "sign of caution"-to be given when a brother is speaking unguardedly
before a stranger—is (drawing the fore-finger and thumb together across the
eyes, the rest of the hand being closed,) which signifies "keep dark.”

† Concerning what is said of cities, the key to the Ritual says;
decipher what is said in regard to cities."

"Considered unnecessary

to

Brothers, you are now initiated into and made acquainted with the work and organization of a council of this degree of the order; and the Marshal will present you to the worthy President for admonition.

President.-It has, no doubt, been long apparent to you, brothers, that fcreign influence and Roman Catholicism have been making steady and alarming progress in our country. You cannot have failed to observe the significant transition of the foreigner and Romanist from a character quiet, retiring, and even abject, to one bold, threatening, turbulent and despotic in its appearance and assumptions. You must have become alarmed at the systematic and rapidly augmenting power of these dangerous and unnatural elements of our national condition. So is it, brothers, with others beside yourselves in every State of the Union. A sense of danger has struck the great heart of the nation. In every city, town and hamlet, the danger has been seen and the alarm sounded. And hence true men have devised this order as a means of disseminating patriotic principles, of keeping alive the fire of national virtue, of fostering the national intelligence, and of advancing America and the American interest on the one side, and on the other of checking the strides of the foreigner or alien, or thwarting the machinations and subverting the deadly plans of the Papist and Jesuit.

NOTE.-The President shall impress upon the initiates the importance of secrecy, the manner of proceeding in recommending candidates for initiation, and the responsibility of the duties which they have assumed.

SECOND DEGREE COUNCIL.

Marshal.-Worthy President: These brothers have been duly elected to the second degree of this order. I present them to you for obligation.

President.-Brothers: You will place your left hand upon your right breast, and extend your right hand towards the flag of our country, preparatory to obligation. (Each council room should have a neat American flag festooned over the platform of the President.)

OBLIGATION.

You, and each of you, of your own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God and these witnesses, your left hand resting upon your right breast, and your right hand extended to the flag of your country, do solemnly and sincerely swear, that you will not under any circumstances disclose in any manner, nor suffer it to be done by others, if in your power to prevent it, the name, signs, passwords, or other secrets of this degree, except in open council for the purpose of instruction; that you will in all things conform to all the rules and regulations of this Order, and to the constitution and by-laws of this or any other council to which you may be attached, so long as they do not conflict with the Constitution of the United States, nor that of the State in which you reside; that you will under all circumstances, if in your power so to do, attend to all regular signs or summons that may be thrown or sent to you by a brother of this or any other degree of this order; that you will support in all political matters, for all political offices, members of this order in preference to other persons; that if it may be done legally, you will, when elected or appointed to any official station conferring on you the power to do so, remove all foreigners, aliens, or Roman Catholics from office or place, and that you will-in no case appoint such to any office or place in your gift. You do also promise and swear that this and all other obligations which you have previously taken in this order, shall ever be kept through life sacred and inviolate. All this you promise and declare, as Americans, to sustain and abide by, without any hesita

tion or mental reservation whatever. So help you God and keep you steadfast.

(Each will answer "I do.")

President.-Brother Marshal, you will now present the brothers to the Instructor for instructions in the second degree of the order.

Marshal.-Brother Instructor, by direction of our worthy President, I present these brothers before you that you may instruct them in the secrets and mysteries of the second degree of the order.

Instructor.-Brothers, in this degree we have an entering sign and a countersign. At the outer door proceed (as in the first degree.) At the inner door you will make (two raps,) and proceed as in the first degree, giving the second degree pass-word, which is (American,) instead of that of the first degree. If found to be correct, you will then be admitted, and proceed (to the centre of the room,) giving the countersign, which is made thus (extending the right arm to the national flag over the President, the palm of the hand being upwards.)

The sign of recognition in this degree is the same as in the first degree, with the addition of (the middle finger,) and the response to be made in a (similar manner.)

Marshal, you will now present the brothers to the worthy President for ad

monition.

Marshal.-Worthy President, I now present these candidates to you for ad

monition.

President.-Brothers, you are now duly initiated into the second degree of this order. Renewing the congratulations which we extended to you upon your admission to the first degree, we admonish you by every tie that may nerve patriots, to aid us in our efforts to restore the political institutions of our country to their original purity. Begin with the youth of our land. Instil into their minds the lessons of our country's history-the glorious battles and the brilliant deeds of patriotism of our fathers, through which we received the inestimable blessings of civil and religious liberty. Point them to the example of the sages and the statesmen who founded our government. Implant in their bosoms an ardent love for the Union. Above all else, keep alive in their bosoms the memory, the maxims, and the deathless example of our illustrious WASHINGTON.

Brothers, recalling to your minds the solemn obligations which you have severally taken in this and the first degree, I now pronounce you entitled to all the privileges of membership in this the second degree of our Order.

THIRD DEGREE COUNCIL.

Marshal.-Worthy President, these brothers having been duly elected to the third degree of this order, I present them before you for obligation.

President.-Brothers, you will place yourselves in a circle around me, each one crossing your arms upon your breasts, and grasping firmly each other's hands, holding the right hand of the brother on the right, and the left hand of the brother on the left, so as to form a circle, symbolical of the links of an unbroken chain, and of a ring which has no end.

Note. This degree is to be conferred with the national flag elevated in the centre of the circle, by the side of the President or Instructor, and not on less than five at any one time, in order to give it solemnity, and also for the formation of the circle-except in the first instance of conferring it on the officers of the State and subordinate councils, that they may be empowered to progress

with the work.

The obligation and charge in this degree may be given by the President or Instructor, as the President may prefer.