An American Guesser

February 02, 2024

INTRODUCTION - "An American Guesser"¹

Benjamin Franklin on the Rattlesnake as a Symbol of America

The following letter from "An American Guesser" was published in the Pennsylvania Journal on December 27, 1775. Its author has been identified as Benjamin Franklin.

Written after fighting had begun between the Colonists and the British, but before the Declaration of Independence, it gives us a glimpse into Franklin's observant mind.

A rattlesnake was depicted on the $20 bill issued in 1778 by Georgia. The Latin motto (Nemo me impune lacesset) means, "No one will provoke me with impunity."

I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, "Don't tread on me." As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America; and as I have nothing to do with public affairs, and as my time is perfectly my own, in order to divert an idle hour, I sat down to guess what could have been intended by this uncommon device – I took care, however, to consult on this occasion a person who is acquainted with heraldry, from whom I learned, that it is a rule among the learned of that science "That the worthy properties of the animal, in the crest-born, shall be considered," and, "That the base ones cannot have been intended;" he likewise informed me that the ancients considered the serpent as an emblem of wisdom, and in a certain attitude of endless duration – both which circumstances I suppose may have been had in view. Having gained this intelligence, and recollecting that countries are sometimes represented by animals peculiar to them, it occurred to me that the Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America, and may therefore have been chosen, on that account, to represent her.

But then "the worldly properties" of a Snake I judged would be hard to point out. This rather raised than suppressed my curiosity, and having frequently seen the Rattle-Snake, I ran over in my mind every property by which she was distinguished, not only from other animals, but from those of the same genus or class of animals, endeavoring to fix some meaning to each, not wholly inconsistent with common sense.

I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal. Conscious of this, she never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.

Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America? The poison of her teeth is the necessary means of digesting her food, and at the same time is certain destruction to her enemies. This may be understood to intimate that those things which are destructive to our enemies, may be to us not only harmless, but absolutely necessary to our existence. I confess I was wholly at a loss what to make of the rattles, 'till I went back and counted them and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the Colonies united in America; and I recollected too that this was the only part of the Snake which increased in numbers. Perhaps it might be only fancy, but, I conceited the painter had shown a half formed additional rattle, which, I suppose, may have been intended to represent the province of Canada.

'Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living.

The Rattle-Snake is solitary, and associates with her kind only when it is necessary for their preservation. In winter, the warmth of a number together will preserve their lives, while singly, they would probably perish. The power of fascination attributed to her, by a generous construction, may be understood to mean, that those who consider the liberty and blessings which America affords, and once come over to her, never afterwards leave her, but spend their lives with her. She strongly resembles America in this, that she is beautiful in youth and her beauty increaseth with her age, "her tongue also is blue and forked as the lightning, and her abode is among impenetrable rocks."

– An American Guesser

2024 - Yet Another American Guesser (YAAG)

Today, in the digital era, it is vitally important to be able to be like Benjamin Franklin, to have access to anonymity and the ability to freely communicate with others both in public and in private. Hence, this post, with a new digital identity "american guesser" or GNU Privacy Guard Public Key ID: "33D1ACE2904F3E8BB862E173D7313410B1F378FA" with user ID "ḀḾɆṜ⚕ℂ∀₦ ₲𝑈Ḙ𝑆𝑆𝐸ᴙ" and email address: "<americanguesser@pm.me>". By downloading this public encryption key and importing it into your gpg software, one may correspond with this new YAAG (yet another "American Guesser"). With this public gpg key one can also affirm the validity of any digital creations by this "American Guesser" compared to any others or would be imposters who may either be claiming to be the same individual(s) or desiring to distinguish themselves from this particular iteration.

Consider today's musing an invitation to become a YAAG yourself. Check out my earlier musings and create your own GNU Privacy Guard (gpg) key pair. Have fun! Make more than one! Be identifiable in one or more for various circumstances and/or uses and also be creative and grab yourself a pseudonym or anonymous pen name for perhaps other circumstances, nothing is limiting you to making another or several. Just keep your passphrases and their corresponding secret gpg keys very long, very strong and very secure, do not lose them! Practice improves skills, and we learn best by doing. Have a wonderful day and politely rattle on about whatever you desire with whomever you desire. Now that would the truest embodiment in a celebratory exemplification of the very definition of American liberty! If only every candidate running for political office understood the same... some defintely do not (click here) and are obviously inappropriate to be trusted to represent the American people.

Nemo me impune lacesset,

⚕ÐɌ ŠŦɆɅɆ

PUBLIC ENCRYPTION KEY FOR: ḀḾɆṜ⚕ℂ∀₦ ₲𝑈Ḙ𝑆𝑆𝐸ᴙ

pub   rsa4096 2024-02-02 [SC]
      33D1ACE2904F3E8BB862E173D7313410B1F378FA
uid   ḀḾɆṜ⚕ℂ∀₦ ₲𝑈Ḙ𝑆𝑆𝐸ᴙ <americanguesser@pm.me>

Links:

NOTES: Introduction is essentially republished verbatim from:
¹ https://www.greatseal.com/symbols/rattlesnake.html