The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-05
United Daughters
Of The Confederacy


rits time pulsation. words equal to the
mental effect produced by the music
yes! we want words that when we
Using Dixie the whole South, with one
voice may sing and to make a success
OF this. hearty endorsement and CO.
operation with the committee is very
necessary. The idea conceived by Mrs.
M w. Camper of Florence and made
division work one year ago with Mrs.
A. L. Dowdell as chairman of the COM
mittee, bring to us the following ex-
position of their work and convincing
argument for the adoption of one YER
sion.
The Alabama division, United
J Daughters of the Confederacy, first in
augurated the movement to have all
confederate organizations unite in the
adoption of one Dixie from the num-
erous versions that are extant, or to
select one from some Southern poet.
VINO may be inspired to write Dixie"
adequate in thought and sentiment.
rather than retain the negro dialect
and the doggerel of Daniel Emmetts
original walk around. The work of the
Alabama Daughters in this direction
has provoked greater comment from
the press, veterans. and friends. than
was anticipated by these faithful ad-
vocates of history. Emmetts Dixie
was almost forgotten, cast aside.
known only to a few as was evidenced
by little incident which occurred at
J Chautauqua, N. Y, several years ago.
| The director of the children's choir at
| Chautauqua made an effort to find the
| words of Dixie, to teach the children
TO sing 1t. but not one in the large as
sembly of Southern people who was
| summering there could do no more
than repee6 the chorus, yet every
cnilo knew the air. This in
OF the Alabama Division ito investigate
ana she soon found that the original
words of Emmett were known by onlv
| rev. so many versions were In en-
tlstence that different one was used
IN almost every place and even around
the camphres our soldiers sang other
| words. This Jealous woman bestirred
herself in the interests of history To
nave Dixie" that should live in song
ana story. Her enthusiasm was i'm
parted to her own Chapter and then
| py the Chapter to the State Convention
winch appointed committee to pre-
sent the subject to other Confederate
organizations and write them to CO.
operate with the Alabama Daughters
OF Tue Confederacy in the adoption Of
one version. We have found from tha
veterans who have communicated with
| the committee and those who have civ
en- anxious expression through the
gerel of the original Dixie =" Tbe,,
cling only to the chorus of the or,gira,
version: iiiai
WISH l was in Dixiei Hoorayl
IN LIKES Land we'll take our stand
TO lib and die in Dixie
away; away away down South in
Away Y;x; aw.V away down South in
The Veterans cherish this chor,1s ana
desire that it shall be preserved ~
coming generations couched In Ian
guage expressive of cultured peonIe
Let us keep this chorus-but nreservo
II In correct English. One veteran
writes: 1T may we'll be called tho
Marseillaise of the South. Ana We
how inadequate and indeed contar,,t,
bic are the words in connection with
tnc air and the sentiment which n
awakens.
originating as a negro minstrel song
the words are foolish and disconnected
ana the song in the main, ridiculous
DanleI Emmett immortalized his name
with this song by accident when on a
rainy Sabbath in New York CITY in
1863 he composed for his minstrel SHOW,
the inspiring. the thrilling and soul
stirring air of Dixie. which met with
such success and afterwards became
the battle hymn that LEI the Southern
soldiers to the bravest deeds vet re-
corded in the annals of history. The
words were written to represent in
language the thought of an illiteratc
and inferior race-our slaves Neither
In thought language nor sentiment do
they represent the Southern people.
Is 1t a dissertation of the mast or
would W ha oP
would cast those old minstrel words
into oblivion
Was 1t dissertation for General Albert
Pike to write his beautiful poem. which
IT is claimed by authority, was so gem
orally used In battle"
One veterans says: There is no
claim by other people to Mr.. Emmett's
words. They simply appropriated his
music and made 1t the battle strain of
the Confederacy Albert Pixies words
set to the music of Daniel Emmett's
song was the Dixie" of our soldiers.
This song is a legacy of the times that
tried mems souls and proved them
true: then let them stand as our Dixie
Our Confederate organizations-the
Memorial Association, the United Con-
federate Veterans. the United Daugh-
ters of the Confederacy. and the Uni
ted Sons of Veterans. have as their
chief purpose the making of history.
Should we not hesitate to pass on to
future generations as the song of the
Confederacy one, the verses of which
run thus:
Old Missus marry Will de weaber.
William was a gay deceaber;
When he put his arm around 'er
He look as fierce as a forty FOUNDER
Many veterans tell us that EN-
mett's words were rarely used during
the perilous times of the sixties; that
even then other versions were used.
Were those patriots decorators of the
old or less true to the cause, because
they then realized how inexpensive
and meaningless were the words to
the thrilling air, the immortal strains
of which were leading in march the
peerless Confederate soldier? What
makes the chorus loved? 1t is because
of the sentiment. Every word is ex-
pressive of that feeling of love and
patriotism that induced the Confed-
crate soldier to arms: To live and die
for Dixie
The tune of Dixie has become al
most the national air. played by every
band. If a Southerner Is in the crowd
off comes his hat, and IT always elicits
a wild applause from an audience in
Dfxie Land Great 'Dixfep worfbv our