21 September 2011

Gunpowder Tea & Percussion Caps

White Point Gardens, Charleston, S.C.

Resolutions Aux Temps
To the Editor of the Charleston Mercury: 
               
A party of young ladies, recently, while sipping inspiration from the China leaf, became warmly imbued with the spirit of the times, and after electing officers, etc., drew up the following resolutions: 
               
Resolved, That we, though by Divine authority termed the "weaker vessels," are nevertheless endowed with resolute wills, and hence have the power to make resolves, and to keep them, 
               
Resolved, That since the election of Lincoln to the Presidency, we consider our allegiance to the North as ended, and will therefore use our influence in favor of an immediate secession, 
               
Resolved, that we honor all men who are for this movement, but are determined to secede ourselves from all who are opposed to it, 
               
Resolved, That at present the best "feather in the cap" of any young man, is the "Palmetto cockade," and it makes our hearts flutter to see one mounted above a manly brow, 
               
Resolved, That "gunpowder tea" shall be our favorite beverage, and "percussion caps" the only ones that we shall set, 
               
Resolved, That "Yankee Doodle" is now defunct, and we can henceforth play only marches and quicksteps, and sing of the Lone Star, the Soldier's Return, etc., 
               
Resolved, That the Military Institution of the State is a great institution, and her Cadets great fellows, 
               
Resolved, That notwithstanding we feel duly grateful to the Yankees for their past services in making our shoes, &c., we are now seized with a decided predilection in favor of French boots, and hope to get a supply as soon as our Southern President becomes inaugurated. 
               
Resolved, That since the weather is getting quite cold, and manufacturing establishments South rather scarce, we will hold on to our Northern "goods and chattels" a while longer, knowing that our silks and worsteds are from Europe, and feeling that to our calicos and cotton stuffs, at least, we have the original, the "God-given" right, 
               
Resolved, That though our Palmetto shades are dearer to us than life, yet we love every State at the South--two of them especially--and dwell with delight upon the beautiful lake scenery of the one, and the mountain and grotto view--ideal-painted--of the other, 
               
Resolved, That we honor the sons of Carolina in proportion to their patriotism, and are ready to yield up our hearts to the first Garibaldi who shall show himself, 
               
Resolved, That we wish the world to know our views on the present issue of events, and will therefore place them at the disposal of the Charleston Mercury.  

________________________
Priceless!

4 comments:

intelliwench said...

Tea Party - Then and Now :-)

Charlestonjoan said...

intelliwench - I don't think anyone else read it - it is so much fun. To think they wrote it and got is published in the newspaper during war time cracks me up.

Anonymous said...

Hi Joan, Long time, no see. :-) This is a brilliant find. What women they were!

Charlestonjoan said...

Denise! Yes! I should have known you would enjoy it.