a

word now used for "welcome," as in the phrase, ceud mille fáilte, hundred thousand welcomes." MacKinley (McKinley), “the descendant of the man with the joyous countenance," literally, "head of hospitality. or chief hospitaller." Ceann or cionn, "a head chief, top, or point."

Roosevelt (Rose-a-velt). The original family bore the name Van Roosevelt, translating "of the field of roses," descriptive of their estates in Holland. Claes Martenszen Van Rosenvelt, born August, 1649, emigrated to New Amsterdam (New York). His son (1653) and all of his descendants dropped the Dutch title, Van.

Taft. In Ireland the spelling is Taaffe, Taafe, Taffe, Taff, and Taaf, each word pronounced in the same manner, and as one syllable, being one and the same name.

Jameson, in his "Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language," says: "Taft, a messuage, or dwelling and ground for household uses; this term seems radically the same with the English 'Toft.' With the broad pronunciation of the Scotch, there is not much difference in sound between the Scotch 'Taft' and English 'Toft.'"

"Toft" in England has the meaning of "a grove of trees," a place where a messuage has stood, but is decayed, probably from the root of Tuft, which is traced from the Danish language, as from "tofte" or "tomt."

PRESIDENTIAL SOBRIQUETS.

Washington. Father of his Country. "Providence left him childless, that his country might call him father."

"For the might that clothed

The Pater Patria - for the glorious deeds

That make Mount Vernon's tomb a Mecca shrine."

-SIGOURNEY.

The first application of the title "The Father of his Country," as applied to Washington, is traceable to an Almanac printed in 1779, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The publication had in its frontispiece a picture of Fame holding in one hand the portrait of Washington in a medallion, and with the other, holding to her lips a bugle, from which are issuing the words „Des Landes Vater," which being translated is, "Father of his Country."

Pater Patriæ. "This, the highest honor that man can receive on earth, was not as of old, a title given to an adored chief by victorious soldiers who, however renowned for their valor, were always open to the influence of personal and temporary feelings; nor was it obtained through the instrumentality of a venal Senate; neither did it originate in state-craft or priest-craft, which have in every age paid homage to the great men of the world for selfish and sinister purposes. The high honors to Washington . . . sprang from the disinterested and deliberate judgment of an intelligent, virtuous, and free people, who felt that he had, in his military

capacity alone, done incomparably more than any other man for the establishment of their Independence, and that in all his civil service he had been actuated by the same upright motives which had governed his whole previous career, and that in that sphere also, as in every act of his life, he had placed the performance of public duties and the advancement of public interests before all other earthly considerations. . . . So regarding his whole career, they with one accord gave him the highest place on the roll of fame and the first in their hearts."— VAN BUREN, Political Parties, p. 65.

The first individual belonging to an epoch strictly historical, who received the title Pater Patria was Cicero, to whom it was voted by the Senate after the suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy.

"Father of his Country" has been applied to many individuals : — "Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim."

1 Chron. iv. 14.

Its first application was offered by the Romans to MARIUS for his annihilation of the Teutones, near Aix in 102, and the Cimbri at Vercella, July 30, 101 B.C.

CAIUS JULIUS CAESAR was so-called, subsequent to his quelling the Spanish insurrection at the battle of Munda, March 17, 95 B.C.

MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO, B.C. 62, for breaking up the Catiline conspiracy.

AUGUSTUS CESAR, B.C. 31-14 A.D. "Pater atque Princeps" (HORACE).

Emperor ANDRONICUS PALEOLOGUS, the elder, assumed the title, 1260-1332 A.D.

Admiral ANDREA DORIA (1468-1560) termed the “liberator" and the "father of peace'

by the Genoese, August 5, 1529 a.d.

COSMO I., DE MEDICI, grand duke of Tuscany (1519-1574 A.D.), is designated on his tomb

stone, Cosmus Medici | Hic situs est | Decreto publico, | Pater Patria. LAURENCE O'TOOLE, Archbishop of Dublin, died November 14, 1180.

LOUIS XVIII. of France, 1765-1824.

It was also one of the titles of FREDERICK I., Emperor of Germany.

