The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-08-16
ola MarscIllalse."

The story of this grand composition,
the national hymn OF France, possesses
thrilling interest To be brief, It was ~
Strasbourg, in the last week OF April
1892, that, news Of the Austrian declara-
ton Of war having been received, tho
Mayor, M. Frederick de Dietrich, in
vited one Of the numerous guests at his
table, Rouget de l'Islc, an officer OF en-
ginGcrs, aged thirty-two, TO compose q
war song for the soldiers about to set
out TO meet the enemy. The words and
music were written during the night,
and the song was given TO an enthusi-
astic audience next day by NJ. Dietrich's
niece. The piece was given to band
masters of the several regiments in gar
rison, and performed in public Sunday.
April 20, at the parade on the Place
d'Armees. The words and music were
printed Immediately on q half-shcet
quarto by Tn. dc Dannebach, printer at
Strasbourg- publication which ayailed
Rouget dc l'Isle when subsequently his
claim Of authorship was contested. The
song was popular; by the 29th Of June
il had appeared in the Jonri,al deS De-
partmentS MeridionanS. Ii spread TO
Montpelier, and then to Marscllcs,
whore copy Of the "Chant de gucrre
de l'armce du Rbin"-to give 1t its
original title-was given to each of tho
famous baud of Marseilles, "who knew
how to DIE They brought the song TO
Paris July 30, 1872, where It took the
name it has ever since retained. In his
book, published in 1896, Rouget do
II Ne calls IL "Lc chant DIES combat5,
vulgarcmcul H'hymno des MarseilIeS, "
and dedicales it ''to the MINES Of Syl-
vain Bailey, first Mayor OF Paris The
original version was addressed to Mar
shall Luckncr, and copy was sent 70
Gretry ct Paris, as the musician records
in his "McmOirs," 1t was particular
ly unlucky song, for, apart from The
authors own troubles, his mother died
Of micf, attributing the horrors Of the
Reign OF Terror 20 her sons verse, and
Mayor Dietrich and Marshal Lu'kucr
were gui!.oliued.
The "Mar-cilai;c" was first idcnti.
fed with a., .gcnts Of the 10Th Of Au-
gus: "a, the loa-, in imitation Of those
ordered by LycWgus, October II, l192,
tha seventh .G.y. was sung by chD-
rus Of children. 1hi. additional verse
was LONG attributed 10 Marie-Jo,cph
Chcnicr, but in lsiS u poet, Louis du
Bots, put in his claim TO the author
ship-a claim that long received, but
was utterly unfoundcd. The seventh
verse was written by young priest,
Antoine Pc.souneauN, professor of
rhetoric at the College OF Niennc tlserc)
Niennr was celebrating the feast Of the
federation, July II, 1902; the Mar,eil-
las was there ON their memorable
march to Paris, and the Professor
wrote the verse for his pupils, who sang
il with immense effect as farewell 10
the Marseillais next morning. Lucky
for Pessonncaux that he wrote il, for
some months after he was hauled before
the revolutionary tribunal at Lyons,
! where trials lasted but minute or so
and sentence was pronounced in silence
Pcssonneaux's patriotism was admitted,
but he was priest. "Who are you?'
asked the Judge. "Ihc Able Pcsson.
ncauX. author OF the last verse Of ia
Marseillaisc. The Judge laid hi
open hand upon the black cloth, guards
iailers and citizens made way respect.
fully, and the abbcPassed out, free 10 g,
where he would. He died in It'll,
parish in Duerphiny, March 9, 1850
! 81. LOuS GiObc. DcDiOcr0t.