The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-02
TEE TAMMANY SOCIETY
Faots eHd Incidents Connected with tl,c
History CT tho Order.


The questions arc often asked: When
was the Tamniany Society founded2 ant
the recent bolt of the Sachema from The
New York State Convention excites new
interests in ite history, 1t may not be
amiss to republlsh the established ira
lation. The Tammany Society wa.
founded in 1889, as is duly witnessed by
the peti.inent which surmounts the front
of Tammany Hall. At that tipe there
were many 81. Tatnmany Societies
throughout the country, and there is ma
reason to believe that the solo survive,
differed from them in the original purpo.
ses of ita organization. But the Others
died, and the New York society became
Democratic political institution. Tam.
many WAS an old Indian chief whom It is
by no means easy to identify, but he was
best known in revolutionary times as an
ancient Delaware sachem, who came of
victorious in terrific fight with his
satanic majesty. Tho combat was long
and obstinately contested, and UP to the
last moment 1t was doubtful to which
side victory would incline. Tammsny
was skilfnl fighter, but his opponent
was equally adroit, and after the battle
had lasted all summer the combatants
were somewhat tired. They played sad
havoc with the forest, converting large
districts of it into prairie, and such It
still remains. At length, after months
of severe fighting, the uachem threw the
devil squarely on his back, and, says the
historian, "would then and there have
taken his scalp had he not succeeded.
owing to the viotor's great exhaustion.
in extricating himself and escaping over
into New York, where he was Hospitality
received by tue natives. and hna eyer
since continued to make his home"
The Same historian says The Tammany
Society was primarily, no more of New
York institution than the great Sycamore
himself It's origin Is to be t.aced to
the patriot revolutionary army, which,
having no patron saint to fight under af.
ter the protection Of st. George was
drawn to the the enemy, cast obout
among the country's native men for
some one worthy of canonization, and
naturally selected the man who had
whipped the devil" as fre-emiuently
deserving of being set against him who
had vanquished the dragon. The Penn
sylvania troops of Washington's COM
mand were the frat to inscribe est.
Tammany" on their banners, and they
selected the 18th Of May, which tradition
assigned for the new saints nativity, for
appropriate celebration. A wigwam was
erected, q pole, crowned witk liberty
cap, and bearing aloft tomahawk wam-
pun, and other Indian paraphernalia,
was planted in the earth, and around
this after the representative Of the great
sachem, who was personified by com.
rade duly accoutred and painted for the
occasion, had emerged from the wigwam,
to which he again retired, and delivered
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 practice spread throughout the
army; st. Tammany and his natal day
were both adopted forts were christened
with his name, and the 18th of May was
regularly conmemorated until shortly
before the last war with Great Britain.
by order of the secretary of war, Gen.
Dearborn, the festival was forbidden, as
tending to debauchory among the troops.
But st. Tammany's early popularity was
not confined to the army. Civilian socie-
ties bearing his name spraug up in many
localities. Their object was simply fes.
IsAty. AneTe Nee q procession OF men,
women and children, all decke1 out with
bucks' tails and other forest adnrnnenta
70 grove, where the wigwam and liber-
ty-poie had been erected, and where,
after an address from st. Tammany's
representative, the tiGse MAS spent in
games and dances on the green. AT one
time it disappeared likely that st. Tam
ny's Day would excel the Fourth of
July in popular regard, but it lacked one
enduring element Of popularity-its OBJ
seryance was not participated in by
fashionable people. The wealthier por-
tion of the community turned up their
noses at tho vulgar parade, ard as . con.
sequence the celebration of the 18th of
May soon died cut, and the st. 2ammany
eocieties disappeared, except that of New
YORK, which still observes the 18th of May
within the order.