Here goes, my first post.
I’ll begin with a mystery. This political song or poem is amongst the accumulation of two centuries worth of bits and pieces that have made their way to my hands. I don’t know who wrote it, I don’t know when it was written exactly, and for all I know it’s not even original. I do know this, however: the internet has been silent, so if it was a campaign song of sorts, it was not a popular one.
“Once more we rally round the flag,
Our dear old spangled banner;
We glorify no rebel rag,
We flirt no old bandana.
Opinions differ, we believe
In franchise, free, unshackled;
Should Satan all their votes receive
His right shall go untackled.
All corners, rings, and trusts should be
The scorn of every voter;
From unfair tricks I hope we’re free,
Dakota! O Dakota!!
Republicans, that’s you & me;
That’s Harrison & Morton;
But rebs & free-trade sneaks, I see,
Our party’s rather short on.
To English sophistry we’re deaf,
The rum-lords dare not bait us;
We flounder on no tariff reef,
And pray for those who hate us.
Opinions differ; yes, I see,
Some men believe in treason;
While some--I say that’s you & me--
Believe in truth and reason.
They vote for free saloons & rum,
Whatever their profession,
More rum, more temperance, hi, ho, hum,
Oh Wonderful progression.
Opinions differ, so they think,
The democratic masses,
Free-trade should be a blessed link
To help the lads and lasses.
They’re bound to make the laborers smile,
By cutting down their wages;
But some will praise the party style
Evolved by party sages.
Their history for itself can speak;
Could old Apollyon beat them?
No bandit could have shown more cheek,
Their record will defeat them.
Unfair, Dakotas to the point
Unsound, the tariff shows it
In fact, that party’s out of joint
And Mrs. Grundy knows it.
Their house will soon be desolate,
Corrupted are their morals;
Upon the wall I read their fate,
Let others wear the laurels.
Is Cleveland loyal? Don’t you know?
He’s true to his own highness
To England and the South, also,
There seems a loyal nighness.
And comrades, had we fought in fury
Against our dear old banner,
Think you that man could turn away
In such a rigid manner?
Oh, no! His heart would never let
A veto pass his fingers.
But never mind, I’m prone to bet
We’ll start hum up Salt River.
Opinions differ, right, but why
Should rogues help rule the nation?
(Put?) traitors, forgers we decry
In quite important stations?
But tastes & methods vary so,
Like minds works best together;
And this they conjugate, you know,
Like birds of kindred feather.
Opinions differ that is why
Men split on prohibition;
Third party chaps are going to try
To form a coalition.”
As far as I can tell, this is something that was written by someone either in my family or close to them, in southern Vermont at about the time that the Dakota’s were admitted to the Union as a state in 1889.
I love the pithiness of this song, it clearly has an agenda, but it takes swipes at just about everyone.
More to come in the future.
Though nothing else quite like this.
