The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-06-14


Unrurled her standard to the air.
She tore the azure robe OF night
And set tue stars Of glory there.
She mingled with Its gorgeous dyes
The milky baldrio OF the skies,
And striped its pure, celestial white
With streakings OF the morning light;
Then from his mansion In the sun
She called her eaRle-bearer down
And gave into her mighty hand
The symbol Of her chosen land.
This is Flag Day. the anniversary Of that
June day, ono hundred and eighteen
years ago. when the Continental Congress
formally adopted the red white and blue
stars and stripes as the national emblem
of the country.
The anniversary lie not q national holl.
day, but m orc and more every year is it
becoming q means whereby thoughts of
patriotism and love OF country are I'm.
pressed upon everybody. To Delawareans
il is of especial interest, because the first
battle for American independence. under
the officially recognized flag, was fought
here
others In which Delaware ls undoubtedly
first in point OF historic interest makes q
wonderful story. The vote of the States
delegates In the Continental Congress
made the adoption of the Declaration Of
Independence possible when there vas a
probability of its rejection. ana after the
war Delaware WAS the first State to adopt
the National Constitution and enter the
permanent union of States.
The flags on all the public schools were
unfurled but there was no formal cole
bration OF the occasion by the pupils. In
the New Century Club tonight the
Daughters OF the Revolution will cole
brate the day.
Many have been the Inspirations which
have arisen In the hearts OF men and
women to put In song the Rlories of the
American flag. Every Delawarean kno WIS
the story Of how Francis SCOTT Key wrote
1.-The Star Spangled Banner while dc.
bompariment of Fort MoHenry. DR..
Smiths hymn. My Country 'Tis OF Thee"
was composed In the year 1882 and first
sung in public at a Fourth OF July cele-
bration In a Boston church.
Dr.. Smith says the hymn was WRIT on
during his student life at Andover The o.
logical Seminary. Il had in my posse 8.
sion.' he says. "a quantity OF German
cong books, Dnd In turning over the leaves
the music which / found later to be God
Save the King impressed me very favor.
ably. / noticed at glance that the Ger
man words were patriotic. but without at.
tempting to translate or initiate them l
was lid In the Impulse Of the moment to
write the hymn now styled America
which was the work OF a brief period OF
time at the close OF a dismal winter after.
noon. did not design 1t for national
hymn. and thought go little of 1t that l
dropped 1t into my portfolio and let 1t
stay there for several days. Then gave
cory OF II to Mr.. Lowell Mason, and. much
to my surprise, he brought 1t out at a cele-
braton oil the next Fourth of July"
Joseph Hopkinson's Hail Columbia"
can scarcely be understood with out q
knowledge OF the circumstances under
which II was written and composed. 1t
was In the GUNNER OF 1898 when war
with France was thought to be Inevitable
and Washingto had been called out of
lila raiiramant tn IN nd
American armies. Hopliinson was law
yer In Philadelphia and graduate of the
Unlversity Of Pennsylvania.
IA former schoolmate OF mine" he says
In his account OF how he came to write
the song. was singing in the Chestnut
Street Theatre and benefit performance
was announced for him lie came to me
two days before the benefit and said lie
was afraid that unless he could get soma
patriotic song adapted to the tune OF Tho
Presidents March" he would suffer
financial loss l told him / would try 1t
for him. and the next day, whom he came,
had the song ready for MIN. 1t was
widely announced aud the theatre was
crowded to excess and 80 continued night
after night for the rest OF the eason, the
song being enoored and repeated many
times each night. the audience joining in
the chorus.
The enthusiasm was general, and the
song was heard, l may say, In every part
OF tue United States.
he OBJECT OF tho author was to get up
an American spirit. which should be
independent OF and above the interests,
passions and policy of European nations
and look and feel exclusively for our own
honor and rights Not an alluson is
made to either France or England or the
quarrel between them, or to what was
most In fault In their treatment of US. or
course the song found favor with both
parties In Amerlca-at least neither could
dlsown the sentiments 1t inc ulated. IL
was truly American anu nothing else and
the patriotic feelings OF every American
heart responded to it,"
The music of Hail Columbia" was writ
ten as march and went at first by tho
name OF Gen. WashinRton's March" 1T be.
came popular when played at Washing
toms first Inauguration In 1850 and was
Rfterward called 1.-The Presidents March"
The poem called 1.-The American Flag"
and the first etanza of which appears at
the head OF this column was written by
Joseph Rodman Drake, one of the earlest
of American poets. He died in 1870 at the
early age Of twenty five years. The differ.
ence between his poem and TINT OF Keys Ia
that the latter wrote OF the flag ut mo-
ment of sgoni2lng uncertainty wheth or
he would see II again. while Drake wo %
In tlmo of peace when the flag was to his
poetic mind the symbol of every patriotic
thought