New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-09-24
THE TRIBUNE.
For The Tribune.

FOR The Tribune
WAR;. BY AuovsrUs sSoDGRAss.
HYxy to thee, o WAR; Earth red with blood
shrinks at thy foot tramp Thou hast been Of old;
Long ere the pyramids and ere man learned
To fashion the strange Temple, and build roofs
For worship. thy red hand had plucked out life
From vain glorious Strength, and scared the world
With rapinc.~
Earth bear witness with thy graves
And dust Of namccss warriors! From the helds
Where Heaven descended In It's love OF Old
Even TO this quc; spot where now mild Peace
Hath nourished with Kind hand the gentle Arts,
Armed men have left their bones and poured then
MOOD wild
Zen from those dark and fabulous days when
The Assyran Hunter with his hordes
Swept from the world is uhoiicnding tribes,
Hath the red sword been barred. Prophets and
Priests
And pharaoh. Of all times. have vexed the Earth
Setting up Man gainst Man to I'll the World
With their dead bones and pOpulOus graves
scoarging with fire the patient ieeming ground,
And laying desolaie dwelling and shrine
With sacrilegious hand tearing from It's place
The rough, time -bon0rcd altar; and the child
Dashing from its Mother arms 10 the hard ground
Despoiling the white heart Of innocence,
Until Earth grooming hath arrayed thy name,
With the relentless Famine, and foul Plague.
Thou. with thy sword. and proud nodding plume,
Look back where Time. grown revercni with age
Sits regning DER the downtrodden thrones,
And the pale kingdoms OF the old sad World
VIVA, seed hath sprung from the decaying bones
or the Earths war-losi millions Earth and Sea
Are full-and gcns where solitary war fruit been
shea,hed his red knife in blood. What hath the
Revenge has followed Wrong. until Revenge
Came after the Avenger. and the Truth
Sunk blackeued in the unboy fight pure
What hath the fruit been Have men grown more
And Evil driven headlong from the world
Hath Justice been established Have high thrones
Been shaken and Mems chains shivered and torn
Hath Freedom sprung from the toai wreck ana
built
Her temples on the hills and with loud voice
Called the wide nations TO her worship
No!
The Tyrant keeps his Throne the serf kneels down
Wearing his chain the slave feeds in his stall
Thankful for his poor plttance, and The GOOD
Wonder that the Heavens bend not as OF old.
And scourge high handed Evil with It's fires
Glorious in array Thou with thy plumes,
Tby mar halei squadrOns and thy cleaning arms
Thy painted standards Haunting the pale Heaven
Emblazoned with a sanciiiying lie
Earth oil forgciiul OF lis many scars,
Shouts at the inspiring sight, and bids them hail
Aloft she bears the cheflain proud in might
Build him an altar in the hearts Of men
And deifies his bones. In some far land.
Where ice eternal binds the wintry year,
Or raging suns consume the parching ground,
A Nations strength and manhood valny fall,
A thousand homes are bathed ia burning tears,
Vineyards forget their masters, and rank weeds
Choke them old halls grow bare and tcnantess,
And the plow ru-ts in the uncultured field
Yet do yc give the Conquerer his car
And drag him meath the proud triumphal arch
It's in Mans nature thus TO tyrannze
And whether like the paid that prowls at night,
Secret in villainy, or threat ming, herds
With the insensatc mob. or with the strength
OF Nations backed, he plucks out life. or chains
Limbs born not to the thrall, he wars gainst thee
Thou ieteress and holy influence,
That with an Angels voice bringst Hope TO Earth,
And with gianis arm strikest at w rong
D for the time when the sharp sword shall rust
And Men forget its use Is there no bow
That spans the warning wOrdl No covenant
That Man shall clasp his brother as a friend
Unthirsting for his blood That customs old,
The unh6y Dagons OF the slavish world
Shall loose their letters from the souls of men
And leave them free : Trust on for we are not
Without a token of thy coming, Truth,
When on the mould ring wreck OF ialsehoods old
Thou shalt an universal altar build,
And the far nations shall their weapons bring
And lay them al thy feet. Then. thou, o War
Shalt be remembered only a dream
Which tortured the old world or if thou shalt
Rise from thy sumbers then Evil shall shrink
And Virtue bless thy pure aveuging hand.
No,.ar5cL n y