The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-07-04

way and still another IS that it
comes from the Hungarian. A DR..
a of the British
army, is claimed to have written it
and a DR.. Shuckburgh in also cred,
1ted with its authorship. To sum the
Whole matter up, of all the sixteen
different theories non is proved.
Ihe Origin of America"
There is no doubt. however. about
the authorship of our beautiful ma
tIonal hymn beginning
My country tbs of thee
Sweet land of liberty,
OF thee | song.
Ian where my fathers died,
and of the pilgrims pride,
from every mountain side
Let freedom ring"
America was written by the Rev.
amuel F. Smith in the town of An
dover, Mass, in February. 1892. DIR.
Smith was born in 1903 and he died in
1895. 1t was along about 1880 that he
wrote an autograph OF of this hymn
for Admiral Preble. In this he tells
how a friend of his, Mr.. William C.
Woodbridge, brought over from Eu-
rope in 1881 some German music
books, and how Lowell Mason, a Ger
man scholar. picked out from them
some music that might be adapted to
hymns This was at the request of DIR.
Smith. OF the TRANSACTIONS submit
ted" the doctor writes. one fell in
with the tune of God Save the King
and | at once took up my pen and
wrote the piece in question. 1t was
struck out at a sitting, without the
slightest idea that it would ever attain
the popularity it has since enjoyed
First Sung in Boston.
The first time it was sung publicly
was at a children's celebration of Am
erican independence, at the Park
Street Church. Boston. / think on July
4, 1892. If / had anticipated the flu
tture Of it, doubtless would have taken
more. pains. Such as it is, l am glad to
have contributed this mite to the cause
of American freedom"
The books of music from which
this hymn came were made up OF songs
used in the schools Of Germany. 1t
was first sung here the Fourth Of
July, and was brought out by Lowell
Mason, much to the surprise of DR..
Smith. Edward Everett Hale has writ
ten how he as a boy, having spent all
his holiday money on root beer. gin
ger snaps and oysters at a celebration
on Boston Common on his way home
marched with other children into Park
street Church. and there heard the
first singing of the hymn "America.'
The main objection raised against
america is that it has the same air
as God Save the King and that there
are other national airs to the same
music. Long before the hymn was writ
ten the air was used in such songs as
God Save America God Save
George Washington and God Save
the President A song was made by a
Dutch lady at The Hague for the sail
ors of five American vessels at AmsteT-
dam in June, 1879. which was entitled
God Save the Thirteen States and
that air was employed at patriotic
meetings in our country for Years be-
fore "Amerlca' was written.
Hail Columbia. Happy Land
AS to Hail Columbia that song
was written by Joseph H~opkinson in
1898. 1t was penned when a war be
tween France and America was
thought to be inevitable and when
Congress was debating the possibilities
during one of it's sessions in PhilaGel-
phia. The poet thus describes how he
came to write It:
THE contest between England and
France was raging, and the people OF
the United states were divided into
parties for the one side or the other
some thinking that policy and duty
required US to eSDOuSe the cause o.
"Republican France as she was
called. while others We're for n
ing ourselves with England, under the
belief that she was the great preser-
:, Vative power Of good principle; anC
safe government.
> 1.-The violation of our rights by botf
belligerents was forcing us from the
lust and wise policy of Preeiden'
WASHINGTON. which was to do euua
il. Justice to both, but to part with neith-
;. er. and to preserve an honest ant
. strict neutrality between them. The
prospect of a rupture with france Was
exceedingly offensive to the portion o
the people who espoused her cause
: and the violence of the spirit Of part.
has never risen higher than It did d
that time upon that question.
Written for a Bcncfi Concert.
The theatre was then open in oul
city. A young man belonging 10 II
i, whose talent was high as a singer, wa:
. ahout to take q benefit. / had know
!, him when he was at school. On TIN
acquaintance he called on me on'
C.+r5o- oftorpnon his henefit bpips