the Loyal
League--What followed--Amusing Contretemps.

Mr. Cheermon, and Gemmens: Der crisis am upon us. I repeats, surs, and
wishes dat dis obserwashun should sink down into de conclusibness ob ebery
individooal who heers me. Der Ku--crisis am upon us. As a member of dis
spectifle body, I am de las' pusson who would wish to use my perfesshun to
cover up dis sollum trufe. We is stannin', Mr. Cheermon, upon de ragged
confouns ob de bloody kazzum; and I repeats, dat de question for us to
solve dis ebenin' is: Shall we go fowards, or be pushed fowards.
[Sensation.] Fur be it frum me to "sing de song ob de sirum" when de
liberties ob de black man am inwaded, and de nasshumal honor is bein'
piled in de dust by de rabble (rebel) asstocracy. But, surs, lookin' up to
de umbragus folds ob dat spar-strangled banner, I is impressed with anoder
conclushun, and it is in dese wurds follerin, to wit: We is occupyin' de
ticklish edge ob a dillemmer, in de lite ob which de man who crossed de
Rubimcom am but a faint epistle. Yes, my spectifle feller-bredren, to use
a catephoricle flower ob de tropics, we have arriv' at a tite spot. We am
obfusticated, so to speak. [Assenting groans throughout the assembly.] Den
de riddle for us to read dis ebenin', in de light ob dese distressin'
surkumstances, is: What ar' to be did? In addressin' de collectiv' wisdum
of dis orguss resemblage, I axes, is we to go fowards? Is we to wait till
de nex' ebenin' or de nex' year? Is we to fold our hans behind our bax,
and hole our bref suspinely until de Klu-Krux animile has squatted hisself
squar' down on our liberties? Is we, I ax, to bump down in de middle ob
dat rode whar' de Klu-Krux Juggernox goes tootin' majestercally along over
de dethroned carcasses ob de black man, and whar you may holler peace!
peace! but you can't be heard; and you wouldn't be notissed if you was.

But, Mr. Cheermon, before perceedin' fudder wid de docturnal pints of dis
discusshun, I shall have sumfin to say in respex to Klu-Krux-Klam from a
scienticular pint of obserwashun. How is dis, I ax? Whar is de gettin' out
place, de tail, so to speak, of dis conundrum? [A pause, during which
several members are observed to scratch their heads meditatively.] Dar am
a proverb which says, "Ketch a Klu-Krux before you puts him to _def_," or
words to dat effec. Dat feature of de bizness I disposes to ten' to in
pusson, Mr. Cheermon, and if I can git de contention of de brilyunt
dissembl