The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-10-31
TIE TdMALINY SOCIETY.


asks us to tell him somewhat of th
origin of tho Tammany Society
reference to which constantly occur
in Now York political news
The origin of the Tammany So,
ciety is traced to the rebel army O
the revolution which, needing ,
patron saint to fight under-St
George remaining with the British
selected for canonization a mighty
Indian brave, Sachem who hac
been known in life rs Tananend
st. Tamanend did not sound well,
so Washington's soldiers for the
sake of euphony inscribed st Tam-
many upon their banners, and they
selected the twelfth of May, which
tradition said was the saints BIRTH
day, for appropriate celebration.
On that day in each year a wigwam
was erected, pole crowned with a
liberty"cap, and bearing tomahawk,
wampum and other Indian parapher-
MALTA, was planted in the earth and
around this after the representative
of the great Sachem, who was per-
sonifed by comrade duly accoutred
and painted for the OCCASION, had
emerged from the wigwam, to which
he again retired, and delivered a
"talk" full of exhortations to love of
liberty and courage in battle, they
all danced, with feathers in their
caps and bucks tails dangling down
behind. The pratice spread through
out tho army; st. Tammany and
his natal day were both adopted :;
forts were christened with his name;
and the 18th of May was regularly
commemoratod until, shortly before
the last war with GREAT Britain, by
order of the then Secretary of War,
General Dearborn, the festival was
forbidden, rs tending to debauchery
among the troops.
"Nor was st. Tammany's early
popularity confined to the army.
Patriotic poets sang his praise, and
civilian societies bearing his name
sprang UP III many localities. Par
tlcularly was this the case in Phila-.
oelphla an ana otner Fenns;yiva9Ia aJj
tivity. There was procession of
men, women and children, MI decked
out with bucks tails and other forest
udornments, to grove, where the
wigwam and liberty pole had been
erected, and where. after al address
from st. Tammany's representative,
and sometimes collation., the time
was spent in games and dances on
the green. At one time it appeared
likely that st. Tammanys Day would
excel the 4th Of July in popular
regard"
The Tammany Society, however,
which still exists, has been in exis-
tence since 1889, beginning with the
government and having continued
through nearly three generations of
men, at all times exercising large
influence on New York politics, and
frequently on National politics. 1t
was known first as the "Columbian
Order" but as it's founder sur
rounded Columbus, whose represen.
tative figured as the "Great Fa-
ther," with dozen Indian Sachems,
or Cuonselors Sycamore, or
Master of Ceremonies q Wiskinkie,
or Doorkeeper, &C., &C., the people
who had liked st. Tammany as much
as the soldiers did, supposed it to
be ono of the many St. Tammany
Societies scattered through the
land and so called it. AS the name
was popular its founders threw
Columbus over, adopted the Indian
Chief as their, divinity, and in 1905,
sixteen years after it's establishment
it was Incorporated as the "Tam-
many Society, Or Columbian Order.
It's charter describes it as simply a
charitable institution, and in it's
earlier days it did make provision
for destitute patriots, their widows
or orphans. But it has been O po-
litical power from the first, organ
lied to that end by Aaron Burr, a
great leader of the oldtime New
York Democracy. Colonel Burr
was not member of the society, but
directed it's organization through
William Mooney, who was it's first
Grand Sachem, and for years after
stood behind the scenes and moved
the machinery that conti oiled the
people. Fierce fight has been and
now is made against Tammany's in.
Auence by various rival organiza'
tions among the New York city
Democrats, but it's power is unbro.
ken md likely to remain 80.
| Tho aocietv nav have done MANY