The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-09-10
AUTHOR OF NATIONAL ANTHEM
At the Dedication of a Monument
in Frederick City.
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
The Kentucky Editors Tribute to
the Famous Poet.

The following Grafton was delivered
by Henri Watterson, of the Louisville
Courier-Journal, on the occasion of the
dedication Of a monument to Francis
Scott Key, author of the 'Star Spangled
Banner" at his native city, Frederick,
Nd, on Aug. 8, 1898:
The son of a revolutionary soldier, he
was born the 9th of August, 17SU, not far
from the spot where we are now assem-.
bled, and died in Baltimore the 18th of
January, 1S43. His life of nearly So
years was an unbroken idyl of tranquil
happiness, amid congenial scenes. among
kindred people, blessed by welded love
and many children, and accompanied by
the successful pursuit of the learned
profession he had chosen for himself.
Yet it was reserved for this constant
and modest gentleman to leave behind
him a priceless legacy to his country
men, and to identify his name for all
time with his country's flag.
THE Star Spangled Banner" owed
very little to chance. 1t was the emana-
tion of patriotic fervor as sincere and
natural as it was simple and noble. It
sprang from one of those glorious in
spirations which, coming to an author
unbidden, seizes at once upon the hearts
and minds Of men. The occasion seemed
to have been created for the very pur-
pose. The man and the hour were met,
and the song came; and truly was song
never yet born amid such scenes. We
the story of popular music, in vain, to
find the like. Even the authorship of
the English national anthem is in dis
pute. The "Marseillaise' did indeed
owe it's being to the passions of war, and
burst forth in profuse strains Of melody
above the clash of arms; but it was at
tended by those theatrical accessories
which preside over and minister to
to It's development, and it is believed to
have derived as much of it's enthusiasm
from the wine-cup as from the drum
beat. Keys song was the very child of
battle. 1t was rocked by cannon in the
cradle of the deep. Its swaddling clothes
We're the stars and the stripes it's birth
proclaimed. Its coming was hera1ded
by shot and SHE'LL and, from it's baptism
Of fire. nation of freemen clasped it
to its bosom. 1t was to be thenceforth
and forever freedoms Gloria in Excel
sis.
The circumstances which ushered it
into the world, hardly less thar the
words Of the poem, are full of patriotic
exhilaration. 1t was during the darkest
days of our second war Of independence.
An English army had invaded and oc-
cupied the seat of the national govern
ment, and had burned the capitol of the
nation. An English squadron was in
undisputed possession of Chesapeake
bay. There being nothing of interest or
value left within the vicinity of Wash
tngton to detain them, the British were
massing their land and naval forces for
other conquests, and, as their ships
sailed down the Potomac, Dr. William
Beanes, a prominent citizen of Mary
land, who had been arrested at his home
in Upper Marlboro, charged with some
offense, real or fancied, was carried off a
prisoner.
It was to secure the liberation Of this
gentleman, his neighbor and friend, that
Francis Scott Key obtained leave of the
president to go to the British admiral
under flag Of truce. He was conveyed
by the cartel boat used for the exchange
of prisoners, and accompanied by the
flag officer of the government They
proceeded down the bay at the mouth of
the Potomac.
Mr.. Key was courteously received by
Admiral COchrane; but he was not en-
'cOuraged as to the success of his mis-
sion until letters from the English Off
GERS wounded at Bladensburg and left in
charge of the Americans. were delivered
to the friends on the fleet 10 whom they
had been written. These bore such tes-
timony to the kindness with which they
had been treated that it was finally
agreed that Dr. Beanes should be re-
leased; but, as an advance upon Balti-
more was about to be made, it was re-
quired that the party of Americans
should remain under guard on board
their own vessel until these operations
were concluded. Thus it was that, the
night of the 14th of September, 1914,
Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort
Mc1denry, which his song was to render
lllustrious.
He did not quit the deck the long