The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-04

son, told his troubles. and asked for
help. He said he wanted a patriotic
song which could be sung 10 the tune
of the presidents March" and would,
so to speak, rub everybody the right
way. Hopkinson said he would see
what he could do, aud the mex after
noon the song, such as IL is was
ready for him. SO says Mr.. H~opkinson
himself in a letter about the affair. The
song contained no reference to England
or France, and was a hit with both
parties. Its enduring success surprised
no one so much as its author, who said
that its only merit was that of being
truly and exclusively patriotic in its
sentiments and spirit" Mr.. Hopkinson
became a prominent and IGNORED cit
izen Of Philadelphia, where he died on
Jan. Is, 1912, at the age of y years.
II seems a rather peculiar coincidence
that Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean"
was also written to order for a singers
benefit performance in a Philadelphia
theater 1t was written by Thomas a.
Beckett, who nevertheless had a lard
time getting credit for II. In 1864 he
wrote the following letter, giving the
details of the case:
"Gentlemen-Permit me to give you
the history Of Columbia, the Gem of
the Ocean, In lS43 ID. +. Shaw then
a concert singer at the Chinese museum,
PHILADELPHIA, waited upon me at the
Chestnut Street heater with a request
that l write him a song for his benefit
night, producing at the same time some
poetry with the above title, which he
claimed as his WI composition.
"On reading it. | found the measure
so defective as to be entirely unfit TO
be set to music. We adjourned to the
house Of a friend, Richard Hartford,
Decatur street, where | wrote the first
two verses In pencil, and at Miss Har-
bord's piano | composed the melody.
Shaw was much pleased with #. and
we parted. on reaching home ! added
the third verse, wrote the symphonies,
and arranged the song for the piano
forte. The next day l gave Mr.. shaw
a fair copy in ink, with the injunction
that he should not publish, give or sell
a copy"
Mr.. Beckett, however, made the mis-
take of going off to New Orleans. and
day down there, he was surprised
10 run across a published q Of his
song. The thrifty Mr.. Shaw. finding
the song popular. had published IT as
his own. Mr.. Beckett fastened 10 pub
lish it as his, and later. the sons hay-
ing been carried to London and sung
there. it was published as an English
composition under the title Of Britain
mia. the Gem Of the Ocean" Mr.. Beck
ct says that perhaps they might claim
the point Of English composition, he
having been born in England. That.
however. was the only shadow of ex-
cuse for the claim. The song. under the
title Of The Red, White and Blue" is
printed in the New Naval n Military
Song Book, published in London in
1866, and credited TO Shaw. The first
line is altered 10 read Britannia. the
Pride Of the Ocean" and in the last
verse the name of Nelson is substituted
for that Of Washington.
The air Of America" seems 70 have
been used by most Of the European ma
tons before we got hold Of a.. Of
course, England had IL in her God
save the Queen" and France used IL
in the time Of Louis XIV. II was In
1882, though, hat the Rev. :. r. Smith
was looking over a boo of old German
music hande to him by Lowell Mason.
He fell in with this tune, took up his
pen and wrote America" forthwith.
This was in the town Of Andoyer.
Mass. in February, 1882. II was first
sung publicly at a children's celebration
at TIE Park Street church. Boston. on
July 4 Of that year.
IF | had anticipated the future u IL.
doubtless / would have taken more
pains with IT," wrote DIR. smith in
1872. such as II is. l am glad 10 have
contributed this mite to the cause OF
American freedom"
One Of the finest and least known Of