[Rarebooks] FS: 1849 Cadets of Temperance NH Bylaws -Mark Twain was One

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

"Constitution - By-Laws and Rules of Order of the Granite Section of 
Cadets of Temperance, No. 10, State of New-Hampshire"

Exeter; C.E. Clark, Printer: 1849.

The Manuscripts Division of the William L. Clements Library at the 
University of Michigan, which holds Cadets of Temperance (N.Y.) Papers, 
1847-1850, explains-

"The Cadets of Temperance [was] the youth wing of the Sons of Temperance 
organization, which did not admit minors. The Cadets of Temperance 
accepted members between 12 and 18 years of age, in an effort to instill 
temperance values in children before they could acquire a taste for 
alcohol. For its members, the organization prohibited the use of tobacco 
and served as a mutual aid society in the case of illness. The groups 
had many practices in common, including charging monthly dues of 10-15 
cents and requiring parental consent to join. Members met weekly and 
engaged in many fraternal rituals, such as the wearing of ceremonial 
clothing and the use of passwords, songs, recitations, and elaborate 
titles. Offices within the Cadets included the grand worthy archon 
(G.W.A.), past worthy archon (P.W.A), grand worthy patron (G.W.P.), vice 
archon (V.A.), usher, and watchman. Similar titles were also used by the 
Sons of Temperance."

Samuel Clemens was a member for a short time, and recalled- "In 
Hannibal, when I was about 15, I was for a short time a Cadet of 
Temperance, an organisation which probably covered the whole United 
States during as much as a year, possibly even longer. It consisted in a 
pledge to refrain, during membership, from the use of tobacco; I mean it 
consisted partly in that pledge and partly in a red merino sash, but the 
red merino sash was the main part. The boys joined in order to be 
privileged to wear it – the pledge part of the matter was of no 
consequence. It was so small in importance that, contrasted with the 
sash; it was, in fact, non-existent. The organisation was weak and 
impermanent, because there was not enough holidays to support it. We 
could turn out and march and show the red sashes on May Day with the 
Sunday Schools, and on the 4th July with the Sunday Schools, the 
Independent Fire Company, and the Militia Company. But you can’t keep a 
Juvenile moral institution alive on two displays of its sash per year. 
As a private, I could not have held out beyond one procession; but I was 
illustrious Grand Worthy Secretary and Royal Inside Sentinel, and had 
the privilege of inventing the passwords and of wearing a rosette on my 
sash. Under these conditions, I was enabled to remain steadfast until I 
had gathered the glory of two displays – May Day and the 4th of July. 
Then I resigned straightway, and straightway left the lodge."

Much the same story shows up in Chapter 22 of Tom Sawyer- "Tom joined 
the new order of Cadets of Temperance, being attracted by the showy 
character of their "regalia". He promised to abstain from smoking, 
chewing, and profanity as long as he remained a member. Now he found out 
a new thing – namely, that to promise not to do a thing is the surest 
way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very thing. Tom 
soon found himself tormented with a desire to drink and swear; the 
desire grew to be so intense that nothing but the hope of a chance to 
display himself in his red sash kept him from withdrawing from the 
order. Fourth of July was coming; but he soon gave that up – gave it up 
before he had worn his shackles over forty-eight hours – and fixed his 
hopes upon old Judge Frazer, justice of the peace, who was apparently on 
his deathbed and would have a big public funeral, since he was so high 
an official. During three days Tom was deeply concerned about the 
Judge's condition and hungry for news of it. Sometimes his hopes ran 
high – so high that he would venture to get out his regalia and practise 
before the looking-glass. But the Judge had a most discouraging way of 
fluctuating. At last he was pronounced upon the mend – and then 
convalescent. Tom was disgusted; and felt a sense of injury, too. He 
handed in his resignation at once – and that night the Judge suffered a 
relapse and died. Tom resolved that he would never trust a man like that 
again. The funeral was a fine thing. The Cadets paraded in a style 
calculated to kill the late member with envy. Tom was a free boy again, 
however – there was something in that. He could drink and swear, now – 
but found to his surprise that he did not want to. The simple fact that 
he could, took the desire away, and the charm of it."

Very scarce. Various states had numerous chapters, but these bylaws of 
these are represented in OCLC records today by single copies, or 
microfilm copies only. No New Hampshire bylaws are found.  $175-

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