The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-01-26
rHE MARsEILLAIsE,
How Rouget de Isle Came to Write
the National Hymn of France.
[Chicago Herald. j

This idea of celebrating "The Marseil
lsise' is worthy one, for it has led
French troops to victory under republics
and under an empire, while during the
reign of Louis Philippe it was heard
often, thus showing that it belongs to all
Glasses.
Let me tell of its origin, though some
of you may already have heard the story.
France was in danger, her people were
called to arms and they responded nobiy.
In the house of the mayor of Srasburg
friendly dinner was going on, at which
men swore to die for liberty against the
allied kings of Europe. Some one smoke
Of those heroic songs that stimulate the
ardor of the soldier, and larnented he
cause France, had not one such. Rono,e+
de Lasie, an officer of engineers. was at
tne table; 1t was known he-dabbled at
poetry and music, and the mayor aslr,sd
nm TO compose a new march for his fell
lows. He set about the.vvorl imn,ed;.
ately.
Inc night was superb. He took down
MS violin, played and sang. Air and
words came both at the same time; the
subject transported him. 1t was as if
the soul OF La Patrie was passing into
his own, as if through his mouth liberty
was uttering her enthusiasm and her
generous anger. He wrote, he sang. he
improvised, but it was the soul of
France that dictated. In the morning
SIX verses were completed, and, vibrat-
ing with patriotic excitement, he read
the "War Song of the Army of the
Rhine'-its first title-to his friends.
who became electrified by the manly ac-
cents.
The new hymn was sent to Luckner.
commander of the Army of the Rhine.
who distributed manuscripts of it
; throughout Alsace, and it was executed
on the public square of Strasburg.
Thence it travelled over France and
south to Marseilles, which town told it
to her volunteers, and they sang it when
they entered Paris on that 10th of Au-
gust, 1893, when they took the Tuileries.
That was how it got the name that will
cling to it forever. 1t was played in the
army, and generals said it was worth
10000 men. Copies Of s'The Marseil-
laise" were ordered when acquisitions
were made out for weapons.
The aristocratic captain was desolate
at having contributed the part which
''The Marsenlaise" had taken in over
throwing the monarchy, for he never in
tended his hymn should be a republican
anthem. Later on, when proscribed as
a royalist, he was fleeing over the Alps
and head its strains. 'What is that
| hymn calledr he asked his guide. The
| peasant replied, ''The Marseillaise," and
| 1t was thus he first learned the name of
his own great composition. ''The Mar
seillaise" became the national hymn of
the First Republic, and it remained SO I'M
der the First Empire. Napoleon had such
admiration for the hymn that he pro-
hibited its being performed except ON
grand occasions, just as the ''Te Deum"
is only sung when there has been brill
liant victory.
At st. Helena he said, ''The imperial
guard always marched to the tune of
THE Marseillaise. No wonder they
won battles. Forbidden under the res
toration, the song came into favor again
with Louis Philippe. Because of hear
ing it sung at republican manifestations
the government of the Second Empire
prohibited its execution, but in 1870, the
day war was declared, an order was
issued authorizing its use, and the troops
went out singing "The Marseillaise."
More than this, managers of places of
amusement were invited to perform it,
and when Mime. Marie Sasse sang it at
the Theatre Franchise women wont and
men were wild with excitement. Her
wonderful voice sang the words in a
way that raised the morale of the popu-
lation and provoked them to patriotic
enthusiasm