william a. wheeler's "little house" song
Pa sings "Hail Columbia" in By the Shores of Silver Lake, on a happy winter evening in 1879. At the time, Rutherford B. Hayes was President of the United States. William A. Wheeler was Vice President.

The music to "Hail Columbia" was called "The President's March" when it was composed by Philip Phile as an inaugural march for George Washington. Nine years later, Joseph Hopkinson wrote the lyrics in an effort to keep Americans unified at a time when England and France were at war and many Americans were sympathetic to one country or the other.

"Hail Columbia" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" were both national anthems of the United States until 1931 when Congress passed a bill declaring that "The Star-Spangled Banner" was the National Anthem. Today, "Hail Columbia" is played at the entrance of the Vice President, the same way "Hail to the Chief" is played for the President.

So, when Pa was singing "Hail Columbia" it was as if he was singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in its importance. It wasn't William Wheeler's song, but that's how I'm going to think of it today, on Inauguration Day.

Firm, united, let us be,
Rallying round our Liberty,
As a band of brothers join'd,
Peace and safety we shall find.
- posted by pioneergirl at 2:01 AM