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League was； in fact； the machine of the radical party； and all candidates had to be governed by its edicts。 As the Montgomery Council declared； the Union League was 〃the right arm of the Union…Republican party in the United States。〃
Every Negro was ex colore a member or under the control of the League。 In the opinion of the League； white Democrats were bad enough； but black Democrats were not to be tolerated。 It was almost necessary； as a measure of personal safety； for each black to support the radical program。 It was possible in some cases for a Negro to refrain from taking an active part in political affairs。 He might even fail to vote。 But it was actually dangerous for a black to be a Democrat； that is； to try to follow his old master in politics。 The whites in many cases were forced to advise their few faithful black friends to vote the radical ticket in order to escape mistreatment。 Those who showed Democratic leanings were proscribed in Negro society and expelled from Negro churches； the Negro women would not 〃proshay〃 （appreciate） a black Democrat。 Such a one was sure to find that influence was being brought to bear upon his dusky sweetheart or his wife to cause him to see the error of his ways； and persistent adherence to the white party would result in his losing her。 The women were converted to radicalism before the men； and they almost invariably used their influence strongly in behalf of the League。 If moral suasion failed to cause the delinquent to see the light； other methods were used。 Threats were common and usually sufficed。 Fines were levied by the League on recalcitrant members。 In case of the more stubborn； a sound beating was effective to bring about a change of heart。 The offending party was 〃bucked and gagged；〃 or he was tied by the thumbs and thrashed。 Usually the sufferer was too afraid to complain of the way he was treated。
Some of the methods of the Loyal League were similar to those of the later Ku Klux Klan。 Anonymous warnings were sent to obnoxious individuals； houses were burned； notices were posted at night in public places and on the houses of persons who had incurred the hostility of the order。 In order to destroy the influence of the whites where kindly relations still existed； an 〃exodus order〃 issued through the League directed all members to leave their old homes and obtain work elsewhere。 Some of the blacks were loath to comply with this order； but to remonstrances from the whites the usual reply was： 〃De word done sent to de League。 We got to go。〃 For special meetings the Negroes were in some regions called together by signal guns。 In this way the call for a gathering went out over a county in a few minutes and a few hours later nearly all the members in the county assembled at the appointed place。
Negroes as organizing agents were inclined to go to extremes and for that reason were not so much used。 In Bullock County； Alabama； a council of the League was organized under the direction of a Negro emissary； who proceeded to assume the government of the community。 A list of crimes and punishments was adopted； a court with various officials was established； and during the night the Negroes who opposed the new regime were arrested。 But the black sheriff and his deputy were in turn arrested by the civil authorities。 The Negroes then organized for resistance； flocked into the county seat； and threatened to exterminate the whites and take possession of the county。 Their agents visited the plantations and forced the laborers to join them by showing orders purporting to be from General Swayne； the commander in the state； giving them the authority to kill all who resisted them。 Swayne； however； sent out detachments of troops and arrested fifteen of the ringleaders； and the League government collapsed。
After it was seen that existing political institutions were to be overturned in the process of reconstruction； the white councils of the League and； to a certain extent； the Negro councils were converted into training schools for the leaders of the new party soon to be formed in the state by act of Congress。 The few whites who were in control were unwilling to admit more white members to share in the division of the spoils； terms of admission became more stringent； and； especially after the passage of the reconstruction acts in March 1867； many white applicants were rejected。 The alien element from the North was in control and as a result； where the blacks were numerous； the largest plums fell to the carpetbaggers。 The Negro leadersthe politicians； preachers； and teacherstrained in the League acted as subordinates to the whites and were sent out to drum up the country Negroes when elections drew near。 The Negroes were given minor positions when offices were more plentiful than carpetbaggers。 Later； after some complaint； a larger share of the offices fell to them。 The League counted its largest white membership in 1865…66； and after that date it steadily decreased。 The largest Negro membership was recorded in 1867 and 1868。 The total membership was never made known。 In North Carolina the order claimed from seventy…five thousand to one hundred and twenty…five thousand members； in states with larger Negro populations the membership was probably quite as large。 After the election of 1868； only the councils in the towns remained active； many of them transformed into political clubs； loosely organized under local political leaders。 The plantation Negro needed less looking after； and except in the largest towns he became a kind of visiting member of the council in the town。 The League as a political organization gradually died out by 1870。*
* The Ku Klux Klan had much to do with the decline of the organization。 The League as the ally and successor of the Freedmen's Bureau was one of the causes of the Ku Klux movement； because it helped to create the conditions which made such a movement inevitable。 As early as 1870 the radical leaders missed the support formerly given by the League； and an urgent appeal was sent out all over the South from headquarters in New York advocating its reestablishment to assist in carrying the elections of 1870。
The League had served its purpose。 It had enabled a few outsiders to control the Negro by separating the races politically and it had compelled the Negroes to vote as radicals for several years； when without its influence they would either not have voted at all or would have voted as Democrats along with their former masters。 The order was necessary to the existence of the radical party in the Black Belt。 No ordinary political organization could have welded the blacks into a solid party。 The Freedmen's Bureau； which had much influence over the Negroes； was too weak in numbers to control the Negroes in politics。 The League finally absorbed the personnel of the Bureau and turned its prestige and its organization to political advantage。
CHAPTER IX。 CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Reconstruction in the state was closely related to reconstruction in the churches and the schools。 Here also were to be found the same hostile elements： Negro and white； Unionist and Confederate； victor and vanquished。 The church was at that time an important institution in the South； more so than in the North； and in both sections more important than it is today。 It was inevitable； therefore； that ecclesiastical reconstruction should give rise to bitter feelings。
Something should be said of conditions in the churches when the Federal armies occupied the land。 The Southern organizations had lost many ministers and many of their members； and frequently their buildings were used as hospitals or had been destroyed。 Their administration was disorganized and their treasuries were empty。 The Unionists； scattered here and there but numerous in the mountain districts； no longer wished to attend the Southern churches。
The military censorship in church matters； which continued for a year in some districts； was irritating； especially in the Border States and in the Union districts where Northern preachers installed by the army were endeavoring to remain against the will of the people。 Mobs sometimes drove them out； others were left to preach to empty houses or to a few Unionists and officers； while the congregation withdrew to build a new church。 The problems of Negro membership in the white churches and of the future relations of the Northern and Southern denominations were pressing for settlement。
All Northern organizations acted in 1865 upon the assumption that a reunion of the churches must take place and that the divisions existing before the war should not be continued； since slavery； the cause of the division； had been destroyed。 But they insisted that the reunion must take place upon terms named by the 〃loyal〃 churches； that the Negroes must also come under 〃loyal〃 religious direction； and that tests must be applied to the Confederate sinners asking for admission； in order that the enormity of their crimes should be made plain to them。 But this policy did not succeed。 The Confederates objected to being treated as 〃rebels and traitors〃 and to 〃sitting upon stools of repentance〃 before they should be received again into the fold。
Only two denominations were reunitedthe Methodist Protestan