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e a speech was shouted down by the Negroes because he was 〃opposed to the Loyal League。〃 He then went to another place to speak but was followed by the crowd； which refused to allow him to say anything。 All Republicans in good standing had to join the League and swear that secession was treasona rather stiff dose for the scalawag。 Judge （later Governor） David P。 Lewis； of Alabama； was a member for a short while but he soon became disgusted and published a denunciation of the order。 Albion W。 Tourgee； the author； a radical judge； was the first chief of the League in North Carolina and was succeeded by Governor Holden。 In Alabama； Generals Swayne； Spencer； and Warner； all candidates for the United States Senate； hastened to join the order。
As soon as a candidate was nominated by the League； it was the duty of every member to support him actively。 Failure to do so resulted in a fine or other more severe punishment； and members who had been expelled were still considered under the control of the officials。 The 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 enable