Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1918 — Our National Song. [ARTICLE]

Our National Song.

The United States has three songs which serve on occasions as national songs, but by historic associations and common consent one stands first, observes a writer. This, is the “StarSpangled Banner,” written in 1814 by Francis S. Key of Maryland, while the British were bombarding Fort Henry, near Baltimore, and when the Americans did not know at what moment the fort might be captured or the flag shot down. While it has never been officially adopted as a national Song the circumstances under which it was written and its universal popular approval cause It to stand pre-eminent "T3ne other songs of a national character, but not so stirring or so popular are “Hail Columbia,” written by Joseph Hopkinson, in 1788, and “America,” by Samuel F. Smith, a Baptist preacher and poet in 1832. The “Star-Span-gled Banner" earily holds first place.