Part 6 (1/2)
The father of the Emmets was a gallant soldier of the War of 1812, and at one time lived in the old brown frame house at the intersection of Ramsey and West Seventh streets, recently demolished. A correspondent of one of the magazines gives the following account of how ”Dixie”
happened to become the national air of the Confederate States:
”Early in the war a spectacular performance was being given in New Orleans. Every part had been filled, and all that was lacking was a march and war song for the grand chorus. A great many marches and songs were tried, but none could be decided upon until 'Dixie' was suggested and tried, and all were so enthusiastic over it that it was at once adopted and given in the performance. It was taken up immediately by the populace and was sung in the streets and in homes and concert halls daily. It was taken to the battlefields, and there became the great song of the South, and made many battles harder for the Northerner, many easier for the Southerner. Though it has particularly endeared itself to the South, the reunion of American hearts has made it a national song. Mr. Lincoln ever regarded it as a national property by capture.”
The Hutchinson family often visited St. Paul, the enterprising town of Hutchinson, McLeod county, being named after them. They were a very patriotic family and generally sang their own music. How deliberate the leader of the tribe would announce the t.i.tle of the song about to be produced. Asa Hutchinson would stand up behind the melodeon, and with a pause between each word inform the audience that ”Sister--Abby--will--now--sing--the--beautiful--song--composed-- by--Lucy--Larc.u.m--ent.i.tled--'Hannah--Is--at--the--Window--Binding-- Shoes.'” And sister Abby would sing it, too. During the early part of the war the Hutchinson family was ordered out of the Army of the Potomac by Gen. McClellan on account of the abolition sentiments expressed in its songs. The general was apparently unable to interpret the handwriting on the wall, as long before the war was ended the entire army was enthusiastically chanting that beautiful melody to the king of abolitionists--
”John Brown's body lies moldering in the grave And his soul is marching on.”
Gen. McClellan was at one time the idol of the army, as well as of the entire American people. Before the war he was chief engineer of the Illinois Central railroad and made frequent trips to St. Paul to see the future Mrs. McClellan, a Miss Marcy, daughter of Maj. R.B. Marcy of the regular army, who lived in the old Henry M. Rice homestead on Summit avenue. When Gen. McClellan was in command of the Army of the Potomac Maj. Marcy was his chief of staff.
One of the original Hutchinsons is still living, as indicated by the following dispatch, published since the above was written:
”Chicago, Ill., Jan. 4, 1902.--John W. Hutchinson, the last survivor of the famous old concert-giving Hutchinson family, which was especially prominent in anti-bellum times, received many congratulations to-day on the occasion of his eighty-first birthday, Mr. Hutchinson enjoys good health and is about to start on a new singing and speaking crusade through the South, this time against the sale and us of cigarettes. Mr. Hutchinson made a few remarks to the friends who had called upon him, in the course of which he said: 'I never spent a more enjoyable birthday than this, except upon the occasion of my seventy-fifth, which I spent in New York and was tendered a reception by the American Temperance union, of which I was the organizer. Of course you will want me to sing to you, and I think I will sing my favorite song, which I wrote myself. It is ”The Fatherhood of G.o.d and the Brotherhood of Man.” I have written a great many songs, among them ”The Blue and the Gray,” ”Good old Days of Yore,” and some others that I cannot remember now. I sang the ”Blue and the Gray” in Atlanta six years ago, at the time of the exposition there, and McKinley was there. I had the pleasure of saying a few words at that time about woman's suffrage. I wrote the first song about woman's suffrage and called it ”Good Times for Women.” This is the 11,667th concert which I have taken part in.'”
The venerable singer is reputed to be quite wealthy. A few years ago one of the children thought the old man was becoming entirely too liberal in the distribution of his wealth, and brought an action in the New York courts requesting the appointment of a guardian to his estate. The white-haired musician appeared in court without an attorney, and when the case was about to be disposed of made a request of the judge, which was granted, that he might be sworn. After Mr.
Hutchinson had made his statement to the court the judge asked a few questions. ”How is your memory?” said the judge. ”Memory,” replied the old man. ”I remember the flavor of the milk at the maternal fountain.”
The judge concluded that Mr. Hutchinson was fully capable of managing his own affairs.
Concert hall, built in 1857 by J.W. McClung, had room for 400 or 500 people, but it was somewhat inaccessible on account of its being in the bas.e.m.e.nt of the building and was not very much in demand. Horatio Seymour made a great speech to the Douglas wing of the Democracy in the hall during the campaign of 1880, and Tom Marshall, the great Kentucky orator, delivered a lecture on Napoleon to a large audience In the same place. On the night of the presidential election in 1860 a number of musicians who had been practicing on ”Dixie” and other music in Munger's music store came down to the hall and entertained the Republicans who had gathered there for the purpose of hearing the election returns. There was a great deal more singing than there was election returns, as about all the news they were able to get was from the four precincts of St. Paul, New Canada, Rose and Reserve towns.h.i.+ps and West St. Paul. We had a telegraph line, to be sure, but Mr.
