The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-02
For the National Era.
JULIAN IN KEN TUCKY

Sun Of October, harbinger Of Joy
And mellow loveliness throughout the land
All glorious beaming from the Southern heaven,
Or coldly beautiful from Northern skies
Say, didst thou mark, in all thy wondrous round,
nobler scenel
Hark Freedoms voice is heard,
In tones unsmothered, in Land of Slaves
Kentucky, home of hosptable men,
Men truly noble, gives the listening
To one whose boldness challenges her respect.
From Freedoms hallowed ground, the great North
west,
Bearing her own credentials, no went forth
At old Kentucky's CALL through her best sons,
To claim of her a freemans privilege,
And give the honest witness Of his soul
Across the mighty river which divides
The blight Of Slavery from Freedoms bloom
visible startling contrast-the dark tide
Which many a sable fugitive hath dared,
(The ripples from such passage scarce had sped!@)
Lured by the flashing sheen of Freedoms star,
And the strong impulse of a noble soul
The Champion of Right adventured to
Kentucky's sunny slopes and fertile Wales
whilom the Dark and Bloody Ground y of strife,
Where the brave Red Man fell q sacrifice
For what That White and Negro should sink down
In mutual misery, and curse the land
This beauteous broad land God made so good
Forbid it, Heaven But our pilgrim saw
But the fell evidences Of decay
Whore or he turned his eye nor for the cause
Marvelled he, MS he marked the fed-driven slave,
Or frequent cofis of the human mart
Men, women, children, chained and tasked and striped
Gods image meath the lash like cattle driven,
Abhorrent spectacle to freeman's eye
A sight to stir his pulse and flush his brow,
Or freeze the rehuent currents of the heart.
But now, where Maysyilles ancient spires ascend,
The country round has gathered to behold
The unwonted scene, and list the strangers words
Stakeholder and non-slsveholder appear,
With curious, sneering, or defiant gaze;
Some FREQ to listen, and some prompt to strike
The daring "agitator to the ground
Should Southern cnivsiry bethnk it due
To its own rights and dignity. But midst the mass
Indifferent or hostile, there are MEN
OF human natures highest, nobest mould
Who love their native State with patriot pride,
And Slavery hate in that enlightened love
The Huing CLAY is there in form and soul
Alive and morn, in fame to live forever
The Ceur de Lion of true chivalry,
Who'd lead his country from its blighting wrong,
BY opening wide the everlasting gates
Of Universal Liberty to Man.
But late doubted much his wisdom, much
His purity that still, but this no
doubt on better knowledge Of tho man;
But hail him as a high heroic soul
/. Il 4
Rising with native cool, collected mien,
lie asks Kentucky's audience and respect
To him who stands to speak to her that day.
Thcn JULIAN takes up the plea beneath
The ngis Of the Unions guarantee,
And claims a etisn's, frecman's rights
With calm, firm tones but with unsparing words,
lie speaks of Slavery as the bano and curse
Of bond and free with bold unfaltering hand
lilo limns the giant Monster, and holds forth
Its hideous front before its worshppers,
And calls on them to cherish the foul thing
No more, but own the Brotherhood of Christ,
Invoking Freedoms grand and prosperous reign
Thus speaks he quenching nought the generous flow
If Freedoms spirit, and 10 loud applause
Applause to Freedom from the votares
IF Slavory--comes like the matin cheer
Which, midst the darkness, tells the day is near
hen follows Clay and, as his fiery words
triko on tho electric chords of sympathy,
scdoubled cheers Guido the song of Hope
Ealing the triumph notes of Prophecy
That noble old KENTUCKY shall be free,
Ind North aud South strike hGnds foy LIBERTY
Inv "A rain
Till, from tho blessed brightest one of all,
Thou shalt, o'erlooking ali the expanso of Earth,
See not slave
large number of fugitive slaves had just preVi-
ousy taken the same route.