The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-21

its ninety years, through five important
apochs Of evolution, and is now In its sixth.
anti-foreign, with Federalist officers and
American-Indian costumes, customs and re-
gala, cultivating dlstaste for European
modes Of government by the sedulous sub
stltution OF certain fancied aboriginal Gus.
tions, after the Indian fashion, around eoun-
ell fires, at which they smoked the traditional
calumet, assisted, perhaps, by draughts OF
the traditional fire-water. In 1890 they re-
csived the Greek Indians. on q vlsit which
one OF tho Tammany sachems had induced
the Greek chiefs to make to New York, In such
perfect limitations Of the native costume, and
In such gorgeously savage feathers. mecca,
tS tSs as syb a
Of joyful recognition which the Tammany
braves mlstook for the Indian mode
Of saying grace before human
tice Jay. Governor George Clinton and Mayor
Duane were present. The Creeks danced and
sang the E-tho song; the Tnmmany Grand
SacheM assured the Creek Grand Haehems
were then promenading arm-in-arm through
the wigwam; the Sa9amore Of Tammany
presented the chiefs with the calumet, who In
return dubbed him by one OF those musical
Indian appsllations which ought TO be Inn
Town. In the evening the entire party at
tended the theatre together, and before they
left the Greeks entered into q treaty with
%.rW.,as O. hin H. the beloved sachem Of the
From these facts 1t will be easily under.
stood how the Tammany Society came to call
| It's thirteen trustees or directors Saehems,
and It's chief officer, selected from among the
thirteen, its Grand Sachem, and why 1t In
cluded among It's officers Il Sycamore and q
Wisklnskle. But the Indian language falling
to contain any words adequate to express
either tho Idea OF secretary or Of 9 treas.
urer. while the necessities OF the society re-
quired both records and money, the society
consented to use the terms scribe and treas
urer. In the records Of the society the Chris
tian era, being an epoch OF foreign origin,
was discarded. and the transactions dated
from three events-the discovery OF America
by Columbus, the declaration OF indepen-
dence and the formation OF the Tammany So
clety. The year was divided, after the
strictly native American fashion, into the
seasons of blossoms, OF fruits, Of hArvests
and OF SHOWS. Nor were imported names
allowed to desecrate the months, which up
peared on the records, In supposed Indian
style, as first. second, third, etc, moons
Thus, In respect to language, the Tammany
Society, In Its first epoch, was q faithful OK
preston OF AnRlophobia. Josiah Ogden, Me-
lancthon Smith-then formidable opponent
ofsHamilton-Burr. De Witt Clinton, George
Citation and Clarkeon Crotus were eonspicu.
oua leaders or inspirers OF this period, which
WAS somewhat torn by conflicts between the
Burrites, Clintonites and Lewisites. The 80.
ciety ut this time, however, was In no imme.
diate contact with the voters, knew nothing
Of the general and district committees, and
was mere private political club, one Of
whose chief occupations was the collection oil
q museum OF American and particularly o
revolutionary Hlriosities.-[Va Buren, Dens
low In the international Review for April.