Great Wisdom’s Son

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THE BOLD KENTUCKY BOY.
Tune — The Highland Minstrel Boy.

Come, freemen, ere our land’s undone,
All gather side by side,
Around bold Clay, great wisdom’s son,
Columbia’s boast and pride.
To set a gallant people free,
He did his soul employ,
And to her rights he true will be,
The bold Kentucky Boy.

Remember our old Tariff Bill
By him was carried through,
And by his noble voice and skill,
And yet shall gain the New.
He’ll all the nation’s wrongs repair,
And give her sons employ,
When once we get him in the chair,
The bold Kentucky Boy.

Then up, bold Whigs, the glorious cause
Grows stronger day by day,
It is the first of nature’s laws,
That all must turn to Clay.
It is the sterling Freedom’s ware,
That nothing can destroy,
And his true mould shall grace the chair.
The bold Kentucky Boy.

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NOTES:

The Bold Kentucky Boy is Henry Clay.

Columbia is the personification of America.

The Tariff Bill is a protective tariff, a Whig platform plank.

“The chair” is the presidency.

“All must turn to Clay,” means that everyone must die.  This is true, but hardly an inspiring reason for voting for Clay.  Is that the message they wanted to send? Turn to death? “Mould” is again a death-and-burial image.

I’ve been unable to find a recording of anyone singing “The Highland Minstrel Boy” (not to be confused with “The Minstrel Boy“).

These are the words to The Highland Minstrel Boy:

The Highland Minstrel Boy,
an Admired Scotch Ballad
Written by
Harry Stoe Van Dyk,
Music by John Barnett.

I hae wander’d mony a night in June,
Along the banks of Clyde,
Beneath a bright and bonny moon,’
Wi’ Mary at my side.
A summer was she to mine ee,
And to my heart a joy,
And weel she loo’d to roam wi’ me,
Her Highland minstrel boy.
I hae wander’d mony a night in June,
Along the banks of Clyde,
Beneath a bright and bonny moon,’
Wi’ Mary at my side.

Oh! her presence could on ev’ry star,
New brilliancy confer,
And I thought the flow’rs were sweeter far,
When they were seen with her:
Her brow was calm as sleeping sea,
Her glance was full o’ joy,
And oh! her heart was true to me,
Her Highland minstrel boy.
Oh! her presence could on ev’ry star,
New brilliancy confer,
And I thought the flow’rs were sweeter far,
When they were seen with her.

I hae play’d to Ladies fair and gay,
In mony a southron ball;
But there was one far-far away,
A world above them all.
And now, tho’ weary years have fled,
I think wi’ mournful joy,
Upon the time when Mary wed,
Her Highland minstrel boy.
I hae play’d to Ladies fair and gay,
In mony a southron ball;
But there was one far-far away,
A world above them all.

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Tomorrow:  Honest Farmer Harry