Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-09-04
PROUD OF . TORY|SM
Descendants Of Traitors to Form
a Society.
Prominent PhiladelphIans Profess to
See Act Of Honor In Their Fore
fathers Opposition to Wash.
lnoton and independence.

The only known society in the world
OF descendants Of traitors is In proc
ess Of formation In Philadelphia, the
cradle Of liberty. Prominent people
OF Colonial lineage, whose ancestors
were tories or sympathizers with
King George during the revolutionary
war, are being urged to join an or.
ganization, as yet unnamed, which will
have for its object the glorlflcation OF
so-called loyalists who were found
guilty Of high treason against the In.
FAINT American republic. The fact that
their ancestors mixed ground glass In
flour sold to Washington army at
Germantown or refused to send pro-
visions to his starving and freezing
army at Valley Forge does not de-
tract from the enthusiasm evinced by
the organizers.
The idea of the formation Of the so
ciety originated with the recent dis.
covery Of an ancient document known
as the tory blacklist, published by the
attorney general of Pennsylvania after
the war. This list contains the names
OF many prominent men In the affairs
Of Pennsylvania in those days-men
who frowned upon the continental
congress, who entertained the British
during their occupation Of Philadel-
phia, and who openly scoffed at the
Declaration OF Independence. A move
ment was started after the war to
prosecute them for treason, but it new
er resulted in action.
Although the seat Of the patriot gov.
eminent and the cradle of liberty,
Philadelphia In revolutionary times
was still the hotbed Of loyalism. The
Quaker element. opposed to war and
violence, passively supported the Brit
ish crown and refused aid to the strug-
Cling continentals The fashionable
element of what was then the leading
city of the colonies, likewise was tory.
No season was ever so brilliant as
that OF the winter of 1777-7S, when
the British army occupied the city,
while Washingtons tattered forces
froze and starved at Valley Forge, a
few miles away. The families whose
descendants are still among the lead
ers OF fashion in the city royalty en-.
tertained the redcoat invaders.
1t is among these social leaders that
the society is being formed. They are
taking 1t seriously, too. They see no
Joke in the fact that their organiza-
ton will be based on a list of men
who were once threatened with prose-
cution for a grave crime. Eligibility
to membership in the society, in fact,
will be determined by the blacklist is'
sued by the attorney general.
A self-appointed committee of these
descendants is now engaged in a can
vass for other members, and In the
near future a meeting will be held for
the purpose of effecting a permanent
organization. This will doubtless be
accomplished in one OF the Quaker
houses, the congregations Of which
contain many descendants OF men who
are admitted to have hindered the
cause Of independence by their loyalty
to the English king.
Their object, they declare, is to pre-
serve records Of these men. their an
cestors. who we're maligned by the
continentals, and whom many persons
despise to this day. and to perpetuate
the interests In common formed by
their ancestors under trying condi-
tons when they believed they were
doing their duty by God and man in
supporting their sovereign. King
George Of England and opposing war
and bloodshed with all Its horrors.
The present generation Of Americans
in this age Of progressiveness, they
declare, are more apt to recognize the
Justice Of this.