The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-05
'DiNIe' as q National Air.

Fletcher of Saltoun said lie knew a
very wise man that said if he were
permitted to make all the ballads, he
need not care who should make the
laws OF nation. Dan Emmet-fra.
grant be his memoryi-might be among
that blessed company. He wrote, it
Is said, literally, hundreds of ballads;
but he wrote-"Dixie!" No long
time ago he was here with negro
minstrel company, riding alone, as be.
came him. in carriage in the process
sion, venerable figure with his white
hairs. His grave is ia Mount Vernon,
Ohio, the place OF his birth and death,
There is movement to build monu-
ment to his memory there in the pub
TIC square. However fine, it cannot
be too fine in it's fitness. It ought to
be built by the pennies of the people
from all over this land, designed by
the flrst American architect and in
scribed ITO the Author of Dixie"
No other song has ever touched the
hearts OF all the people of this land
IS Dixie" touches them. Duripe
the war John Browns Body" swept
the heartstrings of the North and
their brave boys in blue" But the
war has passed and the song is pass.
ing, is already much of memory.
But Dixie is more vibrant with life
to-day than it was when it cheered the
lean and hungry legions that were bat
tling for the 'Lost Cause" It has
not oaly survived the war, but since
then 1t has conquered the conquerors
and echoes in the hearts OF those that
loved the blue as in the hearts of
those that loved the gray. There was
local illustration in recent concert
here by the Scottish Highland band.
When it played the "Star.Spangled
Banner there was an ovation. But
when it played "Dixie" there was a
furore. Where there had been cheers
and applause there were yells and
smiles and pounding of tables.
II is q curious thing. Manifestly
i. is not in recollection of the quality
that endeared ''Dixie" to the Southern
soldier and made it the war song of
the Confederacy, for it is loved in
peace as much as it was in war, if not
more 80, and by those that won as by
those that lost. It has the magic of
the "Marseillaise" in it. But it is
without clarion call that exoites the
red blood OF strife. 1t is gay, sweet,
serene, indefatigable. 1t calls like
the shrill of the bagpipe with the mu-
sic of the golden horn. It soothes
and strengthens while it rouses, Civ
ing body of memory to the spirit of
exultation. It may not be great mu-
sic, but it has the quality of all that
counts in this world-survival-and
it is one Of those ballads of nation
that the very wise man reokoned as
more powerful than laws.
As If prophetic Of its place to-day,
it was written before the war, and by
Ia Northern msn. one (born in 1815)
who, when boy of II, enlisted in the
regular army and served throughout
the term of his enlistment as q fifer.
He wrote Dixie" in 1859 while a
member Of Dan Bryant's minstrels,
playing in New York, and By them Il
was first sung. 1t was first called 81
Wish I Was in Dixie Land" after
ward "Dixie Land" now Dixie"
and so it comes on with the genera.
tions. Mount Vernon does we'll to
contemplate monument to Daniel
Decatur Emmett. This happy land
does we'll to build it. "Dixie' com.
forted and inspired che sons Of those
that wore the blue and Of those that
wore the gray when they fought side
by side in Cuba. Il has been heard