American Fabius. His military policy resembling that of the Roman General Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus as adopted against Hannibal, in declining to risk a battle in the open field, preferring to harass by marches, counter-marches, and ambuscades. (It is an historical fact that Washington never won a battle.)

Chief Justice Marshall notes:

He has been termed the American Fabius; but those who compare his actions with his means, will perceive at least as much of Marcellus as of Fabius in his character. He could not have been more enterprising without endangering the cause he defended, nor have put more to hazard without incurring justly the imputation of rashness. Not relying upon those chances which sometimes give a favorable issue to attempts apparently desperate, his conduct was regulated by calculations made upon the capacities of his army, and the real situation of his country.

The Cincinnatus of the West. So expressed by Lord Byron in his "Ode to Napoleon," verse 19:

Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus, the Roman, was ploughing his field, when he was saluted as Dictator. After he had conquered the Volsci and delivered his country from danger, he laid down his office and returned to his plough.

"And Cincinnatus, awful from the plough."

- THOMSON, Winter, 512.

The application to Washington was an allusion to his coming from his retirement at Mount Vernon to assume the Presidency.

Atlas of America. Having a new world on his shoulders.

Lovely Georgius. A sarcastic nickname applied by the English soldiery. "Old Mother Hancock with a pan

All crowded full of butter,
Unto the lovely Georgius ran,
And added to the splutter."

—6th stanza, Adam's Fall: the Trip to Cambridge. 1775.

Flower of the Forest, used by the Seneca Indian chief, Red Jacket, in one of his "powwows."

"General Washington, whom the chief used to call 'the flower of the forest,' presented him with a silver medal which he never ceased to wear."-TUCKERMAN, Book of Artists, p. 212.

Deliverer of America. Expressed on the title-page of the play of “Bruto" (the first Brutus), a tragedy by the Italian poet, Vittorio Alfieri.

DEDICATION. "The name of the Deliverer of America alone can stand in the title-page of the tragedy of the Deliverer of Rome. To you, most excellent and most rare citizen, I therefore dedicate this: without first hinting at even a part of so many praises due to yourself, which I now deem all comprehended in the sole mention of your name."

Step-father of his Country. Sarcastically applied by bitter opponents during his Presidency.

Savior of his Country, appeared in the "Gazette of the United States," April 25, 1789.

Adams. Colossus of Independence, Atlas of Independence, Partisan of Independence. The quick second to the resolution of Richard Henry Lee, and to whose influence and efforts for Colonial Independence in the Continental Congress the ultimate adoption of the Declaration of Independence is due. A coincidence occurred in his death on the semi-centennial anniversary of its adoption (July 4, 1826).

President of Three Votes. An epithet applied to Adams by his political opponents, who claimed that but for the bad faith of two Pennsylvania electors, chosen for Republicans, Jefferson would have been President instead of Adams (1796). See page 298.

American Herschel. The newspapers of the day so styled him, because he discovered the approach of the baneful French comet (war with France) before his fellow-citizens. (Sir F. William Herschel, English astronomer.)

"A patriot sage who had forecast events and warned an incredulous public to prepare seasonably against coming dangers."— SCHOULer, V. 1, p. 392.

The Macchiavelli of Massachusetts. The Federalists after their defeat in the Presidential election of 1800, as one of their last acts, in a sort of

pique at Jefferson's success, passed a measure creating twenty-three new Federal judgeships, in order to provide places for Federalist partisans, each person chosen opposed to the precepts of Jefferson. Adams was occupied until after midnight March 3, signing their commissions. They were contemptuously called "Midnight Justices."

Nicolo del Macchiavelli (1469-1527) of Florence, wrote a political treatise called The Prince (Del Principe, or De Principatibus), which, in its general scope, essayed to show that rulers may resort to any treachery and artifice to uphold their arbitrary power, and whatever dishonorable acts princes may indulge in are fully set off by the insubordination of their subjects. The book was supposed to have been written to recommend the author to the Medici; it was not originally intended for publication.

Political cunning, and overreaching by diplomacy, or pernicious political principles, are known as Macchiavellian.

Tiberius, the Roman emperor (B.c. 42 to A.D. 87), has been called The Imperial Macchiavelli; his political axiom was, "He who knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign."

