Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1893 — “America.” [ARTICLE]

“America.”

The remarks sent to us by “A. C.” about the tune of our national hymn, “America,” are satisfactory. The tune was not English originally, though the English use it for their royal anthem. It was used by the Germans long before it was taken up by the English, and we are assured by a musical explorer thht the Germans got it from the Norsemen, who had probably heard it sung by the Finns, who most likely captured it from the Huns, who doubtloss brought it from Asia when they entered Europe. We told in the Sun long ago of our attempts to trace this very old tune through the ages, from country to country, and to its birthplace. We found that it has been known to various races and we found it as far back as we could go. It, or something like it, was perhaps sung by the Jews in the first temple and they may have borrowed it from the Egyptians. It is of a solemn and majestic strain, suitable to some of the Psalms of David. It is certain that the English did not invent or concoct the tune to whioh they sing the words of “God Save the Queen” and to which we sing the words of “America.” We need not be ashamed to use the tune because it existed in other countries before we adopted it or was used by generations that lived before Columbus discovered America, or was known to musicians before the times of St. Ambrose. It is a noble tune.—[New York Sun.