Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-07-20
OUR NATIONAL SONGS. 'ig
History Of the Three American Lyrics
Yankee Doodle, Hail Columbia, and
the Star-Spangled Banner.

I
Yankee Doodle, Hail Columbia, and
the Star-Spangled Banner.
Yankee Doodle first appeared il
America, on the banks of the Hudson
in June, 1855, and was introduced into
the American camp by one mischiev
Gus DIR. Shuckburg, of the British ar
my, i'm this amusing way Our colonial
companies, under Governor Shirley
were encamped on the left of the Brit
ish army, meanly disciplined and poor
ly clad; some in l0ng-tailed blue coats
some in long-tailed black coats, some
in no coats at all, boards unshorn, and
marching after music two centuries
old. They of course incurred the ridi-
cule of their fashionable translantic
allies. To help this sport along, this
DIR. Shuckburgh-wit, fiddler, surgeon,
as he was-tells the Americans that
their music is too comical, and that ht
will get up a tune for them in modern
style, and so gave them Yankee Doodle
Shty nf1C- biC law ICCA ul1S ~
out. 1t strikes at once strong chord
in the American heart, and is heard
Immediately, and nothing else is heard
throughout the camp-the colonies.
''God save King GEORGE began the
Revolution, Yorktown and, Yankee
Doodle ended it; and so ON its great
march, rejoicing, this queer, old rick
ETY., plucky, continental saltpeter and
birthstone tune has been outsoldlering
its enemies and continues to outsoldier
them until our dear old striped bunting
now streams from every flagstaff in
the broad land. Men may. laugh at
Yankee Doodle, yet they love it; they
find all manner of fault with it, as with
the romping. reckless. hoyden girl OF
the family, and yet they make the most
of it.olIt is perfectly Democratic
tune-alike for lofty and lowly. lis
laa HAIL COLUMBIA. hHs at
In the year 1898, when the war with
France seemed inevitable-indeed had
actually begun another liberty hymn
was conceived and given birth IN the
loftiest style of patriotic devotion.
The field music of the revolution con-
sisted mainly of Yankee Doodle, On
the road to Boston, Dog and Gun, and
Washington's March; but on. the oc-
casion of Washington's first attendance
at the theatre in New York, a German
by the name of Feyles composed a tune
to take the place of Washington IS
march. christening it with the maine of
Presidents March. 1t soon became a
favorite; and on certain Monday
evening, in the summer of 179S, sing.
er by the name of Fox, belonging to
the Philadelphia theatre, was about to
take a benefit. Saturday morning
came; not a ticket had been sold, and
a 'beggarly account of empty benches
was before him, when good thought
struck his brain. Congress was in ses.
sion, political strife exciting, the storm
of war lowering, and patriotic song,
especially if he could get one written
to Feyles's Presidents March, would
save him. He knew clever lawyer
once his schoolmate. His name was
Joseph Hopkinson-name famous then
in law and literature, but more famous
now. The poetic lawyer pities his
friend Fox; bids him call again on Suu-
day afternoon, and then gives him
Oh the prize that glides into the poor
players fingers, and through these fin
gers into this great nation-he gives
him
"Hail, Columbia, happy land,
Hail We heroes, heaven-born band,
Who fought and bled in freedoms cause
And when the storm Of war was gene i.
Enjoyed the peace your vaor won." =.
Nine times the audience called for it
and then rising altogether joined with
rapturous tongues in the full chorus.
1t filled the theatre, it fired the nation
al heart, it raised the dome of patriot
ism far above the minarets of faction,
and bound US with the bands of faith
and probity in political union. 1t is a
purely patriotic hymn 1t makes no
reference to France or England, Dem
ocrat or Federalist. Every word is in
, stinct with freedom. 1t is a clarion
peal, each note of it, from the avant
couriers of our liberty; and as it elec-
trified the hearts of Washington. Ham
ilton, jefferson and Henry then, SO
its glowing thoughts make our hearts
leap to-day. Jefferson gave us the
Declaration of Independence; Hamil-
ton gave us his Farewell Address.
Was the benefaction less when Hop
kinson gave us Hail Columbia?
sTAR-sPANGLED BANNER.
In the month of August, 1914, the
country hung on the verge Of ruin.
Our army, led by Dearborn, Hull and
Winder, was diminishing under sue
cession of deplorable reyerses. In the
midst of the general gloom Lord Cock
burn enters the Chesapeake with a feet
of twenty sail, and makes quick ad-
vance on Washington. He enters the
Capitol, ascends the Speakers chair,
and puts the question to his soldiers:
'sShall this harbor of Yankee democra-
cy be burnedp'' ''Yes, yes." cry a
Thousand voices, and flames rise all
over the city and the capitol is i'm ruins.
Cockburn now turns his course on Bal
timore, and prepares for the lombard
ment of the fort Meantime, little
vessel, guided by brave young man,
and bearing flag of truce, shoots out
from underneath. the guns of fort Nc
Henry, and glides like a bird down the
broad bay directly to the flagship OF
the enemies squadron. That man is
Francis Scott Key He goes to inter
cede for the deliverance of his dear old
friend, DIR. Barnes. Ceckburn detains
him. The squadron, forming vast
semicircle, moves as if to grasp and
crush the silent fort. Keys boat il
kept astern the flagship of the admiral
himself prisoner, and he hears the
booming of the cannonading on the
shore. He sees the lingering sunbeams
of the 18th of September fade away I've
meath the forests in the west; he see:
the, heavy clouds come rolling over the
waters of the bay, and he marks the
mighty preparations for the onset Oh
which hangs the destiny of our nation
All, look ! and now the globes Of fir'
cast lurid CLEANS upon the inky cloud
above--the flames a flashing in th'
waves below All through the tlfun