The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-17
WEARING OF cocKADss.


Only SERVANTS Of Titled Folk and Onicials
should Display Them.
Much sport is made of the Americans
who evidently consider a cockade es
part OF the livery proper, and there are
actually number of them worn IN this
city by the servants whose employers
have not the shadow of an excuse for
their assumption, Apropos of this mat
ter the Queen, London society and
fashion authority, says:
Everyone who has walked much
about the West End of London of late
years must have noticel how very
much more frequently cockades are
worn by servants than formerly. And
il you ask any of your friends who is
not entitled to the distinction, you will
probably be surprised and amused
at the extraordinary diversity of rea-
sons which will be given you for the
practice. There is some little ex-
cuse for this, because there is
nowhere any authoritative ruling
on the subject and the College of
Arms is silent) The truth is, the mat
ter is entirely one of usage. but has
certainly. however. become more or
less a social law, and as such well un-
derstood in society. 1t will therefore
be interesting and useful to refer 10
the origin of the custom. Cockades
were first worn in England in the first
quarter of the last century. The black
cockade, now universally used here,
was the Hanoverian badge, and was
adopted in contradistinct ion to the
white cockade of the house Of Stuart
by all officers of the army and navy in
the direct service of the crown; their
servants wore them also, to show that
though not in uniform they were SOL
diers and sailors; and. as time went on,
the private servants of officers in the
two services adopted them. To these
may be added all members of the royal
households and the diplomatic corps;
until comparatively late times no
one else would have ventured to trans.
gress the bounds of good taste by
assuming distinction to which
they had obviously no sort of claim.
Thus rule may be we'll deduced that
none but the servants of those who
hold military commissions can have any
right
For example, the servants of privy
councillors, judges and magistrates
have never worn them; but those Of
deputy lieutenats do as holding a quasi.
military appointment
''Cockades are of three sorts:
81. The royal cockade. which is quite
nj <f xla~,lt. L.
This is used only by members of the
royal family. and by some others who
claim royal descent, such as the duke
of Buccleuch, etc.
80. The military cockade-This is
oval, made of stiff leather, and orna-
mented with fan or comb Worn by
servants of officers of the army and
navy, lords lieutenant and deputy lieu
tenants.
same as the last, but without the fan.
Worn by servants of naval officers. the
diplomatic corps. and now, by custom.
by ministers of the crown, and certain
high officials, such as the clerk to the
parliaments, the black rod, sergeant
alarms, etc.
''It can not be too clearly understood
that a cockade is in no sense a national
badge, but simply the mark of pro-
fession.
''An attempt has been here made to
show what are the grounds or founda
tion upon which the custom rests: but
apparently many people consider them
merely as a fashionable adjunct to
smart livery-to these this article may
be of interest.
1T remains to be said. in the light of
a recent decision. that for a psrlia-
mentary candidate to PEI for the cock
AIDES or hat badges of his supporters at
an election is a practice bringing far
more speedy and serious penalty than
any infraction of the unwritten law of
social usage. Chicago Journal.