Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-07-04
WRITTEN FOR THE TRINITY JOURNAL
INDEPENDENCE DAY.

From earliest years til now
Led on, at first through mothers love,
BY every tender vile towards Watts.
I've been diligent peruser of
The poems, and Oft have fearful wished
That too could indite
My fear hath still this charm. they may approve
The smallest bird that sings. in summers tran
Yet swels the universal voice, in which
The angels join.
Perhaps to day upon some battle field
Where Freedom comes, to celebrate her birth,
The last surviving soldier of the Revolution,
stands
An old husbandman, who in his spring time
sowcd
With his blood the seeds of Liberty
Comes in the autumn of his age to view
a little of that harvest, which can ne'er
Be gathered, It'll the Heavens are no more.
Alone he comes. but to that soldiers eye,
Shadows of the mighty. grand as in life,
Move DER the glorious field Alone
But waited on by "honor, love, obedience -
His countrys blessings bear his soul TO Heaven,
But ere he shall cross Deaths languid river,
Never more, in life, to see the land he loves,
Once more he comes once more he sees, and stands
Upon that field where young Freedom, like an
Angel bathcd in blood, first kissed the world, she
Came from Heaven to save Where in the infinite
Devotion of their youth they fought through
" The times that tried mems souls - and gained
the cause,
There his comrades died and conquered dying.
Pious, as pilgrim at his prophet shrine,
With tears that honor pays at glory's tomb.
The soldier turns TO bid their graves farewell
All their graves he will not see again,
Daylight and the silver moon shall visit
Them no more. Love their graves. cities stand
And grow, beneath our sheltering flag.
In the solemn temples free men worship
The God of Freedom. In happy bones
The mother S hopeful and rejoicing heart
Is lowering DER the cradle Of her free child
The fathers arm is bare for free labor,
To sustain the angel sleeping there.
While from the broad and fertile land
Which God for life's free feast hath spread
With the incense of the flowers, but swecter
Far than they, childhood's free and happy voices
Rise well pleasing TO the eternal throne.
On that torn and bloody field, hcholdng this.
The old soldiers feeble and bewildered heart
Can hardly bear the joy He leaneth on
His stall he looks to heaven he is
Satisfied with earth. 1t is 1t ISL
His Nations dawn it is the dawn
OF her great manhood and his dim eyes,
In the ashes of whose age the battle fire
Is buried. but not dead. seeks with their last
Clean of joy, and pride once more once
more !!
In the free Heavens the flag which so
Proudly they hailed when the twilight
OF the Revolution gathered DER us.
Oh native born Of climate or of soul
Free hearts from every land, of every tongue,
We too, are Americans, and Heaven given
We too have America. but not for us alone
Not for us alone. but for all nations
And for all people yet to be- our free flag
waves,
Prophet like it foreteIIs the day when man.
SO long oppressed, shall stand at last erect
And thrones be tcnantless, and kings uukingcd
before him,
When the nations, old and grey in anguish
And in chains, shall reclothe themselves in their
Long last birthright of Liberty and be
Glorious in their apparel when darkened
Asia, and abused Europe shall rctakc
As we retook, aud hold as we hold
Liberty as Hfe " mafieaabIe " f0rcrer.
Wave on then ye morning stars of Freedom 5
Endless day great assurer Of equal rights,
Sign Of America faith and rope, wave on.
I'll thou hast famed and purified the Whole
Heavens, from every cloud and shade of tyranny.
Well Ger the blost banner, as once
u cr Bethlehem. might the angels sing.
on light that led our pilgrims through that dark
And ambushcd way into the promised land,
klndle in our hearts our fathers fires.
And when Freedom calls. make MS too men.
How oft for thee and for his country fighting.
The bleeding soldiers dying eyes have blessed
Thy stars How oft when bound across the sea,
The sailors heart is lingering where
Thy far off shining fadcth DER the wave
His lessenng country fills his swelling soul
AT Perry s. at DeCatur's name, the child
Of Ocean wceps his grim ysage worn rough
Gainst every coast that fronts the oceans roar
To the glorious memories of his country's banner
Scorneth not tear wave wave! forever
Our JOY Of life is in Thy waving
Ilark | hear the sounds of home,
" The church bells are ringing, the village is
gay,
And Columbia is deckcd in her bridal array"
Hear it tyrants of Gods earth and trcmblc
At your doom, Hear it exiles of Liberty.
And let your hearts go up like sky rockets.
The year the day of your redemption
Is at hand. Hear it inhabitants of
Our continent; for Freedoms superstructure
Is so large, we want it all, and more
For her foundations. Shout dwcllcrs
Of these lands and waters, from Patagonia
To the cline where Franklin sleeps,
And higher yet, if there be earth or sea,
Shout! Til Heavens arches ring
Aud the angels join the ever blessed.
Ever glorious cry d" this is the month,
And this the happy day " on which
America and Liberty, before God,
Became one forever.
A. B. e.