Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-12-11
"UncIe SAM"


Came Of the distinguishing marks OF
h,rlosone-the tags by which the COM
!" artists make their victims known to
80 nnblic-hayc been so long in use
,Ssr I can scarcely be traced to their in
For For instance. there is the familiar
.,a extraordinary figure OF our Uncle
cam Every American acknowledges
t;nsbip with him, but very few know
how be came into existence. Even
so,ne Of the artists who have depicted
bim year after year, in his different
modes and attitudes, know nothing OF
M orfoin. After making some inter-
socatories in regard TO him, and con-
siderable research into his geneaology
learned that an English caricaturist
created him in derision long ago. The
intent was to embody all the ignor-
spee. egotism, crudeness, pretension
and assertiyeness OF the saucy young
country in the quaint figure of the old
8 Yankee. But there was q dignity in
The tall, angular. self-satisiied old man
q which his creators neither meant nor
saw. The people of the new country
Jaw IL. however, and took him to their
#hearts. They adopted the idea OF the
bene6cent uncle, and put it into song
and story. Then they accep3d him rs
he was portrayed. thin and elongated,
lone-haired, hatchet-faced, and wear
inc raimcnt the like OF which never
wss seen on land or sea ea--striped panta-
loons OF an economical cut, swallow
hailed coat of most aniiqnated design,
high hat that is challenge 10 all
modern headwear, and a vest gau9aer
.han tropical bird. This became the
amiiar figure which in comic art rep
resented our beloved country. The
Idea took definite form; it became fix
d In our fancy; il was a creation des-
ined to live and grow Uncle Sam
became fact, reality, part of our
elyes anu our history.
lie was first made familiar to his
beople in YaaSce Notions, comic pa
Der that ilourished more than quarter
/ a century ago. but has long since
lmbed the golden stair. Mast was
he first artist to lift our revered un-
le out Of ridicue and contempt, en-
low him with proper dignity, and
bake him distinctive and honored
haracter. though he claims no credit
Dr IL lie says he remembers him as
ar back as he can remember anything
the way of pictures. The other ar
sts assert that Mast has made him
hat he is, kind. wise, courteous,
0ick-witted, sunny-spirited, dignitied,
Dyabe old man, keenly alive TO every
ing affecting the interests Of his peo-
e--in short, gentleman.
II is interesting TO see how the char
pter of Uncle Sam has developed
ith the character of his peoples One
alizes this by comparing some of the
i portraits of him with some of the
ore modern. In Nast's allegorieal
etches we have seen him in all the
Eases OF his strong, spirited and no.
character He has wept with CO.
mbia over the Uier of heroes; he has
I'D fast 70 the old flag when il was
idled with shot and shell; he has
fned his gray head aside in humilia-
% when tho public trusts were be-
yed and honors abused; he has
burned over his slain sons as they
in the valleys, on the hills. and by
rivers of the South. His keen wit
merci,eSsly punctured shams. aud
BIZ heart ovorIlowed with sympa-
when the children of his adoption
ered. Dear, quaint, grand old I'm
Sam, may his kind and rugged
ever beam upon us ia love and
Dd-will When he smiles his people
0'cei when he weeps or frowns they
sorrowful or disobedient Pits
q Dlspatct.