The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-08-21

The three advanced 10 the table,
The Parchment is laid there. Shall it
be signed or not.
Then ensued a high and stormy de-
bate; then the faint hearted cringe in
corners-while Thomas Jefferson speaks
out his few bold words, and John Ad-
ans pours out his whole soul.
Then the soft-toned voice Of Charles
Carroll is heard, undulaiing in syllabsls
Of deep music.
But still there is doubt--and that pale
faced man, shrinking in one corner
speaks.out something about axes, scaf
folds, and GiBBET.
"GIpBETr' echoes fierce, bold voice,
that startles lnen from their seats, =
and look yonder! A tall, slender man
rises, dressel---although it is summer
time--in faded, red cloak. Look
no W his white hand undulates as it is
stretched slowly out, how that dark eye
burns, while his words ring through the
hall. (We do not know his name, let
us therefore call his appea.)
The speech ofhe Man in the Red Cloak:
"Gibbet' They may strech our
necks with all the gibbets in the land
they may turn every rock into scat
iold-every homo into grave, and
yet the words on yon Parchment can
never die!"
"They may pour our blood on thou
sand scaf1olds, and yet from every drop
that dyes the axe, or drips on the saw
dust of the block, new martyr to
Freedom will spring into BIRTH"
"The British King may blot out the
Stars Of God from His Sky, but he cam
not blot out his words written on the
Parchment there! The works of God
may perish----His word never!"
"TThe words will go forth TO the world
when our bones are dust. To the slave
in the mines they will speak---hope; to
the mechanic in the work shop freedom;
to the coward kings these words will
speak, but not in words Of ffattery! No,
no! they will speak like the flaming
sylables on Belshazzar's wall; the days
of your pride and glory are numbered! !!
The days Of Judgment and Revolution
drap near"
eyes; that Parchment will speak to
the Kings in language sad and terri
bic as the trump of the Arc hangel. You
have trampled on mankindloDg enough.
At last the voice of human wo has pier
ced the ear of God, and calls His
Judgment down! You have waded
on the thrones over seas of blood; you
have trampled on to power over the
necks Of millions; you have turned the
poor mans sweat and blood into robes
for your delicate forms, into crowns for
your anointed ws!..--Now Kings;
now Purpled hangmen Of the world--.-
for you come the days Of axes and glib
bets and scaffolds; for you the wrath of
man; for you the lightnings Of Godp
"Lo! How the light ofyour palaces
on fire fash up into the midnight sky"
"Now purpled hangmen ofthe world
----turn and beg fot mercy"
"Where will you find it!'
"Not from God, fol you have BIAS
phemed His laws!
"Not from the people, tor you stand
baplised in their blood!'
"Here you turn, and 10! gibbetH
"There, and scaffold looks you in
in the face
"All around you---6eath-.--and no.
where pityn
"Now executioners of the human
race, Knsel down, yes, Kneel down up
on the sawdust ofthe scaffold; lay your
perfumed heads upon the block; bless
the ak as it falls; the ak that you shar-
pened for the poor mans necK!'
"Such is the message Of that Decla-
ration ofman to the Kings ofthe world
And shall we. falter now! And shall
we start back appalled, when our feet
press the very threshold of Freedom!
Do see quailing faces around ms when
our wiyeshave been butchered; when
the hearthstones ofour land are red with
.tbs blood oflittle childrenq