Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-09

! A correspondence of the New York World fur
nishss the following novel statement concerning the
Gipsics:
The allusion made by you of your issue of the.
the subject of the gpsies, induces me think that
you win give insertion to the following remarks on
| this singular race:
The gipsies have frequently called forth certain
kind and degree Of interest, which has often died
away again for the particular reason that little or
nothing can be learned from them of their history
and condition. on account Of extreme prejudice that
is entertained towards them and the singular reserve
they show topeople outside of their body But when
we gain their confidence we find about the tribe
much thai is interesting to the generality of ntelli-
| gent seasons.
The question that most naturally presents ITSELF is
''who the gpsies - The reader of history will
be surprised to know that they are the mixed null
tltude, Of the exodus that left Egypt under Moses
and separated from the Jews in Arabia Petria and
Travelled northeast into India where in consequence
of the regidty of caste that has r-eyaied in that
country time immemorial, they formed themselves
into wandering race living distinct from all Others
Having been runaway slaves of a civalized society,
the change of their circumstances naturally led them
10 adopt that condition which has characterized
them since the beginning Of the fifteenth century,
when they first become known to the inhabitants OF
Europe.
The gpsies that 90 about England to-day are mere
y the remains of the wild stock as it entered Great
Brtainln or previous to the year 1906 In their ma
tural state they are and have always have been very
prolific people In the early part of the egn of Queen
Elizabeth they were estimated in England at above
10000 and, notwithstanding their great natural in
creose, they are generally set down as 'being of
very few in number in England" 4 late writer in
Chambers EtiHJTg journal even makes the assertion
that before this country expires there will be a
gipsey in Western Europe" But at the present day
there are in Europe and America together not less
than 5000 C00 of all mixtures of blood shades of
color and position in life.
So little is known of the gpsies that people invari
ably believe that when GYPSY leaves the tent and
settles in life, or even travels without / tent he
ceases to be a gypsy But Notwithstanding every
change of whatever kind he may make, he and his
defendants never cease TO be gipsIes The North.
America Indians are dying OUT because they de-
part this life but the gypsy gradually leave the tent
and get scattered amid the rest of the population
and maintain their identity as q people. notwith-
standing their having no religion peculiar to them
selves.
The prejudice that exists against gipsy is such
as would lead US to think he was a snake or some
other reptile rather than man. The original gypsy
has therefore other alternative but to hold HIM
self aoOf from the rest of his fellow creatures and
to lead the rowing life for which he is so much
blamed He has been born into that state and been
reared in it: and knowing other he naturally fol-
lows it, and finds the life of the ordinary inhabitant
disastefu to him as his would be to the ordinary
inhabitant.
Add to this fact that the common native. of what
ever condition in life, will not associate with him;
will not allow him to enter a school, will even con
slider it pollution 10 touch him and YOU will see how
difficult how almost impossible it is to make any
| thing Of what people generally understand to be d
gypsy. But whenever the gypsy leaves the tent and
IN the popular estimation ceases to be gypsy, he
rigdly hides from the public the fact that be
belongs TO the tribe The tent is the hive from
which the tribe swarms; hence, as people know of
no other gipses than those about the hive, they
come very quickly to the conclusi that they 'can
make nothing OF the gipsies;" without knowing that
the tribe taking year with year. and tent with tent
are constantly throwing of swarms of gpaies, into
all kinds Of itinerant and settled life. On account
Of the tribe as it were, hiding ITSELF it leaves
the tent, the race, such is known to the world
never gets the reputation for the Improvements of
which it Is capable and of the tribe outside
Of the tent will say that they are gipsIcs conse-
quenty the subject of their history is allowed to re-
main in slough, out Of which it is necessary tic
drag it.