creature. Slander never proceeded from his mouth, nor doth guile rest under his tongue. Are you desirous, my children, of modest stillness and quiet? Would you like to live peaceably among men? If such be your desires, learn a lesson of wisdom from the Eel, who, although he knows neither his birth nor his parentage, but is cast an orphan of creation, yet shows, by his strength and numbers, the excellence of the mode of life he has chosen.

12th. "Children of the Twelfth Tribe: I shall point out for your improvement some excellent traits in the character of the Bear. He is distinguished for his patient endurance of those inconveniences which he finds it impossible to ward off. Thus, when scarcity threatens your country with famine, when disease among the beasts strews your hunting-grounds with carcasses, when insects destoy your beans, and worms corrode the roots of your corn, when the streams refuse their accustomed supplies, or when the clouds withhold their rain, bear with patience and resignation whatever necessity imposes upon you. Show yourselves men, for it is adversity which gives scope to your talents.

13th. "Children of the Thirteenth Tribe: I call your attention to the economy of the Bee. You observe among those creatures a discipline not surpassed by anything the woods afford. Idlers, vagrants and embezzlers of public property, have no toleration there. Regularity and method pervade every department of their government. Borrow from them an idea of arrangement in business, and, above all, derive from their instructive example that alchemy of mind, which, by an operation somewhat analogous to the production of nectar from venom, converts private feelings into public advantages, and makes even crimes and vices ultimately conducive to public good."

Having, in an eloquent speech, such as the Lenni-Lenapi Indians were renowned for, thus endeavored to distribute among his people these and other vritues, Tammany felt that his lifework was done; and, in fact, he was very soon after called to the happy hunting-grounds of his tribe, leaving behind him a reputation above that of any other of his race of whom we have any knowledge, as he was also more esteemed and beloved than any of his tribe before or since. He is said to have been buried in the large mound within the ancient Indian fort near Muskingum, O., which is nearly as large as the most famous of the Egyptian pyramids.

CHAPTER IV.

FIRST OFFICERS OF THE TAMMANY SOCIETY, AND ITS EARLY HISTORY.

G

RAND SACHEM-William Mooney.

Sachems-White Matlock, Phillip Hone, John Campbell, John Burger, Thomas Greenleaf, Cortlandt Van Beuren, Oliver Glenn, James Tylee, Gabriel Furman, Jonathan Pierce, Abel Hardenbrook, Joseph Goodwin.

Treasurer-Thomas Ash.

Sagamore-John Pintard.

The most active and habitual frequenters of the Wigwam while its meetings were held at "Martling's" are thus given (in Valentine's Manual of the City of New York): John Tryson, Wm. H. Ireland, John Targee, Benjamin Romain,. Eldad Holmes, George Buckmaster, Abraham Valentine, Joseph Kimball, Abraham Stagg, John Moss, Abraham Dally, Dr. Prince, John B. Thorp, Augustus Wright, Lewis Ford, Clarkson Crolius, William Mott, Samuel L. Page, W. J. Waldron. Among other members were Lieutenant-Colonel Ebenezer Stevens, Second Regiment Continental Corps of Artillery of the Revolution, who had been a member of the Boston "Tea Party” of 1773, and was an influential member of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati, and, in 1814, as Major-General, commanded all the New York militia in the United States service.

This party had at times very lively contests with the Federalists and followers of Alexander Hamilton and other political assailants, but manfully kept together in solid phalanx to the ever-growing terror of the diminishing Federalists and all others inclined to disregard the rights of the people.

The actual organization of the Columbian Order, or the Society of Tammany, which took place on the 12th of May, 1789, happened about two weeks after Washington had taken his initial oath of office as President. It is, therefore, the oldest political organization in the country, none having held together continuously for anything like a century. Tammany is now (1899) over one hunhundred and ten years old.

