The times., 1899-06-18
SONGS THAT THE
HU1CHINSONS Sang
"reminiscences of "a Survivor
of a Famous Family.
One Member of Their Quartette
Alone Remains.
ton More Than Half Century
AgO-Visits to Europe.

| John w. Hutchinson, the only survivor
of the famous Hutchinson family of sing
ers and musicians, who gained prominence
before and during the civil war by the
stand which they took upon the leading
issues of the day. is in Washington. Dur
ing their day the Hutchinson family at
| tracted national attention. They toured
the country. giving concerts in all the
towns and cities of any size and made the
acquaintance of many of the public men of
the time. The quartette attracted hearers
not only on account of the quality OF their
music, but because of the stand which they
took upon fNtional questions, which. If
sometimes visionary. were always of inter-
est on account of their direct application.
! The songs rendered by the Hutchinsons
were often composed by members of the
| band and were noted for their radicalism,
which on more than one occasion during
| the stormy days before and during the
civil war caused much unpleasantness and
at times disorder of violent nature. The
concerts of the quartette were attended by
the best-known people of the sections
| which they visited At different times dur
| ing their active career the singers took
! sides on the slavery temperance, and wo-
mans rights questions, and they were al
ways earnest advocates of universal peace.
| During the civil war they were driven
! from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York.
and st. Louis on account of their radical
stand on the slavery issue, they advocating
| the abolition of slavery by peaceable
means At that time the mention of free
! ing the slaves often aroused indignation in
| the North as well as in the South, and
when the Hutchinsons openly sang songs
advising abolition violence and disorder
followed.
Originally the family consisted of sixteen
sons and daughters, all of them singers.
OF the number four quartettes were
formed, each having female voice. The
quartette made up of the four youngest
members of the family was the most ia
nous. Its members toured the country for
many years from one end to the other, and
also made tour of England, giving Sc
| ries of public concerts. The other quar-
| tettes appeared very seldom outside of
their native States, New Hampshire and
! Massachusetts
John, Asa, Judson, and Abbey, the mem
| bers of the youngest organization, began
! giving public concerts in lS43, appearing
I for the first time as professionals in Fa-
neuil Hall, in Boston, where the anti-sla-
very society was being organized. The
| hall was crowded during the several days
| taken to complete the organization and the
| public press of the time accredits the large
attendance to the sweetness and feeling
| which characterized the singing of the
quartette. From that time on for many
years the organization continued to ap
pear before the public in the capacity Of
singers.
In 1874 they came to Washington for the
first time. An effort was made to find
| suitable hall but at that time Washington
was without many buildings for seating
large bodies, and the singers, although
strong advocates of total abstinence were
forced to give their entertainment in a
saloon which stood on the site OF what is
now Kernan's Theatre. The concert was
a social event of considerable Importance
among those present being John Quincy
| Adams Daniel Webster, Levi Woodbury.,
and Postmaster General Wyckliffe. Mr..
! Hutchinson says that Daniel Webster did
not arrive until the close of the concert,
and going TO a table containing liquid re-
freshments. drank two glasses of cham
pagne. The singers saw Mr.. Webster par
taking of the beverage, and being spirited
advocates of total abstinence, were much
grieved that so great a man should in
dulge himself in that manner. Mr.. Hutch
| inson, however, admitted to a Times re-
porter that he was compelled TO admire the
man after hearing him join in the con-
versation.
While the quartette remained in Wash
| ington they were introduced TO President
Tyler, who received them very cordially at
the White House. At the Presidents re-
| quest they sang several selections.
In 1S45 the singers went to England.
where they appeared in many public con-
| eerts. 1t was at this time that the friendly
relations between the United States and
| Great Britain were seriously disturbed over
| questions relating to the possession of Ore
gon. The two countries were ready for war
and 1t would have taken but little to have
brought on a conflict. 1t was then that the
singers began to preach in their songs the
| policy of universal peace In the selec-
| tions which they sang were expressed SEN
| timents deploring between the two
| countries and urging that spirit of broth
erhood be cultivated between the citizens
| of the two Anglo-Saxon nations. \ short
| time after arriving in England, with Queen
| Victoria's consent the musicians gave a
concert in the Queens concert room. They
afterward went to other parts of Great
| Britain, including Scotland. Their senti-
ments of peace were cordially received and
| it is said. had much influence in calming
| the war spirit of the Britons. The follow
| ing is an extract of one of the songs Te-
dered on the trip. 1t was composed 10y one
| of the members of the quartette and sung
to the air of Yankee Doodle:
Then will come the glorious day,
| And may it last forever,
| That both John Bull and Jonathan in peace shall
| dwell together;
| That no disputes or angry words shall fill with
darts quiver,
And Englishmen and Yankees dwell on the great
Columbia River.
The existing understanding between the
| United States and Great Britain would
make the sentiment expressed in the song
| seem almost prophetic. Throughout their
stay in England they were urged by the
| prominent political and governmental lead
ers to continue singing the songs eX-
pressive of peace. After about a year 5
| stay in England the Hutchinsons returned
to America and began their crusade against
slavery. They appeared in all parts of
the country singing their radical anti
slavery songs. Their concerts finally
aroused so much ill-feelng in cities along
the Mason and Dixon line that for months
| halls were closed against them.
! The following is an extract from one OF
| their songs:
Io! a car, Emancipation,
Rides majestic through our nation;
Bearing in its train the story
OF Liberty and the Nations glory
| Roll it along.
| They took an active part in the Presi-
Dental campaign of 1860 and were warm
supporters of Abraham Lincoln. Mr.. Lin
| coin attended one OF their concerts in
Springfield. When the newly elected
President was passing through New York
on his way to Washington to take the oath
of office the Hutchinsons serenaded him at
the Jersey City station where he was wait