St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-09-16
Doetrpp.
John and Jonathan.
BY CHARLES MACKAY.

When DR.. Charles Mackay, the English poet
was in Washington, during his visit a few
months ago to this country. a party of distin
gnished gentlemen, as mark of respect fo
the man and the author, invited him to n qui
ct private banquet, which is said to have beer
very pleasant affair. General Shields, VIII,
presided at the entertainment. made some ap
propriate remarks, concluding with a senti
ment in honorSof their guest, to which DIR
Mackay responded by delivering the following
poem, which was listened to by the company
with great delight. In these troubled time.
when the waters are somewhat ruffled between
John and Jonathan, the words of the poe
may in some degree prove like oil poured up
on the angry pillows:
Said brother Jonathan to John,
:" You are the elder born,
And can bear another's hate,
But not your slightest scorn,
You We lived q life of noble strife,
You We made world your own,
Why, when I follow in your steps,
Receive me with groan!
That urge me cvermore
To spread my fame, my race, my name,
From shore to furthercst shore
feel the lightnings in my blood,
The thunders In my hand,
And l must work my destiny
Whoever may withstand.
- And If you'd give me, brother John.
The sympathy crave,
And stretch your warm fraternal hand
Across the Atlantic wave,
I'd give il such cordial grasp
That earth should start to see,
And ancient crowns and sceptcrs shake
That fear both you and me-
Said brother John to Jonathan,
You do my nature wrong;
never hated, never scorncd,
But loved you well and long
If children Of the self-samc sire,
We've quarrcld now and then,
Twas only in our early youth,
And not since we were men.
- And if with cautious, cooler blood,
Result of suffcrings keen,
l sometimes think you move too fast
Mistake not what mean.
I've felt the folies of my youth,
The errors of my prime,
And dreamed for you-my fathcr's SON
A future more sublime.
I" And here's my hand, It's freely given,
stretch it DER the brine
And wish you from my heart of hearts
A higher life than mine.
Together let us rule the world,
Together work and thrive;
For il you re only twcnty-one
I'm scarcely forty-five.
- And have strength for nobler work
Than c'er my hand has DONE
And realms to rule and truths to plant
Beyond the rising sun.
Take YOU the West and the East,
Wen spread ourselves abroad,
With trade and spade, and wholesome laws
And faith in man and God.
Take YOU the West and the East!
We speak the sclf-same tongue
That Milton wrote and Chatham spoke,
And Burns and Shakespeare sung:
And from our tongue, our hand, our heart,
Shall countless blessings fiow
To light two darkened hemisphcrcs
That know not where they go.
Our Anglo-Saxon name and fame,
Our AuSlo-SaXon speech.
kcceired their mission straight from Hcarci
To civilize and teach
So here's my hand. | stretch it forth;
Ic meancr lands look on
From this day forth there's friendship firm
'TwiXt Jonathan and John !"
They shook their hands, this noble pair,
And DER the electric chain
Came daily messages of peace
And love betwixt them twain.
When other nations, sore oppressed,
Lie dark in sorrows night
They look to Jonathan and John
And hope for coming light.