The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-11-13
name of Jehovah their God, for ever
and ever, &c. &c.
THE ClIERUBS.
BY Thomas Campbell, Esq

BY Thomas Campbell, Esq.
Suggested by an apologize in the works Of DR..
Franklin.
Two spirits reach this world Of ours:
The lightning's locomotive powers
Were slow to their agility:
In broad daylight they moved incog,
Enjoying, without mist or fog,
Entire invisibly.
The one. simple cherub lad,
Much interest in our planet had,
Its face was SO romantic;
He couldn't persuade himself that man
Was such, as heavenly rumors ran,
A being base and frantic.
The elder spirit, wise and cool,
Brought down the youth as to a school,
But strictly on condition,
Whatever they should Gee or hear,
With mortss not to interfere;
Twas not in their commission.
They reached sovereign city proud,
Whose emperor prayed to God aloud,
With oil his people kneeling.
And priests performed religious rites;
Come, said the younger Of tho sprites,
This shows pious feeling.
Young Spirit
Arn't these decent, godly race ?"
Old Spirit
"The dirtiest thieves on Natures face"
Young Spirit
But, bark, iwha! cheers they're giving
Their emperor !--And is he thief ?"
Old Spirit tYEs
Gay, and cut throat too in brief,
The greatest scoundrel iping"
Young Spirit
4" But say, what we're they praying for,
This people and their emperor ?"
Old Spirit
"Why, put for Gods assistance
To help their army, late sent out;
And what that army is about,
You'll SEQ at no great distance"
On wings outspeedng mail or post,
Our sprites o'crtook the imperial host,
In massacre it wallowed
noble nation spread its hordes,
But broken fell their cause and swords,
Unfortunate, though hallowed.
They saw q late bombarded town,
Its streets still warm with blood ran down
Still smoked each burning rafter;
And hideously midst rape and sack,
The murderer's laughter answered back
His prey's convulsve laughter.
They saw the captive eye the dead
With envy of his CORY bed
Deaths quick reward of bravery;
They heard the clank Of chains, and then
Saw thirty thousand bleeding men
Dragged manacled to slavery.
"Fie, he !" the younger heavenly spark
Exclaimed: "we must have missed our mark,
And entered hell's own portals:-
Earth can't be stained with crimes so black
Nay, sure we've got among pack
Offcnds and not Of mortals."
{" No." said the elder, no such thing,
Ficnds are not fools enough 10 wiring
The necks Of one another -
They know their interests too well
Men fight, but every devil in he'll
Lives friendly with his brother.
F" And could point you out some fellows
On this i'll .fated planet, Tellus,
In royal power that rcvel;
Who, at the opening Of the book
o Ofjudgement, may have cause to look
With envy at the devil"
Name but the devil, and he'll appear,
Old Satan in a trice was near,
With smutty face and figure;
But spotless spirits ofthc skies.
Unseen to cen his saucer eyes,
Could watch tho iiendship nigger.
Z" ITalloo !" no cried, II smell trick
A mortal supcrsedes Old Nick,
The scourge Of earth appointed,
He robs the Of my trade; ;oulrants
The blasphemy Of hell, and vaunts
Himself tho Lords annointed.
" Folks make fuss about my mischief
D---d asses tamely suffer this chief
To play his pranks unbounded."
The cherubs flew, but saw from high,
At human inhumanity, =
Tho devil himself astounded.