[Ads-l] "macocracy", 1780 & 1781, not in OED3
Joel S. Berson
Berson at ATT.NET
Thu Dec 25 18:36:23 UTC 2014
Two occurrences, both from The Lee Papers, Vol. III,
1778--1782. Collections of the New-York Historical Society for the
year 1873. New York: Printed for the Society, 1874. [Google Books.]
1) 1780.
... in fact the power in ev'ry State is manifestly fallen into the
very worst hands; in our County, in Maryland in Pennsylvania; it is
neither a Monarchy, Aristocracy---nor Democracy, it has indeed some
of the worst features of Theocracy, that is a few inspired Persons
without the aid of human sense immediately by God from what they
pretend dictate every measure---but it is rather a Mac-ocracy by
which I mean that a banditti of low Scotch-Irish whose names
generally begin with Mac---and who are either the sons of Imported
Servants, or themselves imported Servants are the Lords Paramount,
and in such wild beastly hands as these are respublica diutius stare
not potest---God knows what is to become of us ...
1780 June 25. Letter, Charles Lee to James Monroe. So-identified in
what may be a better source, _The Papers of James Monroe: Selected
Correspondence ..._, ed. Daniel Preston, Marlena C. Delong,
presumably vol. 2 (1776--1794) [Google Snippet]. In _The Lee
Papers_, it's undated (seemingly after 1780 July 18 and before 1780
Sept. 24), unsigned, to James Monroe. _Lee Papers_, page 431.
2) 1781.
I shall only observe in addition that we in Virginia live (if it can
be call'd living) neither under Monarchy Aristocracy nor
Democracy---if it deserved any name it is a mac-ocracy that is a
Banditti of Scotch Irish Servants or their immediate descendants
(whose names generally begin with Mac) are our Lords and Rulers.
1781 June 16. Letter, Charles Lee to Robert Morris. _Lee Papers_, page 457.
Joel
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