The press of 1789 describes the Society of Tammany as being a national society consisting of American-born citizens, who are alone eligible to hold any of its offices, except the merely honorary posts of "Warrior" and "Hunter," which may be filled by adopted citizens. "It is founded," said the New York Daily Gazette, "on the true principles of patriotism, and has for its motives, charity and brotherly love. Its officers consist of one Grand Sachem; twelve Sachems, one Treasurer, one Secretary, and one Doorkeeper. It is divided into thirteen Tribes, each severally representing a State of the Union, and each of these tribes has its own Sachem. The honorary posts are only two in number, those of Sagamore and Wiskinskie."

As warriors and hunters are not practically called for in modern times, the duties of these officers have naturally become more pacific. That of Sagamore may now be described, in a general way, as master of ceremonies, and custodian

of the regalia, etc. The regalia collar is of light blue velvet, ornamented with gold. The duties of Wiskinskie include that of a doorkeeper who holds the password, and, in a measure, he occupies a similar position to that of Tyler in a Masonic Lodge.

The original idea of founding this Society of Tammany is to be credited to a business man of New York City, named William Mooney, though it was inevitable that some such association would be formed; for opposition to the aristocratic tendencies of the Federalists was in the air, and it was believed by many of the leading citizens to be absolutely necessary to have some organized body, ready at all times to battle for the preservation of the pure American spirit, and antagonize every symptom of departure from it.

WILLIAM MOONEY was chosen as the first Grand Sachem. His immediate successor was William Pitt Smith, in 1790; then followed Josiah Ogden Hoffman; DE WITT CLINTON being Scribe of the Council.

The Device or Certificate of Membership is quite an elaborate piece of work. It represents "A pointed arch composed of two cornucopias, resting on two columns, on each side of which are two figures-Liberty and Justice. On a pedestal bearing the former are the figures 1776-1789. Below the foundation on which the two columns rest is another arch standing upon a rocky base; this arch is composed of thirteen stones, each bearing the name of one of the original thirteen States. The keystone is Pennsylvania, and from this fact arose the custom of Speaking of that State as the 'Keystone State.' Below this arch of rocks is a view of land and water, containing appropriate symbols of agriculture and commerce." This expressive device was designed by Dr. Charles Buxton, and engraved, on copper, by Mr. George Graham.

From its first organization the Indian nomenclature was adopted as to divisions of time, and to indicate the seasons, as well as in the titles of its officials. The early notices of its meetings were printed in the same symbolic languagesuch, for instance, as "the month of snows," the "month of flowers," the "month of fruits," etc.; also using the changes of the moon in the same way, with other imitations of the aboriginal customs, as calling their places of meeting a "wigwam," and their conferences "council fires," and so forth. This probably struck some of the high-toned Federalists as somewhat puerile, but it was meant to emphasize their intense Americanism; and the country soon learned that these characteristics of the society could be turned to good practical account.

Many eventful historical scenes are connected with the early days of Tammany, as for instance, the government's relations with the Creek Indians. Ever since the peace of 1783 the United States had been periodically troubled with Indian outbreaks, and had been particularly anxious to conciliate the Creeks, who then occupied large tracts of land in Florida and Georgia. In 1790 a plan. was devised to get the chief of this tribe, or nation, who was an educated halfbreed, to come to New York with some of his people, in the expectation that the sights of civilization and of permanent substantial cities would make the red men feel their weakness, and the impossibility of resisting the supremacy of the "palefaces." In the winter of 1790 an agent, Col. Marinus Willett, was sent South to the Indian country to invite the Chief of the Creeks to come and visit the Great White Father in New York. The expedition was successful, and the following

summer, "in the season of flowers," a large delegation from the Creek nation, under the conduct of their chief, who bore the Scotch name of Alexander McGilvery, arrived in New York.

This unusual event had been prepared for by the Tammany Society with extraordinary elaboration. The members of the Society adopted for the occasion the entire Indian costume, even to the wearing of the tomahawk and feathers. In addition, they attached to the back of the head-dress, as an extemporized symbol of the visiting tribe, a buck's tail; hence arose the popular sobriquet which the Society long bore, of the "Bucktails." The Tammany Society also pitched tents on vacant lots on the banks of the Hudson River, now one of the busiest sections of busy New York. When the Creeks were received and welcomed by the “Bucktails" they were wonderfully surprised and overjoyed, thinking they had found a new tribe of red men, giving vent to their excitement in loud whoops, which greatly startled, if they did not frighten, the Tammany braves.

