Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1853-08-18

delphia.
There is silence in this Hall-every
voice is hushed-eve,y face is stumped
with a deep AID awful responsibility.
Why turns every glance 10 that door
why 10 10 go terrible still
The commitiee Of thee, who have
been out ali night. planning parchment.
are about 70 appear.
That parchment, with the signatures
Of these men. written with the pen "
ing IN Wonder table. will either make the
world ffeS-ol stretch these necks upon
the gibbet yonder in Pot,e s field. o,
nail these heads TO the door posts Of these
Halls!
That was the time for solemn faces
and deep silence.
At last. ha.k The door opens--the
Committee appear. Who are these three
men who come walking on TO John Ham
cocks chair
The tall man, with the sharp features.
the bold brow. and sand hurd hair. holds
ing The PARCHMENT in his hend. is the
Virginia Farmer, Thomas JEFFERSON.
That stoui bull, man. with resolute look
and spa. king eyes Tl,st is Boston
man. one JoHN ADAMS. And the calm
faced man. with hais d'opPing in thick
cu,ls TO his shoulders. that man, d'ess-
ed in plain coat, ard such odiOus home
made blue stockings that is the Phila
delphia p.inler, nne BENJAMIN franklin.
The three advance TO the table. The
Parchment is laid there. Shall il b.
signed or not! =,
Then ensues high debate--then all
the faint hearted cringe ia corners--
while Thomas Jefferson sps axis out his
few bold words. and John Adams pours
out his whole soul.
Then the soft toned voice Of Charles
Carr oil is head undulating 10 sylables Of
deep music.
But ,he,e etill 10 q .doubt--and thai,
pale faced man, shrinking in one corner.
equeaks out something about axes, scat
folds, and GfBBErl
.GIBBEr! I echoes fierce bold voice.
that s,ar,les men from their seats- and
look yonder A TALL. slender man rises.
dressed. sl,hough il is GUNNER time. in
faded red cloak. Look how bis white
hand undula,es as il is stretched slowly
out: how that da.k eye burns. while his
words ring through the Hall.
.Gibbet! They may stretch our npcks
on all the gibbe,s in the land--they may
tu,n every rock into scafFold; every
tree into . gallows; every house into y
grave. and YET the words Of that Parch-
ment can never die!
They may pour Gus blood on thou
sand scaffnlds. and yet f,om every d'op
that dyes the axe. ur drops ON the saw
dust % the block. new marsyrO Of Flee
gill spring into BIRTH
The Briiish King may blot out the stars
Of God from His sky. but he cannot blot
out His d. written on the Parchment
there. The work Of God may perish
His Word never
These words will 20 forth to the world
when our bones a,e dust. To tile slave
10 boadage they will speak lloPE: Il
che Mechanic 10 his workshop Freedom
--io the coward kings these wo.ds wi
ORCS4s OOt uOe w sU0 tUUCs Va u"'Sssy
They wih speak like the flaming syllnhlr'
on Bslshsszer's wall - zae dsyse yoa'
pride cs.d glory are asna6ered! The doy,
of ymagmsae draso neeyl
Yea. tha. Parchment vii speix 10 Oh,
Kings 10 language cad and terrible ri
che irump q the Archangsl. Ynu hav,
tramplrd On the Sigsis Of mankind l.,n,
enough! Al last the voice u human wo'
has pierced ,he ear Of God. and eaIles
Hs Judgment down. YOu have wadss
on 10 thrones over seas Of blood, 800
have tramplsd on TO power over IN
necks Of millions you have tuEDed IN
moor manss sweat and blood into rope
Ior y0ur delicate lorna: into c'o~ns y"
your ennninted bFows. Nos Kings nov
puppies hsagmen Of The weEld Ter yo'
0anss she day e axes. and gihhsis. an
scsialds; fnT yon she Wsaeh ef man TO
you the lighsnings Of Godl
Look how lhe Gghs Of you palace
Am Era AasAAa mn infM Aha zrsAmiwhG alk~