Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-11-23
p ue try.
what do I Think!

w EAGdS NAO
| R- A correspondent who signs himseI
E. A. G., in reply to a letter of his to Mrs
Francis D. Gage, inquiring of her what sh
thinks of the Fugitive Slave Law, received tn
following poetical answer, which not only ha
the spirit of true poetry, but breaths senti
ments that should be cherished in the heart
of all true friends of liberty. ED FREE'N.
From the Ohio Repository.
"If your heart has burned with as deepan indg
nation as mine has, since the passage Of that "Fu
gitive Law, it must be pretty well charred. Bu
still, am proud of our country, for know and fee
that it is not the many, the good aud the true tha
have done that evil thing. Oh that l had the in
spiraton of Shakespeare, Byron, or even He
mans Osgood, while | answer your question
Blame me not if my song is tame-lny spirit is not.
Do You ask what rhiuk2 Do you ask what reeI7
Game my thoughts from The pit2 Is my heart made
of steel?
Does the lamb skip and play. when he hears the vol
howl?
Does the Nightingale sing in the claw of the owl?
othe deer o'er the green hills go bounding more
flas the eagle forgot on proud pinion to soar;
Have justice aud mercy deserted the earth;
Love, kindness aud feeling the home & the hearth;
Could you think that aught else from my spirit
would flow,
nut urge IOT my country OF sorrow ana woe!
A Urge for my Country of guilt and of wrong,
dirge for the weak, broken down by The strong,
A dirge for the glory that's passing away,
A drge for our Fillmore, our Webster, our Clay2
Woe, woe 10 the few, who have sulIied our stars.
Whove forgotten our heroes their tolls & their scars
The curse of the victim shall b acken each name,
The scorn OF the true men shall hand it TO fame
As blot, pollution where'er it is trased
A word TO be hated, dishonored, disgraced.
When you sell yourselves out to The Slave holding
power,
When YOU barter your soul for five dollar fee;
beware how you take up the shat klcs, TO bind
The limbs that have left harsh master behind.
Beware how You stand in the way of the brave
Who has ma nhood 10 feel he will not be slave.
Beware, if You covet such bloodshed and strife,
How you trifle with what is far dearer than life;
For hands strong and willing, ON hill top & plain,
Will dare you to fasten the 'FugitiVe's chain
Oh! who were your sires! Came they not fom tn at
band
Who spurn'd the oppressor with heart s. with hand,
Who with sword of Rebellion bound firm their
thigh,
w ent forth with strong will TO be freeman die?
Signed their hands not that great declaration that
So boasti that all men are born equal and free.
nd now will you sully the name of those sires,
Will you pull down home affairs and put out home
fires?
Win you break the bruised heartfor the tinge the
skin.
Ind smother the Godlike that's burning within!
Oh Mortimer! Oi. Mortimer! beware of the day
When YOU place yourselves thus in hostile array
Gainsi the seeker OF Freedom, 1cbatorer hiS hue;
Though his skin may be sabe, his soul may be true.
S the Negro u man? Hath his voice not tone,
language, a music, that answers your avn!
Hath he not the same hopes; hath he not tbs same
fears!
'eeIs he not the joys; weePs he not the same
tears?
10 not the same love make his pulse wildly start,
IRE not wife-mothef-sister. dear to his heart.
tears he not the same sorrow; the same Christening
rod;
he not the same Savior; has henot the szn1s GOd2
)h Mortimer! Oh Mortimer! will you be the knave
hat will turn out to fetter the Fugitive Slave,
nd nind like beast for masters cnnIrol,
he man to whom God gave reasoning soul,
md help bear him back TO Slavedom again,
% toll out his years meath the lash and the chain7
to the land where his sweat drops shall fall,
curse TO the country that holds him in thrall.
ar better thou vert cast in the depths Of the sea,
han that in Gods image should cease to be free