WHITE CAMELIA, The Knights of the, formed in May 1867 at Ncw Orleans, was the largest of the revolutionary orders called into existence by the misgovernment of Reconstruc tion. Its principal strength was in the Gulf States, farther south than the notorious Ku Klux Klan (q.v.). The organization was as follows: A supreme council for the United States; a grand council in each State; a cen tral council in each congressional district and councils in each county. Each council was di vided into circles and groups. The officers of the council were known as commander, lieuten ant-commander, etc.; the members were called 'brothers.' The objects of the order were, to nullify radical legislation, to reduce the influ ence of the blacks in politics, to prevent amal gamation of the races and to defend the white race against radical encroachment. The mem bers swore to vote for no black for office, to observe always a marked distinction between the races, to maintain the social and political superiority of the white race, at the same time protecting the blacks in the privileges rightfully theirs. The constitution forbade the indorse ment of any political party by the order. Each
member was free to vote as he pleased, sub ject to his oath always to oppose negroes for office, or those favorable to negro political rights. The order sometimes operated also as a body of regulators using such methods as were usually attributed to the Ku Klux Klan, hut the membership was of a higher order. The discipline was good and the effect of its opera tions was to control the lawless neg.roes, in timidate and drive from the country the carpet baggers and to secure again to the whites con trol of the State and countyvernments. These objects being the order gradually disbanded. Its secrets were well kept and not until recent years was anything definite known of the order. The White Brotherhood and the White League were closely related or ders that existed in the same territory a few years after the White Camelia had disintegrated. Consult Brown, 'Lower South American His tory' (19(l2); 'Constitution and Ritual of the Knights of the White Camelia,' in West Vir ginia University Documents relating to Recon struction, Nos, 1 and 2.