Masonic Notes And Queries.

the leading spirits of the order , instituted a secret association in that state ; and , as he was absent with his army in Arkansas , appointed Charles L . Hunt , the Belgian Consul in St . Louis , as its chief officer . This organisation was known as the ' Corps de Belgique ; ' and for his connection with it , as well as

for other disloyal practices , Mr . Hunt had his exequatur revoked . Meanwhile , another organisation , known as the ' Order of the American Kni ghts , ' was instituted in the North by Mr . Vallandigham and others . The plan of this , Mr . Holt states , jyas devised while YaUandigham was in exile ; and he

¦ even goes so far as to say that its ' ritual' was arranged by Mr . Davis himself . Subsequently , all other organisations were merged into the ' Order of the American Knights , ' and that designation was adopted for the society both North ancl South . Mr . Holt stateshoweverthat a societyknown as the

, , , 'M'Clelian Minute Guard / which is apparently a branch of this general order , exists in New York and other parts of the North . Mr . Holt then goes into minute details regarding the organisation and officers ,

which are comparatively unimportant . He states that the strength and significance of the society lie in its military character ; he depicts the 'forces belonging to the order in the various States when called into actual service ; ' and says further that the grand commanders 'shall be commanders-in-chief of the military forces of their respective States . '

Subordinate to the grand commander in the State are the * major-generals , ' each of whom commands his separate district and army . In Indiana the major-generals are four in number . In Illinois , where the organisation of the order is considered most perfect , the members in each congressional district compose a

'brigade , ' which is commanded by a 'brigadiergeneral . ' The members of each county constitute a ' regiment , ' with a ' colonel' in command , and those of each township form a ' company . ' A somewhat similar system prevails in Indiana , where also every company is divided into ' squads , ' each with its chief—au arrangement intended to facilitate the guerilla mode of warfare in case of a general outbreak or local disorder .

" Mr . Holt charges an individual b y the name of P . C . Wright , formerly one of the editors of the New Torlc Daily Neivs , with being a leading officer of the association ; but the present proprietors of that journal , it is fair to say , emphatically deny that any person of that name has ever been employed upon

the paper in question . The names of many of the leaders in different States are given , and Mr . Holt states that those who have not been arrested . must not take it for granted that they are unknown . The Government , he says , had them all under military surveillance ; and however frequently the organisation

may change its name , or to whatever devices it may resort to throw the officers and detectives off the "track , all will be useless . Nor , he remarks , was the investment of the officers of the organisation with military titles meant simply to dazzle the masses . It has an armed force , and since February , 1863 , its

leaders have been engaged in placing it upon a military basis . In March last the entire force of the order which might he mobilised was 34 , 000 men ; and Mr . Holt says that one intelligent witness , who has been a member of the order , estimates that in March last there were in their possession in Indiana 6 , 000

muskets and 60 , 000 revolvers , besides private arms . Another member testifies that at a single lodge meeting of 252 persons , which lie attended early in the present year , the sum of 4 , 000 dols . was subscribed for arms . Other members present statements in regard to the number of arms in their respective

counties , and all agree in representing that these have been constantly forwarded from Indianopolis into the interior . ¦ The arms were shipped principally from the East ; some packages , however , were sent from Cincinnati , and some from Kentucky , and the boxes were generally marked ' pickaxes , ' 'hardware , 'nails , '

' household goods , ' & c . " Mr . Holt gives some important testimony regarding the numbers of the order , which seems incredible . He says that it was asserted by delegates to the Supreme Council of February last that the number was there represented to be from 800 , 000 , to 1 , 000 , 000 ; hut Mr . Yallandigham , in his speech last summer at Dayton , Ohio , stated it at 500 , 000 , which is probably much nearer the true total . The number of its

members in the several States has been differently estimated in the reports and statements of its officers . Thus , the force of the order in Indiana is stated to be from 75 , 000 to 125 , 000 ; in Illinois , from 100 , 000 to 140 , 000 ; in Ohio , from 80 , 000 to 108 , 000 ; in Kentucky , from 40 , 000 to 70 , 000 ; iu Missouri , from 20000 to 40000 ; and in Michigan and New York

, , about 20 , 000 each . Its representation in the other States above-mentioned does not specifically appear from the testimony ; hut allowing for every exaggeration in the figures reported , Mr . Holt thinks they may be deemed to present a tolerably faithful view of whatat leastis regarded by the order as its true

, , force in the States designated . " Some curious statements are made by Mr . Holt regarding the oaths and rituals of the order . ' The oath which is administered upon the introduction of a member into any degree , ' he says , ' is especially imposing in its language ; it prescribes as a penalty for

a violation of the obligation assumed a 'shameful death , ' and further , that the body of the person guilty of such violation shall he divided in four parts , and cast out at the four ' gates' of the temple . Not

only , as has been said , does it enjoin a blind obedience to the orders of the superiors of the order , but it is required to he held of paramount obligation to any oath which may be administered to a member in a court of justice or elsewhere . Thus , in cases where members have been sworn , by officers empowered to

administer oaths , to speak the whole truth in answer to questions that may be put to them , ancl have been examined in reference to the order and their connections therewith , they have not only refused to give any information in regard to its character , but have denied that they were membersor even that they

, knew of its existence . ' Some instances of this refusal are cited , and then Mr . Holt g ives some curious information regarding the signs , signals , pass-words ' , & c , of the order . By means of them he says members may recognise each other on the battle-field , and , in case of capturemay escape personal injury . In

, certain dwellings in Indiana , Kentucky , & c , it is stated that a likeness of John Morgan protects the property from harm in case of a raid . Extracts from , the ritual and declaration of princi ples of the order are given to show the treasonable character oi the organisation . After reviewing these , Mr . Holt