Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-11-13
Poetry.
From the Weekly Tribune.
A HYMN Of Liberty.
BY THOMAS L. HARRIS.

Il Hlllln vi LlDtItA' Ah
BY THOMAS L. HARRIS. II
Nrenr reigned with stars, and shade and dreams, and a
silently unfurled
Her spell of witchery around the weary-hearted world
The leaves were still, the waters mute, the watchmen
slept the bell
OF midnight lulled the stars to rest then hushed Its
bilowy swell;
The blessed angel Sleep came down, and poured, with
loving care,
An opate from his crystal urn upon the dewy air:
In Mans hushed bosom Love and Hate, and Joy, and
Sorrow lay
Like foes on ~blood-wet battle-6elds, who wake to
strife with day;
When 10! like shadows through the gloom, a weak, yet
daring band
Stalked YEARLY, with voices mute, and bright, bare
blade in hand.
Their robes were rent, their feet were torn, their faces
darkest tan,
Yet flashing eye and fearless brow revealed the God
like Man,
From Cardinals fever swamps, from Georgia's slave
cursed sod,
From letters on the limb and soul, through banded foes
they trod.
For Freedom, with her MOTHERHOOD had led them on
affair."
Their path the trackless wilderness, their guide the
Northern Star.
Like Israel through the opening waves of Egypts
blood-rod sea,
They stemmed Niagara's doshing tide those noble
ones were FREE.
They stood redeemed and disenthrnlled, upon the wave
washed sod,
And proudly, grandly claimed again the birth-right gift
ofGod.
The cataract lifted up afar its solemn sounding voice,
And babe them in the glorious dawn of Freedoms day
rejoice:
And thus their song of jubilee rang forth and rose on
While all the morning stars bore on It's echoes through
the sky:
We are free! we are free! we are free!
AS the stars that tread the skies;
And joyously, o God, to Thee
Our triumph-hymn shall rise.
For Thou hast led us on,
Through solitude and night,
Till freedoms blessed home is won,
And vain the Foeman's might,
The chains are cast aside;
The oppressors reign is Ger;
The dungeon floor shall be purple dyed
With our blood and tears no more.
With heart and voice we raise
Our hymn, o God, to Thee;
Resound, thou earth and sky our songs,
We are free! IRE are free! WE ARE FREE!
That triumph hymn! it dieth not, it soundeth not il
vain:
1t echoes now with thousand tongues Ger many
southern plain
Its words in every chainless blast and free, bright rive
roll;
God giveth it a voice to speak through silence to thu
soul;
It's thrilling spell is felt where'er the slave marts darkly
stand;
lis mightier far than Charleston gives, than Texial
whip and brand:
1t nerves the arm, it lights the eye. that spirit-rousin!
breath;
1t fires the heart with high resolves of Liberty o
death.
Oh we who riot on the toll of Gods down-trodden poor
Beware, One judgeth in the earth, whose hand is swift
and sure:
Already mufled thunder tones at dead of night re
sound;
Already wake the Earthquake throos beneath you
trembling ground;
Though hireling priest and Waterman lift the cry 0
"al is well"
Ere long red Ruins lava tide from earth and sky shall
swell.
The Master from the vengeance then, and not the slarc
will flee;
Be warned of God; be warned Of man, and set III
bondman free!
DuaneSbmg Oh, NJ Y, OF. 1s45.