The Modern Ku Klux Klan Part 12

_Removal_

"_Section 13._ For any just, reasonable, and substantial cause, any appointee may be removed by the authority that appointed him, and his place supplied by another appointment.

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 first Monday in May, 1870 (a Grand Wizard having been created by the original 'Prescript,' to serve three years from the first 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 (_Quid verum atque decens_) and place the same shall 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 Commissioners appointed by the Grand Wizard for that purpose; and in the event of a tie, the Grand Wizard shall have the casting vote.

"_Section 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 subsequent elections to take place every year thereafter.

"_Section 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 perform 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 happening of such vacancy, shall call a convention of the Grand Dragons of the 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 convention 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 vacancy in any other office the same shall immediately be filled in the manner hereinbefore mentioned.

"_Section 4._ The Officers heretofore elected or appointed may retain their offices during the time for (_Art est colare artem_) which they have been so elected or appointed, at the expiration of which time said offices shall be filled as hereinbefore provided.

ARTICLE V

JUDICIARY

"_Section 1._ The Tribunal of Justice of this Order shall consist of a court at the Headquarters of the Empire, the Realm, the Dominion, the Province, and the Den, to be appointed by the Chiefs of the several departments.

"_Section 2._ The Court at the Headquarters of the Empire shall consist of three Judges for the trial of Grand Dragons and the Officers and attaches belonging to the Headquarters of the Empire.

"_Section 3._ The Court at the Headquarters of the Realm shall consist of three Judges for trial of Grand t.i.tans, and the Officers and attaches belonging to the Headquarters of the Realm.

"_Section 4._ The Court at the Headquarters of the Dominion shall consist of three Judges for the trial of Grand Giants, and the Officers and attaches belonging to the Headquarters of the Dominion.

"_Section 5._ The court at the Headquarters of the Province shall consist of five Judges for the trial of Grand Cyclops, the Grand Magis, the Grand Monks, and the Grand Exchequers of Dens, and the officers and attaches belonging to the Headquarters of the Province.

"_Section 6._ The Court at the Headquarters of the Den shall consist of seven Judges from (_Nusquam tuta fides_) the Den for the trial of Ghouls and the Officers belonging to the Headquarters of the Den.

"_Section 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 Grand Wizard; which Tribunal shall be organized 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.

"_Section 8._ The aforesaid Courts shall summon the accused and witnesses for and against him, and if found guilty, they shall prescribe the penalty, and the Officers convening the Court shall cause the same to be executed. _Provided_, the accused shall always have the right of appeal to the next court above, whose decision shall be final.

"_Section 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.

"_Section 10._ The several courts herein provided for shall be governed in their deliberations, proceedings, and judgments by the rules and regulations governing the proceedings of regular courts-martial. (_Fide non armis._)

ARTICLE VI

REVENUE

"_Section 1._ The revenue of this order shall be derived as follows: For every copy of this 'Prescript' issued to Dens $10 will be required; $2.00 of which shall go into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand Giant; $2.00 into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand t.i.tan; $2.00 into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand Dragon, and the remaining $4.00 into the hands of the Grand Exchequer of the Grand Wizard.

"_Section 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 indispensable to levy same.

"_Section 3._ A further source of revenue to Realms shall be ten per cent of all the revenue of Dominions, and a tax upon Dominions when the Grand Dragon shall deem it necessary and indispensable to levy the same.

"_Section 4._ A further source of revenue to Dominions shall be ten per cent of all the revenue of Provinces, and a tax upon Provinces when the Grand t.i.tan shall deem such tax necessary and indispensable.

"_Section 5._ A further source of revenue to Provinces 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 indispensable. (_Dat Deus hisquoque finem._)

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

"_Section 7._ All the revenue obtained in the manner 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 become necessary to make to accomplish the objects of the Order and to secure the protection of the same.

ARTICLE VII

ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERs.h.i.+P

"_Section 1._ No one shall be presented for admission into the Order until he shall have first been recommended by some friend or intimate who _is_ a member, to the Investigation Committee (which shall be composed of the Grand Cyclops, the Grand Magi, and the Grand Monk), and who shall have investigated his antecedents and his past and present standing and connections, 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.

"_Section 2._ No one shall become a member of this Order unless he shall _voluntarily_ take the following oaths or obligations, and shall _satisfactorily_ answer the following interrogatories, with (_Cessante causa, cessat effectus_) 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 anything that may this day (or night) learn concerning the Order of the * * * and that I will true answer make to such interrogatories as may be put to me touching my competency for admission into the same. So help me G.o.d."

INTERROGATORIES TO BE ASKED

"_First._ Have you ever been rejected, upon application for members.h.i.+p in the * * * or have you ever been expelled from the same?

"_Second._ 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 Republic'?

"_Third._ 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 these organizations?

"_Fourth._ Did you belong to the Federal Army during the late war, and fight against the South during the existence of the same?

"_Fifth._ Are you opposed to negro equality, both social and political?

"_Sixth._ Are you in favor of a white man's government in this country?

"_Seventh._ Are you in favor of Const.i.tutional liberty and a Government of equitable laws instead of a Government of violence and oppression? (_Cave quid, dicis, quando, et cui._)

"_Eighth._ Are you in favor of maintaining the const.i.tutional rights of the South?

"_Ninth._ Are you in favor of the re-enfranchis.e.m.e.nt and emanc.i.p.ation of the white men of the South, and the rest.i.tution of the Southern people to all their rights, alike proprietary, civil and political?

"_Tenth._ Do you believe in the inalienable right of self-preservation of the people against the exercise of arbitrary and unlicensed power?

"If the foregoing interrogatories are satisfactorily answered, and the candidate desires to go further (after something of the character and nature of the Order has thus been indicated to him) and to be admitted to the benefits, mysteries, secrets, and purposes of the Order, he shall then be required to take the following final oath or obligation. But if said interrogatories are not satisfactorily answered, or the candidate declines to proceed further, he shall be discharged, after being solemnly admonished by the initiatory officer of the deep secrecy to which the oath already taken has bound him, and that the extreme penalty of the law will follow a violation of the same.