The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-25
Our Native Airs.

Our Native Airs.
From the New Orleans True Deita Jan. ?.
One of our contemporaries this morning
follows US in an appeal to the southern peo-
pie to preserve such native airs as Hail Co.
lumbia and the Star Spangled Banner.
So far, the bloody, revolutionary, Red
Republican hymn OF Rouget D'Lisle has
superseded them without cause. But re-
action has taken place. At the Varieties
last evening, the Marseilaise was received
with prolonged hiss. This arose, doubt
less, from the patriotic feeling which is
averse to importing foreign air as sub
stitute for our time-honored and beautiful
odes, consecrated to liberty. Aud, more-
over, some OF the audience doubtless felt
that if the American Union is to be sun
dered, we should hold on to everything
good-rejectiDg everything bad, and not
leave the glorious emblems of our victorious
past in the hands of enemies.
Anarchy, crime, fraternal bloodshed, mark
the history of the Marseillaise. Rachel on
the boards of the Theatre de Ia Republique,
standing up in her carriage among Pari.
sian mob, showed how much is to be feared
from the chanting of the hymn. 1t is
grand liberty ode, but it has been prostitu.
ted to all sorts of anarchichal purposes, and
does not add dignity, from it's very history,
to the American character. ~
How different the Star Spangled Banner,
the martial notes Of which burst forth so
gloriously last night from the balcony of
Odd Fellows Hall. The memories with
which it is Immortality linked thrilled the
hearts Of our gallant soldiers from Palo
Alto to Buena Vista, from bombarded
Vera Cruz to the grand plaza of the Mexi.
can capital.
Let US see what inspired the author of
the Star Spangled Banner to write an ode
for posterity.
A British feet was in Chesapeake bay.
The commander had planned the fall of Ft.
McHenry and the immediate capture of
Baltimore. A gentleman Of thati city, un.
der a flag of truce, went on board British
frigate to effect the release of friend. He
was detained on board for fear that if per.
mitted to depart, the plans of the enemy
would be discovered. The frigate bore
down upon Fort McHenry before nightfall
and commenced hostilities. As night closed
in, the Baltimorean looked proudly upon the
American flag streaming through the ram.
parts. All that dreary night fell the Brit.
ish shot, gallantly and defantly answered
by the brave soldiers in the Fort. He could
only now and then see our flag still flying
by the blaze of rocket in the midst of the
narkness. And when morning came, the
Star Spangled Banner still Aoated in proud
defiance, to the surprise of the Briton, who
thought the Fort would surrender in an
hour.
Francis Scott Key, a lawyer of Baltimore,
and subsequently at Washington, made this
incident the basis of his immortal ode. A
short time before Key died be was the
recipient of an honor creditable to all
present. He visited place where band
was treating an audience to fine music. As
he entered, the musicians struck up the Star
Spangled Banner, the audience rose, and
every eye was bent on its author. Here is
an ode, written by southern man, the son
OF southern soldier of the revolution-an
ode commemorating hard fought struggle
in southern waters, the bombardment Of
fort which was the key of defence Of a
southern city, put aside to make room for
the Marseillaise.
The very words Of Keys ode thrill with
pathetic fervor. The very notes of the air
in which they rise and fall, pulsate with
liberty. The flag to which it alludes was
created when there was no fanaticism in the
land. Its latest triumphs were on southern
fields. The last battle fought, the grand
finale Of the struggle with Great Britain,
was the field Of Chalmetsee, where it
waived over the victorious heads of southern
born men, Kentuckians Tennesseeans and
Louisianians. And southern men bore it
victoriously to the very heart of tropical
Mexico. Why then should we dislike the
flag and ode welded to it for all time.
The 1RoN-CAsED FR1aATE WARRIOR. inst
launched in England, measures 6,l77 tons:
and the entire weight. with armomont Iii