The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-02-01
FROM tAe Western Rseordet.
THE sLAV E.


"Whoso wise, and will observe these things they
hall understand the loving kindness OF the Lord '-ROy
YrH
Midnight Carolina; goriously
The stars went up la heaven aud gentle tones
From stream and pne~wood blended IN hymn
Or soiest music, stole upon The wind
Sweety and thringy. The soul of night,
That glorious spiri. that hath made its home
In solitude and starlight, o'er the world
Held its unyielding m astery and the heart
or the lone watcher on the mountains brow
Beat softly as If e'en apuse's leap
Might break the mldnighps Sabbath hour ofdreams.
That watcher was slave; negro buy
Bending godlike spirit to his chain
Ofceaseess bondage; an untutor'd boy
In all the glorious lore oil bJ-gone days.
But reading with curious eye
Natures unletterd volume strange boy,
With untaught fances of the ,clear blue sky,
Holy and beautiful. And he had
Out to the quiet hills, and laid him down
BY the dark pines, 10 hold at midnight's watch
Communion with the spirit OF the hour.
Low sghd the whispering wind; the murmuring stream
Flow'd on more silently; and as he lay
Watching the starry banner that lone night
Flung TO the winds Of heaven, his fancy woke
Up from its day light sumbtr and with thoughts
Ofhis deep bondage, that amid his kind
Made him by~word sirrins al his heart,
lie 6reath'd his free thoughts to the silent air.
A slave Ay, now feel
Ny weight Of bondage might cease 10 pine
Under my feer, did the brig ht shine
Forever, aud reveal
How much more free from grief, and care, and pain,
Is he who wears, than he who binds the chain.
Butnow nights glorious sky,
Filled with unnumbered spirit forms, that flee
From star to star, all limltless and free,
Bends DER me, and sigh
With strange yearnIng, for wing 10 soar
Proudly as they, and be slave no more.
Oh! why are dark chains bound
In such world this, where every sigh
Ofwind and wafer hath Ofliberty
strange undying sounds
And the dim woods from bird and pine bough swelling,
soft lrumPhal tone OF freedom telling
And the bright stars of night
They have no tale of chains, no stain Of tears
Dimmng the glory of their endless years.
In heavens unceasing light:
And where, oh where, man have learned TO be
brothers. tyrant IN captivity!
But few days. Il know
And the strong spirit 10 the dust shall ding
This chain Of bondage from its dropping wing,
And like freed bird 60
Up into heaven all pure and bright and free;
spirit with spirits liberty
AID though will moi weep,
Yet my weak heart yearns strangely, with my kind,
To go forth freed from these dark chains that blaJ
Me ever, and 10 keep
Watch through the midnight, with no bitter tears
To shed oer visions of my coming years.
Oh il there is lesson 10 be learn'd
From Gods creation, fIhere is a thought
BurnIngly uttered in the gentle tone
OF heavens eternal language; il voice
From the deep chambers oil The unclOuded sky,
That finds echo IN The unsearch'd depths
OF the hearts better feelings it is this
That God would have slaves. The gentle air,
And the freed water, and the joyous lay
Olspring's uncounted warblers aud the stars
Shining in glory, have voice 10 teach
or slavery aud chains. And could we win
An angels eye, to read the unblotted page
OF natures volume, and an angels mind,
To athom the deep mysteries that lie
HID in its burning words; and did we feel
How like our childhood's visions, earthly pomp
Fades in the sung ht of eternal truth;
Then would the untold wealth of gems and gold,
That slaves hand might gather lay;shy
lato our shining Golfers, seem at best,
Like the bright pinion Of the peslence,
The guided drapery Of lothsome grave,
The hectic beauty on the cheek of DEATH. sRpLEY