This campaign of education had for its object the instruction of the negro as to what real freedom was.  He was taught that being released from chains was but the lowest form of liberty, and that he was no more than a common cur if he was satisfied with simply that.  That much was all, they taught, that a dog howled for.  They made use of Jefferson’s writings, educating the negro to feel that he was not in the full enjoyment of his rights 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 negro society.  This proposition was accepted, and the Government formed at once.  Each order remained, save in this last degree where all were one.  This last degree was nothing more nor less than a compact government exercising all the functions of a nation.  The grand purpose of the government was so apparent, and so needful of attention, that men rushed into this last degree pledging their lives to the New Government.