"UNCLE SAM'S" ORIGIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9305, 4 August 1908, Page 2

"UNCLE SAM'S" ORIGIN.

» I AMERICANISMS AND THEIR SOURCE. It has been abundantly proved that many of the sayings commonly used in tho United States and called by us Americanisms are really words from the English county dialects, which were taken across the Atlantic by English emigrants, and survived in America while they either died out or remained unnoticed" by the general public in the land of their birth. But misnomers always stick, and "Irish stew," "German silver," "Prussian blue," "Turkish baths" and "Jerusalem artichokes " continue to be used, although in riot one case is the country named j concerned in the article in any way. So i that we shall probably go on talking of Americanisms which are Englishisms to the end of time. But there are real Amerioanisms by the thousand, and many of them are becoming adopted in, Australia, as we all know. And there are some of a national character known and understood by all, but the origin of which is to the majority " wrapped in mystery." Among them is " Uncle Sam," used as a name for the Federal Government. Of course, one is told at once that the words are simply taken from the letters " U. 5.," signifying United States, and so they are. But any other uncle wjioso name began with S would have done as well, and Silas or eoone- other scriptural name would be more likely to have been chosen in view of the large proportion of Christian name 3 taken from the Bible. As a matter of fact the term began to be used in the War of Independence. The management of the States "War Stores Depot, on the Hudson, was in the hands of Elbert Anderson, and his two inspectors were Ebenezer Wilson and Samuel Wilson. The latter, who was the uncle to the former, had most to do with the workmen, and was familiarly known as "Uncle Sam" by them and others concerned. All the goods sent out were branded " E.A., U. 5.," moaning, of course, Elbert Anderson—United States, and Mr Anderson, being asked one day what was the moaning of tho letters, said jocularly that the first two were his initial^ and the others those of " Uncle Sam.' The joke took with the soldiers and others and became generally known, " Uncle Sam " being adopted as a name for the Government. It is said that the expression to "stand Sam" — meaning to pay the cost of anything — came from the same source, and that it is meant in soldier phrase that Uncle Sam had to pay tor their accoutrements or keep. If tins be so, the phrase got across the Atlantic very quickly, since it was in pretty common use in London nearly a tury ago. Others derive it from ' Samedi," French for Saturday, or payday. „ ''Broiler Jonathan" as a term tor an American corresponding to ' ' John Bull" for an -Englishman is about as old as "Uncle Sam," or perhaps a little older, and comes from George Washington himself. The story goes that on one occasion tho " continental " or American forces were almost out of ammunition, and Washington called a council of his officers about it. There was powder and ball in existence, but funds* had to be found to buy it and means of transit provided. After long consideration no way out of the difficulty could be devised, and in breaking up the gathering Washington said : " Well, gentlemen, there is nothing for it but to consult Brother Jonathan 1 ' This was a soubriquet for Jonathan Trumbull, the Governor of Connecticut, and to him accordingly the general went. What Trumbell did, or how the difficulty was got over, is not recorded, but it was got over by his instrumentality, and to "consult Brother Jonathan " became a byword in time of difficulty of any kind. In time it began to mean an appeal to the people, j and the new-born national feeling, and so the- name attached itself to the nation. Now that "Uncle Sam" is sending ! so many of " Brother Jonathan's " sons to pay us a family visit, it is interesting to itnow how the two expressions came to apply. And it is in keeping with the democratic instincts of the race that they, like our own "John Bull," came from the people, and have an origin, too, which is Avorthy of the use to which they are put.