Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-07-28
poetry.
From the National Era.
RANTOUL.*
by JOHN @. WHITTIER

One day, along the electric wire
HIS manly word for Freedom sped
We came next morn; that tongue Of flre
ssid onlv. q He who speake is dead!"
Oeud while his voice was ivingy et'
In echoes round the plllared dome
Dend while his blotted page lay wet
with themes of state and loves of home
Dead! in that cTowning grace OF time,
That triumph of life's zenith hour
Dead while we watched his manhood's prime
Rresk from the low bud into flower
Dead he so great and strong and wise,
While the mean thousands yet drew breath
How deepened, through that dread surprise,
The mystery and The awe Of death
From the high place, wherein our votes
Had borne him, clear, calm, earnest, fell
His first words, like the prelude notes
OF some grea, anthem yet to swell.
We seemed 10 see our flag unturled,
Our champion waiting in his place
For the last battle of the world,
The Armagoddon of the race.
Through him we hoped to speak the word
Which wins the freedom of land;
And lift, for human right, the sword
Which dropped from Hampdens dying hand.
FOR ne had sat at Sydney's feet,
And walked with Prym ard Vane apart;
And, through the centuries felt the beat
Of Freedoms march in Cromwel's heart
He knew The paths the WORTHLESS held,
Where England's best and wisest trod;
And, lingering, drank the springs that welled
Beneath the touch of Millions rod.
No wild enthusiast of the right,
Self-poised and clear, he showed always
The GOODNESS of his Norhern night,
Thi ripe .eposc Of autumn's day.
His steps were slow, yet forward still
He pressed where others paused or failed
The calm star clomb with constant will
Tho restless meteor flashed and paied
skilled in its subtlesl vile, he knew
And owned the higher ends Of Law;
Still rose majestic on his view
The awful Shape The schooman saw.
Her home the heart of God her yoico
The choral harmonies whereby
The stars, through all their spheres, rejoice,
The rhythmic rule Of earth and sky!
We saw his great powers msapped
To poor ambitions pet, through all,
We saw him take the weaker side,
And right the wronged and free the thrall.
Now, looking DER the frozen North
For one like him in word and act,
To call her DID, free spirit forth,
And give her faith the lite OF fact
To break her party bonds Of shame,
And labor with the Zeal of him
10 make the Democratic nalne
OF Liberty the synonym
We sweep the land from hill to strand,
We seek The strong the wise, the brave,
And, sad Of heart, return to stand
In silence by a new-made grave.
There, where his breezy hills Of home
Look out upon his sail. wbite seas,
The sounds u winds and waters come,
And shape themselves TO words like these
'sWhy, mirmnring, mourn that he, whose power
Was lent 20 Party over long,
Heard the slill whisper at the hour
He set his foot on Parry wrong'
'>trho human life that closed so we'll,
No lapse Of folly now can stain;
The lips whence freedoms protest fell,
No inoaner thought can now protanc.
1iightier than living voice his grave
That lofty protest utfers DER;
Through roaring wi and shifting wl"c
It ,Ireakes his hate Of wrong once more.
" Men Of the North your weak regret
Il wasted here arise and pay
TO Freedom and to him .ur debt,
By following where he led the way "
No more fitting inscription could be placed OH I
,stone of Robert Rantoul than this & He died ~
in Congress, and his last words were protest ~
! of Dem ,cracy against the Fugitive Slave Law"