Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-09
MR. MINISTER'S ACCOUNT OF Tht
ORIGIN OF THE NATIONAL SONG.
In Incident Of the Times of 1SOS-Party
strife Between Old Time ''Ec,leralists"
aud "Rcpuhiicans" The Pop
ular "Prssiients March"
From "The People Of the United Statcs"l

Thousands Of mon who despi,e cd John
Adams, who dete ted the Feieralists, who
loathed the influences Great Britain had in
federal affairs, now turned 10 support the
government with vigor Their hearts were
still warm toward France. But they could
not suffer even so oil and dear an ally to
heap up insult on their native land Such
an outburst OF patriotism had never before
been seen. 1t began It Philadelphia. and
spread thence as fast as the post-riders
could carry the new. Night after night at
the theatre, pit, boxes and gallery joined in
one mi ,hty shout for the Presidents
March," for "Yankee DOODLE or for the
stirring music Of stony Point" While the
airs were being played the widest ex
citement prevailed. The aud ience rose to
their feet, stood upon the seats, waved hats
nd walking sticks, sang, cheered, and,
when the piece was finished, demanded that
it should be given over and over again.
Then band OF hardy Republicans in some
part Of the gallery or the pit would call for
Cara" or the Marseillaise" hymn, till their
,riss were drowned amid a storm Of groans
and Kisses Not to be outdone tho Re-
pnblcans thereupon bribed the musicians to
play no federal tunes. The first night they
refused storm Of Indignation was raised in
the theatre and they gave way. The next
night they stood firm and were we'll pelted
for their pains
The Federalists were highly indignant.
The theatre said they, more than any
other place brings men of oil classes to-
gether The managers should therefore pay
some heed to public feeling in the selection
of the music. The present Is no time to
crate the public ear with those Gallic mur-
der shouts, Ca ira" and the "Carmagnole."
The enthusiastic clamor with which ths
Presidents March had been called for and
the deafening applause with which it had
been greeted should have taught them this.
Is 1t the purpose Of theatre company to
please or to insult the publici The action
Of pelting the fiddler and smashing the fid-
die is greatly to be condemned. The firm
and dignified conduct of leaving the theatre
and keeping away till the managers
'olemnly promise that the Presidents
March shall be the first tune played In the
house is much to be preferred.
The theatre, the Republicans protested, was
public house and the managers would do
we'll to keep this in mind. IT, however, they
were determined to make it the resort Of the
British faction. let them look to that faction
for support Every earnest Republican and
true patriot would keep away. This was the
rejoinder, is greatly To bs wished. Men Of
sense long for time when the Jacobins and
their murder shouts shall te driven from
every decent resort. Let them desert the
theatre and with the shillings thus saved
pay some Of their old debts
While the factions wrangled the benefit
night OF a favorile actor drew near. No man
knew bettsr than no how TO profit by the
popular will, and at no time in the whole
course Of his life had so fine chance of
prodting by the popular will been offered
him. Politics ruled the hour. The city was
full Of excited Federalists who packed the
theatre night after night for no other pur
po>e than to shout themselves hoarse over
the Presidents March" He determined to
make use Of this fact He would take the
march, find some one to write few pa
triotic stanzas to suit it, and on the night OF
his benefit sing them to the house. Some
Federalists were consulted, were pleased
with the idea, and named Joseph Hopkin-
son as the man best fitted to write the words
He con'entsd, and in few hours "Hail
Columbia" was produced. The night for
tho benefit was that Of Wednesday, the 25th
OF April, and The Gaz z,tts announced that
the performance would comprise a comedy
called "The Italian Monk" the comic opera
Of "Rosina;" "More Sack,n an epiloyue on
the character Of Sir !, I'm Falstaff, and "an
entire new song written by citizen OF
Philadelpha), to the tune Of the the 'Pre,i-
dents March, will be sung by Mr. Fox &C.
companied by the full band and . grand
chorus:
Firm united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty;
As band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find"
Long before the curtain rose the house
vas too small TO hold the thousands who
clamored to be let In. Those who got in
were too excited to wait quietly for the
song. At last the comedy ended and Mr..
Fox appeared upon the stage Every line
WAS loudly applaudei, the whole house
joined in the chorus, and when the verse
"Behold the chief who now commando was
reached the audience rose to its feet and
cheered till the building shook to its founda-
hons. Four times the song was en cored,
WAS demanded again at the end Of the
pantomime and again at the close of the
play. A few called for "Ca ira, y but were
quickly put down. The words OF Hail, Co
lumba" were printed in full iu the news
papers of the following day. The Gazette
hoped that every lady in the city would
practice the music, learn the words and sing
them at the next repetition; then, perhaps.
the two or three French Americans who re-
manned might feel the charm of patriotism
and join in the chorus of the song.
Lii.