The sun., 1891-05-03

Colonial Descent and Social Distinction.
!: Three societies have heen formed Of re-
cent years for keeping alive tho spirit
and the memory OF tho Revolution and OF
the colonial days Of this country. Ono Of
luton, has just held its annual convention
ct Hartford, and among the business trans
acted WAS the passage OF resolutions with
reference to union with the Sons Of the Rev.
ofution, another society Of similar pur.
poses and also madeup Of descendants from
soldiers. sailors, and civil officers of the
period of the Revolution. The third asso-
citation is called the Colonial Danes, and IL
composed Of women exclusively. tho requi-
site for membership being descent from civil
and military officers Of the time OF the Reyo-
luton and before.
SO far - these societies are intended topre-
serve the patriotic spirit they are deserving
Of commendstion and support, and In no
way Is harm likely to come from them.
This itaperio4 when the tendency to such
voluntary association In clubs, uniona and
otdersS Is stronger than ever before. II
Is q natural exhibition Of the disposi-
sition Of people to band together to
distinguish themselves from the great mass
and to secure the benefits Of cooperation and
sympathetie intercourse. Hundreds Of these
sssocia tions exist in New York. and their
number is steadily multiplying. The great
majority Of them are for practical and mutual
benefit. and arc made up Of wage earners
and people ofsmall incomes. who get spbStan.
tial advantages from such fratsrnizstion.
:; The societies Of descendants from colonial
and Revolutionary ancestors, however. sxe
brought together by sentimental Influences
only. Among those the pAtt1otic spirit un.
doubtedly has leading place. but pride of
birth and descent is probably oven stronger
among most Of the members. OF the
bc oks most consulted st the Astor
Library are the volumes on. the sub
jects Of heraldry and genea}ogy. We
have in town q society devoted TO tho study
OF heraldry. In Boston magazine OF gene
alogy IL published. Ensllsh experts In
genealogy derive large part Of their pat
ronage from Americans eager to connect
themselves by descent with aristocratic
families Of England: and clever Eng
lish swindlers have earned q pretty
penny by cheating many OF our citisans
with spurious genealogical links OF this
much desired kind. Tho number otbooks
recording the geuealdgies Of Individual
American families, and published at their
expense, is very great, and they are chiefly
families Of the old stock and Of English
descent. Elaborate volumes on the coats Of
arms borne or assumed IN America afo
published, and . moro important and
much more elaborate and costly work
on the subject than any now In e4-
istenoe has been announced Of ,Iste.
It is q field Gf inquiry n Witch an
astonishing amount Of neal and energy b.
employed. The craving for Sristocritic dia,
tinction based on agenealogy which hreaches
ACROSS the ocean, and Joins the aristoWatic
lines Of Europe. and Of England more par
ticularly. prevails to . marvellous extent in
this republic. It Is harmless manifesto
ton. except that 1t usually breeds in those
possessed of 1t . pitiful credulity. which
sometimes makes them the easy prey Of
swindlers. who sot out 70 cater TO their
vanity or detusion. = 4 Z j ., 81.
When the Society Of the Clnciunat was
formed BY officers OF the American army
after the close OF tho Revolution, 1t encoun-
tered vigorous and violent Opposition ~ an
attempt to establish an hereditary ortier In
V4SO AVpuUpos Au0 'uo5phSAOA Wo0 E029Ous
able. Tho aristocrato spirit still remain
ing wss strong enough to Justify It.
Membership In the society was made
hereditary, descending according to the
principle Of prfmogenitqre TO tho Oldest male
descendant, and thus constituting the germ
Of . dangerous aristocraoy, In the opinion Of
many of the truest patriots Of the period.
But the evil feared has not come. The Society
OF the Cincinnati 10 q respectable sssocistioa
continuing to this day, but the great mass
Of the public arc either. ignorant of
Its existence or totally Indifferent TO II.
II u without either social or political oonss-
Quencs. and has little or NO consequence Of
any kind. Membership oonfsrs no rscog.
nized distinction. How thoroughly al fear
OF sristocrstio pretension has departed in
our day was shown whom oflioers Of the
civil war organized ths Military Order OF the
Loyal Legion on the Same principle Of primo
geniture - to membership and no popular
objection was made 70 the Institution.
The Colonial Danes, however. hsve sought
10 mako their sooiety . social nucleus. In
lKhiah distiAHklnA el 6Aa0ant uillbA onpoaed