Fish or Cut Bait (1860); Canuck

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

CANUCK

   I did an important post on "Canuck" on 23 December 1997 (old archives).  I
uncovered interesting 1839 and 1840 cites.  The various spellings make this a
very, very difficult search term.
   Paper of Record is digitizing early Canadian newspapers, and I will
re-visit "Canuck" later this year when many more newspapers are added to the
database.

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FISH OR CUT BAIT

  We had discussed this four years ago.  I had posted a cite from the 1868
NEW YORK TIMES.
   Gregory Titelman's AMERICA'S POPULAR PROVERBS AND SAYINGS has 1876.
   The CASSELL DICTIONARY OF SLANG has "fish or cut bait _phr._ (20C)."


(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM)
Berkshire County Eagle - 2/16/1860
...is u notice that fORth the must FISH OR CUT BAIT f he that the will hold
out to the.....down ho dashed a throwing t i dutilly was CUT and badly She was
taken tip bat her of.....M the in luning no f sea j f the main CUT off TVS it
higher than tin which thus the.....l with ten the Con i It the ainley A CUT
will be on paper Condition j never liven..
Pittsfield, Massachusetts Thursday, February 16, 1860  913 k
Pg. 3?, col. 3:
   His influence has not been for a moment impaired, and his return to power
is a notice that henceforth the Pope must either fish or cut bait.

Janesville Daily Gazette - 7/20/1864
...are subject to draft must cither FISH OR CUT BAIT. The recent rebel raid
up to the.....In' price, In ORder to closo tbiua CUT. If during lilo time wo
rnolreil M remain.....nothing to prevent companies, cORpORations, OR cities from
procuring men to fill their.....quotas from tito white OR blauk inhabitants
of those Htatos, and no..
Janesville, Wisconsin Wednesday, July 20, 1864  924 k

Appleton Crescent - 2/18/1865
...from the draft, the shirks left ,o FISH OR CUT BAIT." The last oppORtunity
to ssvo bo.....including those who have subORibud OR paid, OR intend ;o do
go, to bo present.....who Ivive no homos, and, disabled wo'.nul.i OR sickness,
are unable to supp VAenisul vca..
Appleton, Wisconsin Saturday, February 18, 1865  743 k


(WRIGHT AMERICAN FICTION)
Title:  Letters of Major Jack Downing of the Downingville Militia (1864)
Author: Anonymous
Print Source:   Letters of Major Jack Downing of the Downingville Militia
New York : Bromley, 1864.
Pg. 138:  "Wal," ses Linkin, "that all may be very true, but you see, Major,
I've got these contrybands on my hands, an I've got to fish or cut bait."