Year: 1861




the Intervention of a Committee. Un-
til then, we must get on with "The
Star-Spangled Banner" and Rodman
brakes " American Flag We agree
with Mr.. White that there is almost as
much sclfadulation in "Hail Colum-
bia " as there is in that vain-glorious
Rule, Britannia" Whatever our
National Hymn, let us hope that it
will have a refrain as fine as
And the star spangled Runner in triumph shall wave
Ger the land of the free the home of the brave"
The New York Evening Post gives
a very amusing informal report of the
doings of the committee, from which
we make a few extracts:


The sessions of the committee were
not dull affairs at any time. Beside
the constant sense of expectation
only equalled by that Of the player at
Baden, that the true red might win
at the next deal of manuscript-there
was the frequently recurring excite
ment of subjected poem either pur-
posely or unintentionally funny.


Here, for instance, is q specimen of
one which We must class among the
former sort:


NATIONAL HYMN.


"All hail our country great,


May she never falter


But every darned Secessionist


BE hung up by halter!


(Appended by the author Of the serses.)
at is supposed that the committee under
stand fugue and figured bass. The money
may be sent to the author at Albany


Another competitor wrote that he
could not think of giving his hymn to
the public for less than $3.50, and he
being evidently Of the serious lud-
crous class, calls his diversion, "The
Nations Bride He had prepared the
following little arrangement for her


And 10 here is the sde-saddle


Which the bride, with horse and bride,


May at her pleasure take ride


In the buoyancy Of her pride"


He adds, at the close of his commu-
nication, that the only reason he had
not written the music as we'll as the
verses for this Hime," was because
he didn't know how.


Another poet sends on mere trifle
Of one hundred and ten lines of Iambic-
acknowledgement, which begins
with this cheerful paraphhrase Of the
Declaration of independence
When in the Of human events, people needful


find


They dissolve the bonds that did them to another


bind"


But fancy 4 committee tempted to
suicide by the poetic madness of "A
Constitution Hymn" whereof this is
specimen


sWhat is this stings the Eres--it sounds Of yore
Is the Nation a Beedmg-by the Cannon more
Some links severed--From the Unions Throng
The Banner says stay-To the Onion Belong.
Corus-Then all hail. Consti,u,on-Thy sperit we Keep
For thy star spangied baunerit never shall sleep.
Gods Wild free to man--Al things that he needles
From his Birth to his cravc-whle ard he speedes
Yet peace freedom and union--the best boon TO life
Except what god made-when he made man WIFE,


PROSE CONTRIBUTOR.


Sometimes the poet accompanied
his rythmical venture by protract.
cd dissertation in prose. Mr.. White
gives specimen. 1t comes from a
lone female" in Connecticut, who,
were Connecticut less famed for moral
steadiness, can scarcely be imagined
as suffering from her loneliness, (ccr.
tainly she would never be disturbed
in it, if her letter be any just index
OF her general mental style. She be-
gins with the following singular re-
cognition of providentiaI interference,
in behalf of whom it would be diff.
cult to say, unless, perhaps, the COM
mittee, by way of wholesome chas-
tisement


(" Maunsell B. Field and others of the Ma
tional Hymn Committee New York City God
the Father and Creator of all things has Caus-
ed Me to See Notice in the N. York Tribune
that you are a, Committee to award prize OF
Five hundred dollars for a national Hymn.


"The FIVE hundred dollars is a great in
ducement to those that God has given that
Talent. The knowledge that God has created
in me il to know how to accomplish the mis-
sion of the Saviour and bring Peace on Earth
and Good will amongst Men And the Commit
tee knows that woman was Created for help
meet for man And woman does help Man
create the family Of Man. But in this Nation
woman is Not allowed to help make laws to
Govern what she helps create. And the Ma
ton cannot be governed by righteous Laws
without the knowledge of women to help
make righteous laws And / wandt to ask
the Committee what is the use Of National