Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-03
THE STORY OF raMMAxY.
How the Great Political Organization G
Out of an Ancient Society.


full and detailed account Of the history of
Tamnany Hall from the date Of its birth (l7sg)
| to the present day would, undoubte teddy, take
years to compile and perhaps hundreds of VOL
umes to chrooGele. Hence TIE srAn Ia indebted
to Nelson Smith for = concise interview relative
to the history Of this famous organisation.
Mr.. Smith has just completed history Of
Tammany Hall for their souvenir issue. The
following IL The interview:
The name 'Tammany' was derived from the
celebrated Indian chief Tammany. or Tama-
mead, OF the Delawares and of the confederac
Leuni-L enapes.
Tradition furnishes the most marvellous ac-
count Of this famous chief. Of his wisdom. his
goodness. his justice, his forbearauce his BRAY
cry, his struggles with the evil spirit and above
| all, Of his love Of liberty.
at Is reasonably certain that Tammany. was
present at the great council under the elm
tree at Shakamaxon upon PENIS first arrival in
! this country. History tells us that all the
| chiefs of the tribes Of Leuni-Lenape were
there, and 1t is not at all probable that 80 dis
! tinSuished a chief as Tammany would have been
| absent. but as no treaty signed at this coun-
ell the names Of those present have not been
| preserved.
| 1.-The first treaty for the purchase of lands
| made by enn with the Indians is dated April
70. 1858. Tammany was party to this treaty,
and by it he released his right to tract Of land
lying between Pennepack and Neshamony
creeks But in the great treaty made two years
later, May &c. 1886. by which large portion Of
Pennsylvania was acquired, the name of Tam
! many does not appear, and from this crcum-
stance it is inferred that he must have died
between these years. In fact, all accounts agree
that Tammany died shortly after Penn settled in
| this country.
Penn himself in speaking of him SAYS that he
found him an old man. yet vigorous in mind
and body, with high notions of liberty, but
easily won by suavity and peaceable address of
the governor. The Rev. John Heckewelder, Q
I distinguished pioneer and missionary-one OF
the first white men who penetrated the wilder
| ness, now comprised by the state of Ohio-says
! that when Col. George Morgan Of Princeton
visited the western Indians by order of Con-
| gress in 1776 he learned that Tammany was
beloved for his goodness that the Driawares
conferred upon him the title of venerated chief,
| that COL Morgan brought back to the whites
such glowing accounts of the qualities of this
ancient chief that the patriots of the revoIu
| ton dubbed him saint and inscribed his
name on some of the'calendars.
SAINT TAMMANY.
"Tammany societies were founded in his honor
and he was called St. Tammany and adopted as
the tutelar patron saint of democratic Amer
lea. Mr.. LOSING in his histories of the revo-
| luton and OF the war of 1912 cites with appro-
baton the account of Heckewelder, and ii may
be accepted as authentic history. Tammany
| was, without doubt, one of the most distin-
| guished red men who ever lived. He was kind
merciful and brave He taught his children to
cultivate the arts OF peace well Of war.
| Under his Leadership the confederacy of the
Leuni-Lenapes became powerful and mighty.
He lived to a remarkable age-sO great as to be
called 'Tammany of many days He was
| looked upon rs patriarch and reverenced with
all the affection which the SONS of the forest
always bestowed upon their favorite chieftain.
Such was the man whom the sons of liberty
the patriots Of tho revolution-adopted as their
| tutear saint.
when Tammany died he left a farewell ad-
dress to the children of his tribes-thirteen in
all. The thirteen addresses are translated
into English, and the one intended for the chill
dren of the second tribe has been adopted by
the Tammany Of the present day. 1t is as fol-
| lows:
"'Children of the Second Tribe: The tiger
affords useful lesson for you. The exceeding
| agility OF this creature, the extraordinary
quickness OF his sight and, above all. his dis
| eliminating power in the dark, teach you to be
stirring and active in your respective -callings,
| to look sharp to every engagement you enter
| into and to let neither misty days stormy
nights make you lose sight of the worthy OBJ
ject OF your pursuit.
| TAMMANY HALL.
"Tammany Hall commenced its career as a
patriotic and quasi-political society under the
title Of 'Tammany Society or Columbian
Order and soon developed into a political
organization. Its first breath of life was drawn
from the inspiration of the ancient Indian chief
whose name it bears. 1t may be said to have
been born Of the love Of liberty and the spirit of
independence. Its true Office has ever been to
maintain the great cause Of human rights and
to pre- serve the equal enjoyment of them. Its
| history is made up OF the events which SO
largely enter into the history of New York city,
| state and the Union. extending back to the
| scenes of the American revolution and even
previous to the signing of the Declaration of
Independence During the year 1865, when the
| British government imposed the infamous
stamp act, and then again when tax was
put on tea, Sons Of Liberty or the Sons of
Tammanv, as the organizations were called,
were formed in all the colonies. and through
| their influence the revolution was mainly due
and the yoke Of Great Britain cast forever
from us.
''Soon after England had acknowledged our
independence by the treaty of peace Of 1888 it
| became apparent that the articles of confedera-
ton of TIT, under which the colonies had acted
together during the war. were insufficient to
preserve the Union and to insure an efficient
national government. The old Congress, by
these articles, was little more than q general
committee Of delegates from the several states
| who had not even the power to bind their prin-
| cipals. In these circumstances it was evident
| that some plan OF general government must be
devised with authority to act directly with
|
sulting the states. Men differed as to what that
plan of general government should be. 1t was
| this difference Of opinion which produced the
first organized political parties in New York
state and the nation.
Pending the formation and adoption Of the
| Federal Constitution it became apparent that,
despite the fact that We had, by the war, won
great victory for self-government and the pres
ervation Of the enjoyment Of equal rights, vet
there was strong tendency to centralize the
powers Of government and to build up an aris-
1 tocracy.
| Alexander Hamilton, as leader, was champion
| Of this sentiment He and those acting with
him were in favor Of consolidating the power
| Of the government at one point and thence dis
| tributing 1t to the states Hamilton proposed
| that the President and Senators Of the United
States should hold Office during good behavior
practically for life; that governors of states
should be appointed by the President and Sem
ate and should have an unqualified veto of the
| acts OF the state legislatures.
Hamilton aud his associates were called fed
eralists and through their efforts there was or
ganized what was known in those days as the
| federal party.
| "Gov. George Clinton was the leader Of the
| opposing party-the democratic party-al-
| though not then called by that name. They
were opposed to centralizing authority and
were in favor Of leaving it in the hands of the
people to be exercised as the majority should
| tol