Son of Liberty. A direct lineal descendant in the fourth generation, from Henry Adams, who fled from the persecutions in England during the reign of Charles I. His maternal ancestor was John Alden, a passenger in the Mayflower. He inherited the title from both parental ancestors.

Jefferson. Sage of Monticello. A combining of the name of his estate with an allusion to his wise statesmanship and great political sagacity, as exhibited by him in his intercourse with visitors and in his correspondence with public men on matters of government, after he had retired from the Presidency.

Father of Expansion. It was under his administration the first possession of territory beyond the domain of the United States was accomplished, the purchase of Louisiana, April 30, 1803.

King Mammoth. A political epithet applied (1802) in derision, as a visionary theorist, "a cat on the kite of popularity who would soon tumble," a man of scientific pretensions.

Father of Nullification. Applied, but in error. He died before the tariff measure which gave birth to nullification in South Carolina was passed, or even proposed in Congress. It was a later-date epithet, and probably derived from his introduction of the word into the Kentucky Resolutions; the dogma of his invention being expanded by Calhoun into a system of political philosophy. See "Nullification," page 246.

The Apostle of Democracy. So styled by friend and foe, incident to his "practising simplicity in all things."

The Exponent of Democracy. The personal representative of the precepts of the Democratic party.

Long Tom. Given by his political opponents, suggested by his great height and slender figure.

Madison. Father of the Constitution. Being the author of the resolution that led to the invitation for the Convention of 1787, issued by the Virginia Legislature, that paved the way to the adoption of the Constitution of the United States.

Also attributable to the fact of his being the oldest survivor, the last of the signers of the Constitution.

Shield-bearer of Jefferson. Because he was a sincere and constant friend of Jefferson, the mutual confidence and friendship being firmly cemented when he was Jefferson's Secretary of State.

Monroe. Last Cocked Hat. From the circumstance of his being the last of the Revolutionary Presidents to wear the hat of that period. J. Q. Adams. Old Man Eloquent. His eloquence in Congress in favor of the "right of petition" gained him this title; Congress for a long time refusing to have read his petitions for the abolishing of slavery.

Isocrates, the Athenian orator, B.C. 436, who died (suicide) of grief on hearing the result of the battle of Charonea, which was fatal to Grecian liberty, is styled "old man eloquent" in Milton's Sonnet X, to the Lady Margaret Ley:

Jackson. command.

"When that dishonest victory

At Chæronea, fatal to liberty,

Killed with report that Old Man Eloquent."

Old Hickory. Conferred in 1813, by the soldiers of his Parton says:—

The name of "Old Hickory" was not an instantaneous inspiration, but a growth. First of all, the remark was made by some soldier, who was struck with his commander's pedestrianism powers, that the General was tough. Next, it was observed that he was tough

as hickory. Then he was called Hickory. Lastly the affectionate adjective old was prefixed, and the General thenceforth rejoiced in the completed nickname.

Pointed Arrow. Given by the Indians, against whom he fought in 1813. A reference to his sword.

Big Knife and Sharp Knife, given him by the Creek Indians at the time he was prosecuting the Southern Indian War; expressive of his penetration and indomitable will, and significant as a wearer of a sword.

Hero of New Orleans, Man of New Orleans, Savior of the South. Consequent upon his victory over the British troops at New Orleans, January 8, 1815, "there never being in a great battle such disparity of losses."

The British: 700 killed, 1400 wounded, and 500 prisoners. The Americans: 8 killed and 13 wounded. (Respective armies numbered, British, 10,000; Americans, 6000.)

Military Star of the Southwest. His prominence and efficiency in the Southern border wars.

Gin'ral. Used by David Crockett in his "Life of Martin Van Buren." Old Hero. Mentioned in Schurz's "Life of Henry Clay."

The Old Lion, or as the phrase was used, "the old lion in his lair." After the expiration of his second term as President he retired to the quiet retreat of "The Hermitage," where his influence in party politics dominated, as shown in the nomination of Van Buren in 1836 and Polk in 1844. While in the quiet of his home, yet exerting an extended and potent influence that not unfrequently stirred up party zeal, if not rancor, he was often spoken of as "the old lion in his lair."