The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-15
"MUcWu U m p" :"
interesting Discussion on How the
Word Came Into Use.


Listener in Boston Transcript
Having heard sharp discussion at the
club of the old question as to the origin and
early use of the word ''mugwump" as po-
litical term, and being mindful Of the fact
that questions are never answered until they
are answered right, the Listener is con-
strained to give the special knowledge on
the subject which he possesses. The words
first appearance in an American newspaper
is distinctly traceable, though. as far as the
Listener knows, it has not been looked into
except in limited way. The story was un-
known, at least, to the disputants In the
group that has just been referred to. This
is the fact: On Oct. 10, 1876, there was, in
the city Of Detroit, Mich, a great Tilden pro,
cession, in which the mayor OF the city and
other prominent Democrats took part. and in
the Detroit Tribune Ia Republican paper
next morning. Oct. 20, there appeared this
item in reference to the parade.
There were 1864 torches, 100 mugwumps In
carriages, and 100 horses IN the DemOcratic pro-
cession last night.
The next issue of the Detroit Free Press,
the Democratic organ of the city, expressed
indignation at the application OF such word
as "mugwump" to 'such gentlemen as May
or Alexander Lewis" and wanted to know
what mugwump was. And In the next Is
sue Of the Tribune there appeared an ans
wer, written by Mr.. William p. Fuller-a
member Of the editorial staff of the paper,
an Eastern man by origin, and person
overflowing with humor. occasionally slight
ly favored with cynicism-who was also the
author of the paragraph that had offended
the Free Press. This answer gave the fol-
lowing elaborate definition.
Mug-wump, [muh-gwump; Fr lejagdsses;
Sp. nsugeitD.pottd; Ger ger .tggerto0ger6tertehl
A mug who wumps; the bearer of the gonfalon;
the small part of a Democratic procession which
does not leave its CAPE cap and torch at the Dem
ocratic headquarters, and retire for lodgings at
mug-wnmp, [muh-gwumpl. To wump; to
wave the gonfalon; TO lodge at police station af
ter assisting at Democratic parades and slip of
in the morning without being sent up fop drunk
enness to dispense hiec0ughs from a kerridge
instead OF stnbbing your toes against your heels
in the RefOrmers' night parade; to wump with a
mug.
Now Mr.. Fuller, whose: word is never
doubted by the honorable circle of Eastern
journalists and men Of letters to whom he is
known, AYERS that, so far as he is aware, he
invented the word "mugwump" himself.
But 1t has been demonstrated that it was an
Indian word, and that it occurs in Eliot's In
dian Bible. How did it get into Mr.. Fuller's
head, to pop out in this queer spontaneous
use Of 1t as a Political term of contempt?
The probable answer to this constitutes the
interesting psychological part Of the story;
Mr.. Fuller admits that he may have heard
the word years before he used IL, and
that it may chavez effected an unconscious
lodgment In his memory, to come out after
ward to all intents and purposes as an orgi-
nal word.
And this evidently was just what happened
for in early life Mr.. Fuller had been, at Hart
ford, a friend and associate of Mr.. j. Ham
mond Trumbull, who is probably the greatest
living authority on the Indian languages the
only man in America, perhaps, who reads
the extinct Indian dialects of New England
with perfect understanding. Mr.. Trumbulps