The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-08-20
The Inspiration of the Almighty.

One can not help thinking it sOmthing more
than a coincidence that this monument is erect
ed, and that these services are held, at a mo-
ment when not alone is the country engaged in
foreign war. but also at a moment when the
words OF Keys immortal anthem ring in the
memory and start to the lips of all the people
OF all the states and sections Of the Union. But
o little while ago this seemed a thing imposSi-
bic OF realization durin g the life of the genera
tiOn of men which is pa sSinG away. Years OF
embittered civil strife, W it'll their wounds kept
open by years OF succeeding political contro-
versy, which never before thus ended; nor did
ever q people so promptly obey the laws alike
of reason, race and nature, from which, as from
some magic fountain, the American republic
sprang.
Nothing in romance, or in poetry, surpassHs
the wondrous story of this republic. Why
Washington, the Virginia planter, and why
Franklin, the Pennsylvania printer: Another
might have been chosen to lead the continental
armies: a brilliant and distinguished soldier;
but, as we now know, not only q corrupt ad-
ventursr, but a traitor, who preceded Arnold.
and who. had he been commander of the forces
at Valley Forge, would have BETRAYED his
adopted country for the coroaet which Wash
ington d~espised. In many ways was Franklin
an experiment. and, as his familiars might
have thought. a dangerous experiment, to be
appointed the representative Of the colonies in
LOnuOn anu IN HarlS, as Iney knew, anu
as we now know, he was q ~stalwart,
self-indulgent man, apparently little
given either to prudence or to court
illness. What was it that singled out these two
men from all others and designated them to be
the chiefs OF the military and diplomatic estab-
lishmentS set up by the provincial gentlemen.
whose declaration OF independence was not
merely to establish a new nation, but to create
. new world: 1t was as clearly the inspiration
of the Almighty As n century later was the
faith OF Lincoln in Grant, whom he had never
seen, and had reason to diStruSt. 1t was as
clearly the inspiration OF the Almighty as that,
In every turn of fortune, God has stood by the
republic: not less in the strange vicissitudeS OF
the wars of the revolution and OF 1872, than in
those Of the war Of sections: in the rails
ing up Of Paul Jones and Perry, OF Preble
and Hull, when, discouraged upon the land, the
sea was to send Gods people messages Of vic
tory. and in the striking down OF Albert Sidney
Johnson and S~tOnewall Jackson, when they
were sweeping all before them. 1nScrutable
are the ways OF Providence to man Philoso-
piers may argue as they will. and, rationalism
may draw its conclusions; but the mysterious
power unexplained by either has. from the be-
ginning Of time, ruled the destinies Of men
Back Of these forces OF life and thought there
Is yet another force equally inspired OF God and
equally essential to the eXaltation OF man, a force
without which the world does not move except
downward. the force Of the imagination which
idealizes the deeds Of men and translates their
meaning into words. 1t may be concluded into
words. 1t may be concluded that Washington
at and Franklin at Versailles were
not thinking a great deal OF what the world
was like to say. But there are beings so con-
stituted that they can not act, they can only
think. and these are the Homers who relate in
heroic measure. the ShskeSpeares who sing in
strains of heavenly mnsic. Among the progeny
Of these was Francis Scott Key.
The Author of the Anthem.
The son Of a revolutionary soldier, he was
born the 9th OF August, l7SO. not far away from
the spot where we are now assembled, and
died in Baltimore the 18th OF January,
1913 His life of nearly sixty-three
years was an unbroken idyl Of tran
gull happiness; amid congenial scenes; among
kindred people; blessed by welded love and
mSny children, and accompanied by the sue
cessful pursuit Of the learned profession he had
chosen for himself. Goldsmith's sketch OF tie
village preacher may not bs inaptly quoted to
describe his unambitious AID unobtrusive
career:
Remote from towns he ran ufs cody r2.ce,
N,r e'er had changed, nor wished to change,
his place."