"[the] peculiar institution"

[Fred Shapiro]

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> OED2 does not have "[the] peculiar institution" as a
> headword.  (Should it?)  It has for its earliest instance "1837 W. E.
> Channing Annex. Texas Wks. (1884) 541/2 Strange, that the South
> should think of securing its 'peculiar institutions' by violent means."

Here's an antedating:

1835 _Southern Rose_ 14 Nov. 41 (American Periodical Series)  None but
those who live under our peculiar institutions can imagine the strong bond
existing between faithful slaves and the families with whom they are
connected.

Fred Shapiro


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