The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-06-06

His voice, firm, sonorous, mellow. his remarkably
distinct enunciation, his striking, erect six-foot
figure, were almost his undoing. His oratory
and personal charm exceeded his logic He neg
lected to pierce fallacies with reason. Instead,
he resorted to humanitarian appeals. His coun-
tenance, calm and expressionless in repose, now
betrayed his sentimentality. Like tragic actor,
when he threw his whole soul into a speech his
face reflected how deeply he was moved =.
warm, sympathetic. human pleader Key was
impatient of tedious, pedantic dilly-dallying. He
rude only when interrupted He accepted
poor clients, even negroes, without fee. This
he could well afford to do. From wealthy clients
he and Philip Barton Key received fees of thou
sands of dollars"
So Francis Scott Key became one of the out
standing attorneys of his time-a fact which is
all too little known by his felow-Americans who
think of him only as the author of their national
anthem. With his uncle, who was one of the
cousel for the defense, he had minor part in
the impeachment trial of Samuel Chase Of the
Supreme court. "the first great legal battle that
rocked the federal government"
Soon after this trial. which resulted in the
acquittal of Chase, Philip Barton Key retired
from the practice of law and turned the business
over to his nephew. His first important case
was the defense of Dr.. Erich Bollman and Sam
uel Swarthout who were implicated In Burr's
preme court and which resulted in their ac-
Quittal. This spectacular case, after
Francis Scott Key began to practice law alone,
definitely established him as leading barrister
at the age of twenty-eight. His manner Of
speech, previously taken for granted, now be-
came minor sensation. He was celebrity. -.
His law cases increased in number and i'm
portance."
In the meantime, events were shaping up for
the incident which was to bring him his greatest
fame The young nation had been forced to take
decisive action against the Barbary pirates to
protect it's commerce. When the naval officers,
who had subdued the corsairs, returned to Amer
lea, they were much feted For of these
festive dinners Key composed song In honor
OF young Stephen Decatur and set it to the mu-
sic of ITO Anacreon in Heaven" Among other
phrases in the song a reference to "the
star spangled flag of our nation"-which, with
the tune TO which it sung was curiously
prophetic of another song he was to write 10
years later
Although that song was a war song, its author
was opposed to the conflict which produced 1t.
That is, he opposed 1t until the British invaded
his beloved Maryland Then he joined field
artillery company that had been hastily organ
lied In Georgetown, became quartermaster
(and very inefficient one) and took part In the
comic opera battle" of Bladesburg. His prin-
clp3l Contribution IneTe WIS, as was tnat OF
many another gentleman officer" to run around
offering iIl-timed advice to the distracted Gen.
eral Winder and contributing to the destruction
of what little unity of command there was As
a result of the defeat of the raw American
troops at Bladensburg, Washington fell into the
hands of the invaders who applied the torch to
the Capitol and other buildings
After this work of destruction, the enemy
started to capture Baltimore and took with them