St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-08-20
INHERITED PATRIOTISM.
Literary Ability Was Not All Thee
Joseph HopI<inson's Father
BANDED Down.

A striking instance of the heredity
Of patriotism as well as literary and
legal ability is in the career OF Joseph
Hopkinson, author of the famous pa
triotic song, Hail Columbia" which
still lives in the hearts Of the people
and breathes the same patriotic ardor
that awakened the enthusiasm OF Hop
kinson's fellow countrymen when he
wrote the song hundred years ago.
His father was Francis Hopkinson. one
Of the signers of the Declaration of In
dependence, and the author of very
satirical ballad called THE Battle of the
Kegs" written in 177S in derision Of the
British forces, at that time in posses
sion of the city of Philadelphia.
Francis Hopkinson was born u Phil
adelphia in 1873, and was one ot the
first graduates Of the college OF Phila-
delphia. He studied law, and iE 176S
te married Miss Ann Borden. of E.rden-
town. n. j. In 1774. when the discon-
tent between the colonies and England
had assumed threatening aspect, he
published pamphlet entitled "a
Pretty Story" in which he portrayed
with free and pungent pencil. the pre-
tensions of the British government. II
was widely circulated. and was received
with much favor by those who believed
in the inalienable rights of the colonies,
As a delegate from New Jersey to the
congress OF the United Colonies, he
signed his name to the Declaration OF
Independence, and during the whole
Of the revolutionary period he was
never idle with his pen, even while dis
charging important public duties.
In IT'S the patriots of Bordertown
arranged number of kegs to act as tor
pedoes, in crude sort CT way. and float
ed them down the Delaware river, in
the hope that they might destroy the
British vessels at Philadelphia. The at
tempt was futile, but the enemy WA:
very much alarmed for a time at tht
boldness of the scheme. This incident
formed tie subject of Hopkinsor's bal
lad, 1.-THE Battle of the Kegs"
Joseph Hopkinson was born in Phil
adelphia on November 12, ITO. grad
uated from the University of Pennsyl
vania in 1856, and then studied law
He practiced at Easton, Pa, but soor
returned to Philadelphia, where hi
quickly attained prominence in fis pro
fession and was elected to congress il
1914.
Mr.. Hopkinson was an intimate frient
i of Mr.. Joseph Bonaparte when the lat
ter lived at Bordentown. President
John Quincy Adams appointed hin
United States judge in 1928. and he tool
part in the convention of 1887. which re
vised the constitution of Pennsylvania
He wrote a number of articles or lega
and ethical subjects, but his only claiu
to remembrance at the present time il
| the fact that he was the author of "Hai
Columbia"
That song was written in 1898. whe,
congress was debating what atsitud
| the people of the United States shoult
take in the struggle between Engian'
and France. Party feeling ran high
and the patriotic sentiments of J sep
Hopkinson's song. by melting the ma
tional pride. probably helped to aver
entanglement in the European c;nfiic.
The ballad was written at the reques
of an old school friend. an actor. VIII,
had benefit on band, and put TO tn
music of popular ali. known a 9TH
| Presidents March," which was the worl
of German named Fayles. and wa
played first in 1889 in the John Stree
theater, in New York city, in h ,nor o
Washington. "Hail Columbia" was re
ceived with the greatest enthns .asm
and it soon became popular throreho
the country. 1t has retained this Pop
ularity in spite of the many other pa
triotic songs that have helped I" keel
alive the love of country and OK free
dom during the past 100 years. .k.sepl
Hopkinson died on January IS. 1s42.-
Philadelphia Inquirer.