Winslow, who owned the line, would not permit the newspapers, or any one else, to obtain the faintest hint of how the election had gone in other localities. After singing until 11 or 12 o'clock, and abusing Mr. Winslow in language that the linotype is wholly unable to reproduce, the crowd dispersed. Nothing could be heard of how the election had gone until the following afternoon, when Gov. Ramsey received a dispatch from New York announcing that that state had given Mr. Lincoln 50,000 majority. As that was the pivotal state the Republicans immediately held a jollification meeting.
Tom Marshall was one of the most eloquent orators America ever produced. He was spending the summer in Minnesota endeavoring to recover from the effects of an over-indulgence of Kentucky's great staple product, but the glorious climate of Minnesota did not seem to have the desired effect, as he seldom appeared on the street without presenting the appearance of having discovered in the North Star State an elixer fully as invigorating as any produced in the land where colonels, orators and moons.h.i.+ners comprise the major portion of the population. One day as Marshall came sauntering down Third street he met a club of Little Giants marching to a Democratic gathering.
They thought they would have a little sport at the expense of the distinguished orator from Kentucky, and they haulted immediately in front of him and demanded a speech. They knew that Mr. Marshall was a p.r.o.nounced Whig and supported the candidacy of Bell and Everett, but as he was from a slave state they did not think he would say anything reflecting on the character of their cherished leader. Mr. Marshall stepped to the front of the sidewalk and held up his hand and said: ”Do you think Douglas will ever be president? He will not, as no man of his peculiar physique ever entered the sacred portals of the White House.” He then proceeded to denounce Douglas and the Democratic party in language that was very edifying to the few Republicans who chanced to be present. The Little Giants concluded that it was not the proper caper to select a casual pa.s.ser-by for speaker, and were afterward more particular in their choice of an orator.
One night there was a Democratic meeting in the hall and after a number of speakers had been called upon for an address, De Witt C.
Cooley, who was a great wag, went around in the back part of the hall and called upon the unterrified to ”Holler for Cooley.” The request was complied with and Mr. Cooley's name was soon on the lips of nearly the whole audience. When Mr. Cooley mounted the platform an Irishman in the back part of the hall inquired in a voice loud enough to be heard by the entire audience, ”Is that Cooley?” Upon being a.s.sured that it was, he replied in a still louder voice: ”Be jabers, that's the man that told me to holler for Cooley.” The laugh was decidedly on Cooley, and his attempted flight of oratory did not materialize.
Cooley was at one time governor of the third house and if his message to that body could be reproduced it would make very interesting reading.
The Athenaeum was constructed in 1859 by the German Reading society, and for a number of years was the only amus.e.m.e.nt hall in St. Paul with a stage and drop curtain. In 1861 Peter and Caroline Richings spent a part of the summer in St. Paul, and local amus.e.m.e.nt lovers were delightfully entertained by these celebrities during their sojourn.
During the war a number of dramatic and musical performances were given at the Athenaeum for the boys in blue. The cantata of ”The Haymakers,” for the benefit of the sanitary commission made quite a hit, and old residents will recollect Mrs. Winne, Mrs. Blakeley and Prof. Perkins, who took the leading parts. Prof. Phil Roher and Otto Dreher gave dramatic performances both in German and English for some time after the close of the war. Plunkett's Dramatic company, with Susan Denin as the star, filled the boards at this hall a short time before the little old opera house was constructed on Wabasha street.
During the Sioux ma.s.sacre a large number of maimed refugees were brought to the city and found temporary shelter in this place.
In 1853 Market hall, on the corner of Wabasha and Seventh streets, was built, and it was one of the princ.i.p.al places of amus.e.m.e.nt. The Hough Dramatic company, with Bernard, C.W. Couldock, Sallie St. Clair and others were among the notable performers who entertained theatergoers.
In 1860 the Wide Awakes used this place for a drill hall, and so proficient did the members become that many of them were enabled to take charge of squads, companies and even regiments in the great struggle that was soon to follow.
In 1860 the Ingersoll block on Bridge Square was constructed, and as that was near the center of the city the hall on the third floor was liberally patronized for a number of years. Many distinguished speakers have entertained large and enthusiastic audiences from the platform of this popular hall. Edward Everett, Ralph Waldo Emerson and John B. Gough are among the great orators who have electrified and instructed the older inhabitants, and the musical notes of the Black Swan, Mlle. Whiting and Madame Varian will ever be remembered by those whose pleasure it was to listen to them. Mrs. Scott Siddons, an elocutionist of great ability and a descendant of the famous English family of actors of that name, gave several dramatic readings to her numerous admirers. When Sumter was fired on, Capt. W.H. Acker used this hall as a rendezvous and drill hall for Company C, First regiment of Minnesota volunteers, and many rousing war meetings for the purpose of devising ways and means for the furtherance of enlistments took place in this building.