The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-11-17
Origin of Often.Used Phrases.

ITO the victors belong the spoils:"
This phrase, as political sentiment,
was first enunciated by William L,
Marcy, OK governor of New York, a
member of President Jackson's cabinet.
"A government of the people, for
the people and by the people" This
famous expression, which has been
quoted oftener perhaps than any other
noteworthy sentence ever uttered, was
first used by President Lincoln, in his
memorable speech at Gettysburg, No.
vember 10, 1868.
"Piato, thou reasonest we'll" From
Addison's tragedy of "Cato." The lines
showing the connection are as follows:
Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond de-
sire,
This longing after immortality?
Or whence this sacred dread and inward hor-
roT
OF falling into naught? Why shrinks the soul
Back on ITSELF and stsrtles at destruction?
'Tis the divinity that stirs within us;
lis heaven itself that points out hereafter,
And intimates eternity to man,
Holy orders" A phrase in use
among members of the Church of Rome
and Church of England, and denotes
entrance into the order of priesthood.
Holy orders are conferred by solemn
act of ordination by bishops and invest
the recipient with a sacred character
distinctly apart from the laity."
Benefit of clergy" An expression
referring to former state of the law of
England, where a clergyman had the
benefit of being exempted from prose-
cution for alleged crimes and offenses
before any civil tribunal. In course of
time some laymen who could read
claimed and were allowed the same
privilege. Benefit of clergy" was
finally abolished in the reign of George
".
"Woolsack." A name given to the
seat of the lord chancellor of England
in the house of lords. 1t (the seat
consists of a large bag of wool covered
with red cloth, but though fashioned
like a seat is without back or arms.
The woolsack is said to have had its
origin in the circumstance OF wool
being anciently staple article of prod
uce in England.
"Stationer." When books were null
tiplied by the invention of printing,
they we're sold by booksellers at stalls
stationed at the gates of universities
and other places hence booksellers
became known as stationarii, or station
ers, by which designation they have
since become chiefly known.
Yankee Doodle" The name of an
air adopted as a national tune by the
| United States. The verses were COM
posed by DR.. Shackburg, a physician
in the British army in America about
1853, and palmed off by him as q cele
hrated air on a body of American
militia.
"Charity covers multitude of sins.
A perverted declaration of st. Peter
whose words, as he was exhortine
the Christians scattered throughout
Asia Minor to a good and gracious life
were And, above all things, have fer
vent charity or rather love, 'agap@ ;
among yourselves for charity will covel
the multitude of SINS"
Tenderfoot." The very appropri
ate term used on the frontier to de
scribe any one inexperienced in th'
ways of the country-one who has nevel
been scout West" before.
Newspaper" The origin of thu
wcrd newspaper is not, as many
suppose, from the fact OF its containing
new things; but in a former tim,
| (l795 to lS3O) it was customary to pu
over the periodical publications of the
day the initial letters of the compass
N. E. W. S., to show that the journa
had information from all quarters O
the globe, north, east, west and south
Hence the use of the word "news
before all papers of general informa
tion.