Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-12-24
WILL HONOR AUTHOR
 OF HAIL COLUMBIA"
Patriotic Societies of Philadelphia Launch Movement to Observe An
 nlversary of Hopkin's Death.

Philadelphia, Pa.. Dec. 23.-Patri- ! otic societies of Philadelphia have
 launched movement for a suitable
 observance next month of the seventy fifth anniversary of the death of
 Joseph Hopkins, author of the song of
 "Hail, Columbia" Hopkins was born
 in Philadelphia, in TITO, and was a
 lifelong resident of this city.
 Hopkins wrote his famous song with
 9 distinct patriotic purpose and under
 conditions that make it of particular
 interest at the present day. It was
 written In 1798, while war pended be-
 tween France and Great Britain.
 Inc American nation was only 1O)
 years old. Much of the anomosity of
 the revolution survived The veterans
 CT that memorable struggle hardly
 felt their wounds to have healed
 On the other hand, it was impossible
 for any patriotic American to forget
 the services that France had rendered
 to the cause of the colonists in the war
 with Great Britain. She had sent an
 army and fleet to America, she had
 stood the ally and foremost friend of
 Ameflca among the nations of the earth.
 It was natural, therefore. that there
 should be strong tide of American sympathy with France. But the new nation was compelled to consider the first law of nature, that of self-pre servation.
 Her foremost statesmen appreciated the peril ot entering upon 8 course that might make the United States a 1)o 1,fi ay,f z nations, in which this country had ab solutelv no interest
 "Hail, Columbia,' was written by a
 man wise enough to endeavor "to get up an American spirit which should be independent of and above the in- terests, passions and policies of both belligerents." In other words, he voic ed at that early day sentiment that has been widely proclaimed by masses of Americans since the beginning of the present great struggle in Europe. The effect of the song was as Hop kinson had anticipated. The American people realized that they had na- tion of their own. which was by right 1 the first consideration of their thoughts.
 Joseph Hopkinson was only 2S years old when he wrote the famous national song. He was the son of Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence in 17S6, the year before the adoption of | the constitution, he was graduated at i the University of Pennsylvania. He studied law, and began practice in Philadelphia when he was 21 years old.
 Two years later he won a case that
 brought him national reputation. It was the suit of Dr. Benjamin Rush against William Cobbett for libel, which resulted in verdict of $5,0O0 for Hopkinson's client.
 When Justice Samuel Chase of the supreme court of the United States was tried in the Impeachment pro- ceedings of the senate for having ex- ceeded his authority in ordering the
 arrest of the alleged leaders of riot some years before. Joseph Hopkinson, who had defended those men before Chase, was chosen counsel by the justice. Chase was acquitted. President John Quincy Adams ap- pointed Hopkinson justice of the United States district court in Penn sylvania, an office which Hopkinson's grandfather had held under the Brit ish crown.
 Hopkinson lived to the age of 72 years. He wrote many articles and addresses on legal, educational and ethical questions, but he will always be best remembered as the author of "Hail, Columbia"