Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-07-01

7T HE origin OF America anu
how it happened to have been
written 10 the tune OF GOD
Save the King" are revealed in
original documents in the library OF
The American Antiquarian society in
Worcester. Mass With no thought
HAT it would become the nation &
great. throhbin. anthem. ii was writ
ZEN literally. on the spur of the mo-
mcnt II was first sung publicly. a
memorandum of its author records,
at = celebration al the Park Street
church. Boston. on July 4, 1882, 13
wears ago.
America, was composed i'll the
town of Andover, Mass, in February.
1882, by the Rev. Samuel Francis
Smith. weIl-known New England
clergyman. who graduated from tiar-
ward university In the class of 1879.
with Oliver Wendell Holmes, and
who was prominent contributor TO
periodical literature Of his day In
a letter to the late Rear Admiral
George Henry Preble, U. 5. ~, which
was later. turned over TO the Amerl-
can Antiquarian society. Doctor Smith
wrote thai on return trip from
Europe in 1871 fellow vOyager
handed him volume of foreign ma
tional airs. suggesting that he might
lind a tune among them to which a
wholly original song" might be com
posed for America.
Zone leisure afternoon later on
was looking over the book ana fell in
with the tune of God Save the King"
wrote the clergyman. II took up my
Den and wrote the piece in question.
1t was struck of, At one sitting. with
out the slightest idea it would ever
attain the popularity it has since en-
joyed."
The original manuscript of amer
ica' is In the American Antiquarian
society's possession.
Have Original Manuscript.
The origin of the tune of "GOd
Save the King" was in much dispute
for some years. AT one time 1t was
attributed to Handel. Eventually it
was agreed, after considerable re-
search, that it was written by DIR.
Henry Carey. son of the Marquis of
Halifax. In 1740, in honor OF the birth
day of King George II OF England.
Doctor Carey was composer Of the
once celebrated "Sally in Our Alley"
AS early as 1870 the tune of God
Save the King" was adapted to the
spirit Of the times in America A
Dutch Song" Of 10 verses written,
IA the records have it, by "a lady of
The Hague was published In the
Packet at Philadelphia
that year, as tribute to sailors of
American ships moOred at Amster-
dam. 1t began:
God save the Thirteen States,
Long rule the Thirteen States.
God save our States!
Make US victorious.
Happy and glorious.
No tyrants over US.
God save our States!
"The Star-S0angled Banner" which
vies with America" for pre-eminence
as the national song, was written by
Francis Scott Key, a lawyer Of Fred
erick county, Maryland, during the
War of 1872 and was inspired by the
witnessing the bOmbardment
Of Fort McHenry at Baltimore on
10. 1914. Key had left
where he was practicinG
law, to go to the British feet mOored
in the bay. under flag of truce to
attempt to obtain the release of a
physician taken prisoner by the
The vessel he boarded was
detained under the guns OF the Brit
ish frigate Surprise" according to
an account by Rear Admiral Preble
In the American Antiquarian society's
nles, and Key. from his precarious
place on deck, watched the terrific
Of the fort. which tho
British admiral boosted would be cap
tursd within few hours.
HE watched the American nag n.y.
Ing above the fort through the whole
day and until the night prevented
him seeing It," wrote the rear ad-
migal. I'm the night he watched the