Uncle Sam

Transcriber's Note: This cover was created by the transcriber by adding text to the original plain cover and is placed in the public domain.
UNCLE SAM
BY ALBERT MATTHEWS
BY ALBERT MATTHEWS ————————— Reprinted from the Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society Volume XIX ————————— WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS THE DAVIS PRESS 1908

Arising in obscure ways, often originating in derision or abuse or satire, sometimes repudiated by those to whom they are applied, at other times adopted in spite of the ridicule, the origin of nicknames is singularly elusive, and there are few words or phrases of which it is more difficult to trace the history. Moreover, nicknames are almost invariably associated in the popular mind with some person or place or thing having a similar name; and so a problem already difficult is made doubly so by the necessity of attempting to obtain information about very obscure persons. The history of nicknames usually follows one general course: those who, at the time of origin, perhaps know the real explanation, fail to record it, and then, a generation or so having passed by and the true origin having been forgotten, a series of guesses is indulged in.

OUR War-Hawks when pot valiant grown, Could they the British King dethrone, Would sacrifice a man a day;— To me the reason's very plain, Why topers talk in such a strain— They want a double Can-a-day . Upper and Lower .
The War-hawks retaliated by calling the peace men Tories and likening them to the Loyalists of the Revolution. The war-hawks of that vicinity, said the New York Evening Post of October 28, 1812, came to his house and began abusing him with the usual slang of Federalist , old Tory , &c. (p. 2-4).
Meanwhile, however, we get our first glimpse of Uncle Sam. An article half a column in length, headed For the Troy Post, was printed in that paper of September 7, 1813, and began as follows:
In a note is given this explanation:
This cant name for our government has got almost as current as 'John Bull.' The letters U.S. on the government waggons, &c. are supposed to have given rise to it (p. 3-3).