Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-06-27
How Yankee Doodle got to Europe.

How Yankee Doodle got to Europe.
Mr.. Winthrop in his beautiful and eloquent ad-
Dress delivered recently in Boston at the opening of
the grand Musical Festival, gave the following &C.
count of the manner in which yankee Doodle"
was first brought out in Europe:
II have heard the late John Quincy Adams-an
intense lover of music himself, and whose compre-
hensive requirements embraced a knowledge of this
particular subject which would have been extraor-
binary in any yelse-tella story which may serve
an illustration ofthe state of American music at that
precise period. During the negotiation at Client of
that treaty of peace to which have just alluded
festival or banquet, or it may have been ball. was
about to take place. at which It was proposed to pay
the customary musical compliment to all the sover-
eigns who either present represented on the
occasion The sovereign people of the United States
represented there, as you remember, by Mr.. Adams
himself, Mr.. Bayard, Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Jonathan Rus
sci, and Mr.. Gallan-were of course not to be over
looked and the musical conductor or band master
called upon these commissioners to furnish him with
our national air. Our national air. said they, is Yam
kee Doodle. yankee Doodle, said the conductor,
"what is thatp Where shall find it? By whom
was it composeda Can you supply me with-the
scorer" The perplexity of the commissioners may
be better conceived than described They were fair
ly at their wits ends They had never imagined
that they should have of this sort to SETTLE
and each turned to the other in despair. At last
they bethought them, in happy moment, that
there was colored servant of Mr.. Clay, who, like
so many of his race, a first-rate whistler, and
who was certain to know Yankee Doodle by heart
He was forthwith sent for accordingly, and the pro-
biem was solved without further delay. The band
master jotted down the air the colored boy whis
tied it. and before night (said Mr. Adams) Yankee
Doodle was set to so many parts that you would
hardly have known it and it came out the xtday
in all the pride, pomp, and circumstance OF VOL and
hautboy, Of drum, trumpet, and cymbal to the edi-
fcation of the allied sovereigns of Europe and to
the glorcation of the united soveregns of America"
Mr. Winthrop continued
81 would not disparage Yankee Doodle, my
friends. 1t has associations which must always rem
der its simple and homey melody dearer to the
hearts of the American people than the most clo-
borate compositions of ancient or modern science.
Should our free institutions again be in danger,
whether from malice domestic foreign levy"
that will still be the tune 20 which American patro
tism will keep step. We must always preserve it
and never be ashamed of it; though do venture
to hope that day may come when. like England
and Austria and Russia-to name no other lands
we may have something fit to be entitled national
anthem, which shall combine an acknowledgment of
God with the glorious memories of wise ard brave
men; which shall blend the emotions of piety and
patriotism, uniting in sweet accord the praises Of
the Divine Author of our freedom and independence
with those of his chosen and commissioned human
instruments, in strain worthy to commemorate the
rise and progress of our Great Republic"