Among the eminent persons present on this occasion was Thomas Jefferson, who was afterward to be President of the United States; Governor George Clinton, of the State of New York; Chief Justice Jay, of the Supreme Court of the United States; the then Secretary of State, and many other distinguished persons. The bands of Creeks sang their tribal songs, called the E-tho-song, after which the Grand Sachem, William Pitt Smith, made them a friendly speech, in the course of which, appealing to the superstitious nature of his auditors, he assured them that, though dead, the spirits of the two great chiefs, Tammany and Columbus, were walking backward and forward in the wigwam.

The Sagamore of the Society then offered the Creek chief the calumet, or pipe of peace, when immediately one of the Indians bestowed upon the Sagamore a new name; he called him Tuliva Mico, meaning Chief of the White Town. In the evening all the Indians were taken to the theatre, and for several days they were entertained with banquets, "long talks," music, and whatever else could be devised to amuse and impress them; the members of Tammany wearing their Indian costumes so long as the visit of the Creeks lasted. In consequence of this friendly and unique reception a treaty was secured as the aborigines called it, "a treaty of friendship with Washington, the beloved Sachem of the Thirteen Fires." The result was a long period of peace with this tribe, which has long been entirely civilized, and, next to the Cherokees, the most advanced in the arts of civilization of any of the aborigines within the jurisdiction of the United States.

CHAPTER V.

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES.

HERE were other "Tammany" societies formed in the several States about the time of the New York organization, and also one or two have been formed in recent years. The Tammany Society of Georgia became one of great political influence. Although, in its origin, the New York Tammany was ostensibly only a social and benevolent body, that astute Senator from Pennsylvania, William Maclay, seems to have penetrated the disguise, for, in his diary, under date of May 1, 1789, after describing the parade of "the Sons of Tammany," he says: "There seems to be some kind of scheme laid, of erecting some kind of order or society, under this denomination, but it does not seem well digested yet." He evidently suspected that there was some kind of political purpose concealed under the accepted name of the Tammany "braves."

Just about the same period, in 1789, an organization of a similar nature was formed in Philadelphia. Some writers claim that it was of earlier date than the New York society, having been organized on the first day of May. It certainly existed for several years, but never exercised any very potent politica! influence. As its annual meetings were held on the first of May, it had probably eleven days precedence as to age. The Philadelphia Tammany Society had two places of meeting: one in the city in a building known as the London Coffee House, on the corner of Front and Market streets. This was a general resort of the fashionable people of the Quaker City.

It was patronized by Federal judges, Congressmen, naval and military officers, as well as by wealthy citizens. In the summer the society met in a beautiful spot on the banks of the Schuylkill, at a place called the Wigwam.

Heckewelder, an interesting chronicler of contemporary events, makes this reference to them under date of May 1st: "Numerous societies of Tammany's votaries walked together in procession through the streets of Philadelphia, their hats decorated with bucktails, and proceeded to a handsome rural place out of town, called the Wigwam, where, after a 'long talk,' or Indian speech, had been delivered, and the calumet of peace and friendship had been duly smoked, they spent the day in festivity and mirth."

The Philadelphia society had as its badge the eel, which shows to have been the eleventh tribe, as designated by Chief Tammany in his gift of symbols. In this early period many smaller societies appear to have been organized which were in some sort auxiliaries to that in New York, which was the second tribe, or tiger, the first, or eagle, being the insignia of the nation. Little is known of the other early societies, as but few of them made any mark in politics; they won only a local reputation, and finally drifted into social associations, as did the more promising Philadelphia organization. There is, however, one at least in Portland, Ore., which gives unmistakable signs of life and activity; but, it is of recent origin, having been established in 1887, and its rules have been closely copied from the Tammany organization in this city.