ts until he was on
terms of equality with any other human being that was alive or had
ever lived. This society used its influence secretly to have appointed
over Southern schools of all kinds for negroes such teachers as would
take especial pains to teach the negro to aspire for equality with all
other races of men.

"They were instructed to pay especial attention to the history of the
United States during the revolutionary period. Thus, the campaign of
education moved forward. The negroes gained political ascendancy in
many Southern states, but were soon hurled from power, by force in
some quarters, and by fraud in others. The negroes turned their eyes
to the federal government for redress and a guarantee of their
rights. The federal government said: 'Take care of yourselves, we are
powerless to help you.' The 'Civil Rights Bill,' was declared null and
void, by the Supreme Court. An 'honest election bill' was defeated
in Congress by James G. Blaine and others. Separate coach laws
were declared by the Supreme Court to be constitutional. State
Constitutions were revised and so amended as to nullify the amendment
of the Federal Constitution, giving the negro the right to vote.
More than sixty thousand defenseless negroes were unlawfully slain.
Governors would announce publicly that they favored lynching. The
Federal Government would get elected to power by condemning these
outrages, and when there, would confess its utter helplessness. One
President plainly declared, what was already well known, 'that
the only thing that they could do, would be to create a healthy
sentiment.' This secret organization of which we have been speaking
decided that some means must be found to do what the General
Government could not do, because of a defect in the Constitution. They
decided to organize a General Government that would protect the negro
in his rights. This course of action decided upon, the question was as
to how this could be done the most quickly and successfully. You well
know that the negro has been a marvelous success since the war, as a
builder of secret societies.

"One member of this patriotic secret society, of which we have been
speaking, conceived the idea of making use of all of these secret
orders already formed by negroes. The idea met with instant approval.
A house was found already to hand. These secret orders were all
approached and asked to add one more degree and let this added degree
be the same in every ne