The National tribune., 1895-08-08
THE RELIEF CORPS.
Gleanings from National Headquar-
terS---NOtes from Departments
THE STAR sPANGLED NANNFn

THE STAR sPANGLED HAMMER
Sung by Sixty-five Million Happy People,
While the Granddaughter of the Author,
Francis Scott Key, is Turned Out of a
Government Ofice-A Call for Miss Key
from the Portia Club of New Orleans.
CALL OF PoRTIA CLUB.
Flag Day 1895 was more widely celebrated
than ever before in the great towns and cities
Of our land and the Star Spangled Banner
was sung by tens of thousands of voices and
played upon instruments of brass and silver by
scores and hundreds of bands. On that same
day, in many of our schools the story of Francis
Scott Key and how he wrote the National song
while he listened to the British guns booming
through that terrible night was told, and
penny collections were taken, following call
OF the Governor of Maryland, to build monu-
ment for Key at Frederick.
| At that very time a granddaughter of Francis
Scott Key, the only support of her aged mother,
received her discharge a clerk in one of the
Government Departments, and now the two
women most near and dear to the great song
writer OF America are homeless and destitute,
and must continue so until the patriotic women
and men of America have made adequate pro-
vision for them.
The Portia Club of New Orleans have inaugu.
rated q commendable movement, and the fol-
lowing is their call, with the poem to which It
refers:
PLEA FOR MISS KEY.
Written by Charles ]. Cotton for the Tfrnes-
Democrat of July H. 1896 and adopted by the Poriia
Club OF New Orleans in soliciting aid for the grand
daughter Of the author of our National anthem.I
Oh, say can we see with no effort TO stay it,
Our dead poets grandchild in poverty liver
Hear Charity's voice and yet fail to obey it,
When it pleads for relief we should gratefully
give?
Have Gratitude's promplings and patriotic ardor
No place in the hearts of the brave and the free,
That we unhepng view the fast empiying larder
That lies 'twixt starvation and the daughter OF
Key?
Let remembrance bring TO us the oftentold story
0fhow Key, when the gloom of the night cleared
Strained his eyes through the mist and beheld in
| The banner that waved at the close of the day;
| or how, rendering thanks TO the God of all battles
The bard TO the country the thrilling tale gave,
That the roar and the din and muskeiry's rattle,
Had still left uncovered the flag OF the brave.
And must he whose verses will deathlesss live
Behold from high heavan his offspring below
Fight vainly 'gsinst hunger. with no single en-
On the part of his country 10 ward off the foe?
VIII we sons of those he encouraged to vanquish,
With the help of the Lord, the grim forces Of
Wrong
Permit o The child Of the poet TO languish.
Who wrote for his comrades that soutDrilling
song2
No. no. and thrice no, for so long remaineth
The spark of remembrance in patriot breast,
So long rs the bright sun OF Freedom ne'er wan
Nor the Goddess of Liberty lowers her crest,
So long we love and revere our grand Nation
No cloud Of despair and no gloom of starvation
Shall chill with their shadow the blood of
Key.
New ORLEANS La, July 90, 1895.
MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES
EITHER IN ORGANIZATIONS Oh INDIvID-
UALLY:
Please read the inclosed poem, and in the
fervor of aroused Nstionsism prove by re-
sponsive donation that republics not always
ungratefui.
The Portia Club, of New Orleans, was organ
lied {" to secure TO women an equal psrticipa-
ton with men in everything pertaining to the
welfare OF humanity; therefore, 1T seeks to
stimulate union of those who love their coun-
try's flag for the service of those who suffer- in
this instance, from the effects of lamentable
official mistake.
Francis Scott Key gave deathless language
to The Star Spangled Banner; its glorious
folds will always wave people too brave
to tolerate an injury or injustice TO his grand
daughter, and too nobly free to apporton her
only the grim travesty of actual starvation.
The Times Democrat of our city has assumed
the initiative in this patriotic movement. We
earnestly appeal TO you TO enlist the enthusi-
asm OF every local organ, to issue call for
helpful mites from the poor and almig hty dol
lars from the rich, until this unfortunate wo-
man and her dependent family are secure from
want.
Contributions will be received by the Treas
urer of the Portia Club, Miss Matilda Hero,
number 1913 Third street. New Orleans La,
who will send them TO the custodian in Wash
ington, ID. G.
Miss Key has been requested to name this
agent to whom all sums shall be transmitted;
the name and address of the appointed person
will be announced by the press.
Respectfully aud fraternsly yours,
FLORENCE HUBERwAJD, President.
HELEN l.. BEHRENs, Corresponding Secre-
tary, pro tenn.
PATRIOTIC woMhN's COUNCIL.
The Local Council of Women, Portland. Me-,
Of which Bosworth Corps, Of the State Depart
ment is part. gave a patriotic children's ex-
hibition in the City Hall on the Fourth of July,
which il the first instance OF Local Council of
Women inauguratng the work presented by
the Committee on Patriotism before the Ma.
tional Council at Washington February last.
The Portland Press says:
Until very recently it was the custom to
have an Grafton, a reading of the Declaration
of Independence and the singing of patriotic
| airs and this time honored custom was in dam
ger of falling into innocuous desuetudo' until
| the women took the matter in hand. All honor
| to the women. Let all remember that from the
| days of the Gracchi it has been due mainly TO
| tho women that we have had men with those
| principles nstilled into them that have made
| our country what it is to-day"
The center of the great hall was occupied by
| school children, each bearing the National flag,
| which they waved when singing the National
songs with inspiring effect. IA
The rear of the stage was completely dfaped
| with the National colors with festoons ofsred,
white and blue around the platform. 81
patriotic address tracing the history OF tho
| flag was delivered by Augusta NJ. Hunt, Vice
| President at Largo of the Local Council of
| Women, while the President, Mrs. A. T. Merrill,
! most excelently conducted the childrens sing
ing, having them carefully drilled for the 90.
casion.
Mrs. /. NJ. n. Stevens, so prominently iden-
| titled with the w. c. I. u. and National Council
| OF Women, was in attendance, and Rev. DIR.
| Blanchard aud Hon. Charles +. Libby were
among the speakers.
| Mrs. Hunt, in her story of the flag closed
with a reference to how the boys in blue came
marching home at the close of the great four
| years war; If" she said, you had seen the
| let-holes and the shreds that remained
| when those flags were borne by the returning