New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-04-06
NAMES CHRISTIAN AND HEATHEN.

NAMES. CHRISTIAN AND HEATHEM
Thomas Paine mot Common-Sense Thomas,
| but Massachusetts, yerse-wrter OF the Olden
time), being disguised with the dOings OF the
other and doubling Thomas, petitioned the
Legislature to give him Christian name; and
he was called and known, and in his time
grew quite famous, as Robert Treat Paine, jr.
We would suggest some legislation of this
kind in behalf of the Cherokee Indians These
semi aboriginal gentlemen have lately had Oc-
casion to present a couple of numerously
signed petitions to Congress; and the names
thercunto appended show that, in the Chero-
kee Nation, the Art of Baptism is still imper-
fectly understood. Some of these poor In
dams" have, it is true, very respectable and
civilized and thoroughly Yankee names. I" Eze-
"kiel Tucker" for instance, has veritable
Yankee flavor; "Looney McLane' is a good
Irish, as Thomas Carlyle is a good Scotch
name; benjamin Fish" is eminently sug-
gestive of Cape Cod; and there is even
George Fox" to welcome the Quaker Com
missioners when they visit the Cherokees.
There is an Individual who IL named ana
signs himself simply Wilson" in honor, we
conjecture, of the Massachusetts Senator; there
is another who names himself, In a singularly
indefinite way, as "John - there is another who
goes further, and writes himself John Pigeon )"
we find, also, the Economically historical name
of IIildebrand ;" but what shall we say to the
itholOgicO-zoOOgcal name of "Pig-EagleW
What man of taste was it who gave to an in
nocent savage the name of Edgar Poe Iar-
"risq"
But some of the names appended to this
petition are sufficiently mysterious. There is
one cabalistic child of the forest who simply
writes himself "Six"--there is another who
vaunts himself az "John Large &C. Six
"kiler" is most homcidal autograph, highly
suggestive of scalps; and Ezekiel" we fancy,
must be the Prophet of the tribe. There is
"John Mixedwater," who probably mixes the
water with something stronger; there is
"War Sort who may be one of the military
sort and there is man named with Doric
simplicity DRY" and who is probably kins-
man Of Mr.. Mixedwater "Ground Hog is
suggestive of Charles Lambs unfortunate
farce of "Mr. H. David Israeli fifty repre-
sents the old dispensaton; BATTLING Gourd"
ought certainly to be a Member of Congress,
and johnson Goodmoney" might give us,
were he i'll Washington, some valuable notions
about the currency. There are several signers
named Grease" connected remotely, perhaps,
with the Down East family of Sticks y and
10y singular coincidence a warrior named
Fodder and another named "Gritts"
sign in close conjunction, being speedily
followed 10y Alexander Johnnycake,n
while, by another coincidence, John
Love and George Moonshine" are in SINH
lar contiguity; and not far after Mr. Moon
shine, very appropriately follows Moses Glory
The signature of BEST Quality" to conclude,
is suggestive of all the perfection of which
Human, or at any rate Indian Nature. is sus-
ceptible. 1t is pretty evident that most of
these names have been bestowed upon their
bearers by unprincipled Pale Faces, more in
tent upon their jokes than upon the euphony
of the Cherokee Directory. Is it probable that
any Cherokee would, Of his own motion, call
himself Charles POtatoe2n or "Mousep OF
"Spoon ~ or Root Curly Hard n or "Hgh 2"
or Hog Shooter9" or !" Drum Fish Z" Would
he be any more likely than other Indians to chris
ten himself "Iildebrand," Zachary Taylor"
or Edgar PoeT And how would any White
man like to be designated by his fellow citizens
as "Long Earsq"
We are pleased to notice however, that there
are some proud ChcrOkees who refuse to be
gammoned, and who still call themselves by
the resounding and vernacular names of their
ancestors. Thus we find attached to the petit
ton sonOrous titles worthy to fill the trumpet of
fame: "Tee- 500 YaIKee," and "Cah-lur-nur-
"hus-Ku" " liee-Lur-tas- Kee." and the highly
unpronounceable ecu lee skoe. jah- nohter.'
Perhaps it would not do to ask for literal
translation of these curious and polysyllabic
names; for "Neve eo-munah- wa" may
mean nothing more respectable and impressive
than Grub Worm" which is the English
name Of one Of the signcrs. But sound is
something, as all who have read The Song of
Hlawatla very well know. TO hear n man
and brother called "Jack Paunch' shocks
our benevolent sensibillties but if tho abdom-
mai protubcrancc were expressed in tho Cher
oAee language, it would be different aud better.