The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-12-02
BASIS OF CASTE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.

Blue blood is still the basis Of caste
in some of the.older states. The i'm
mediate descen.ants.o the Puritans
like to trace their lineage back to the
immigrants by the MaYfower. If
they do not find it in that list they
look for it among the immigrants
who reached the country shortly
afterward. Some time ago large
volume was published in which a list
of all the early immigrants was given
with the names of the ships and some
particulars about the location and
allotment of the more conspicuous
characters. A considerable number
of immigrants had stars set against
their names for political or other dis
abilities. They were sent to the
West Indies for few years or 20 the
Island of Bermuda, which hardly
belongs to the West India group.
But this circumstance worked no
taint in the blood. If they had been
sturdy rebels it only went to show
that they had fighting blood in their
veins. That was. the blood which
was SO available little more than
century later when another rebellion
resulted in the revolution and the
final independence of the country.
The New Englander OF the old
school is proud of his blue blood.
He likes to have it known that he is
descended from Miles Standlsh or
some other of the famous men of that
time. 1t is a gentle hint of caste. He
does not care if his ancestors hung
the witches and scourged the Qua
kers, provided his claim of descent is
clearly acknowledged. The new man
the parve,au, the man who has ac
qnired sudden wealth, is not readily
admitted into the Brahmenical caste,
He can enjoy his wealth. But he
"does not belong to the Oldest and
best families" It does not change
the aspect of the case that some of
these families are in a mild state of
decay--that there have been a great
many spinsters who have never
known the joys of the married state,
that the family has become circum-
scribed, the best blood having gone
to the western states, and beyond to
TIE Pacific Coast and has made alli-'
ances with families not of this origi-
nal and blue blooded stock.
The smart young fellow from New
England, bent on making fortune,
has no objections to marrying a
Dutch girl, provided she has for
tune. In that way the Knickerbock
er stock of New York, which had
blue blood but lacked enterprise, was
prevented from running out. Breed
ing in and in was not good, and the
younger race Of Knickerbocker cross
ed with the descendants of the Puri.
tans gives more breadth of beam and
less consumption. The legs Of the
TYPICAL New Englander has become
attenuated; and he had not enough
capacity for a good dinner; partly
because dyspepsia is one of his inher-
tied tronbles. But a cross of his
blood with the Knickcrbocker pro-
duces physical breadth. A good
trencher man is one of the results.
The progeny start on a new career.
Yet there is more Of caste among the
Knickerbockers Of New York than
among any other class in the whole
country. except the Mormons of
Utah. The spirit of caste has OBJ
scured the New York Dutchman of
blue blood. 1t has Of course made
him exclusive. Bet bis exclusiveness
is not founded on culture nor broad
intelligence, but upon faE.ily descent
and wealth. He has been saved SO
far as his temporal salvation has
gone, by crossing the stock chiefly
with New Englanders. Yet with all
this gain, the Knickerbocker is not
relatively SO important a character
as he was halt a century ago. His
ideas of caste have been slowly
bringing on physical and mental
atrophy. He has some local promi-
nencefn his immediate neighborhood.
He had tradition, responsibility and
blood on his side, and an immense
capacity for creature comforts. The
Knickerboe4er will disappear, be-
cause he has clung to caste too
closely.
The New Englander has suffered
from the same cause. If one were to
explore any of the older towns of that
part OF the country, he would not go
amiss Of grand old houses built be-
fore the revolution, nor of decaying
families. partly because the Younger