The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1926-07-01


how 1t happened to have been
written TO 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
that 1t would become the nations
great, throbbing anthem, Ii was writ
ten, literally, on the spur of the mo-
ment. 1t was first sung publicly, a
memorandum of Its author records,
at celebration at the Park Street
church, Boston, on July 4, 1882, 90
years ago.
America" was composed In the
town of Andover, Mass, in February,
1882. by the Rev. Samuel Francis
Smith, well-known New England
clergyman, who graduated from Har-
ward university In the class of 1929,
with Oliver Wendell Holmes. and
who was a prominent contributor 10
periodical literature of his day, In
a letter to the late Rear Admiral
George Henry Preble, u s. N, which
was later turned over to the Ameri-
can Antiquarian society, Doctor Smith
wrote that on return trip from
Europe In 1881 fellow voyager
handed him volume of foreign ma
tlonal airs, suggesting that he might
find 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 and fell In
with the tune of God Save the King"
wrote the clergyman. Il took up my
pen and wrote the piece in question
1t was struck Off at one sitting, with
out the slightest idea It would ever
attain the popularity 1t has since en-
joyed."
The original manuscript of "Amer-
lea" is in the Anne lean Antiquarian
society's possessioat
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 1t
was agreed, after considerable re-
search, that II 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 1879 the tune of God
Save the King" was adapted to the
spirit of the times In America A
Dutch Song" of 10 verses written,
as the records have 1t. by "a lady of
The Hague" was published In the
Pennsylvania 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-Spangled 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 1912 and was inspired by the
authors witnessing the bombardment
of Fort McHenry at Baltimore on
September 10, 1914. Key had left
Baltimore, where he was practicing
law, to go to the British fleet moored
In the bay, under flag of truce to
attempt to obtain the release of
physician taken prisoner by the
enemy. The vessel he boarded was
detained under the guns of the Brit
ish frlgate Surprise" according to
an account by Rear Admiral Preble
In the American Antiquarian society's
files, and Key, from his precarious
place on deck, watched the terrific
bombardment of the fort, which the
British admiral boasted would be cap
tured within few hours
"He watched the American flag fly
ing above the fort through the whole
day and until the night prevented
him seeing it," wrote the rear adj
miral. "In the night he watched the
bomb-shells-and at early dawn his
eye was again greeted by the proudly
waving flag of his country"
Awoke Poetic Fire.
| SO wildly impressed with his ex-
perience was the young Maryland
lawyer that he began jotting down
lyrical lines upon the back of letter,
amid "the rockets red glare and
bombs bursting in air." while the
bombardment went on. When the
battle was over and 1.-THE flag was
still there Key, In his room at Bal
timore, wrote out "The Star Spangled
Banner" from his notes, some Of
which, scrubbed In the dark, were
hardly legible. AS a critic has put It,
Key wrote what he actually saw and
felt while witnessing the conflict and
what he felt when the battle was over
and the victory won by his country
men"
The song was first published In
Baltimore newspaper (the Baltimore
American) of September .21, 1914,
week after the battle. with an expla-