Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-01-12
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Carriers Address,
10 tie Patrons Of the Cicaian G 1e'eWaph

Val >S''1
70 tie Patrons Of the CicVian Dc 1eleWaph.
he aecting moments Of the parting year
Again recalled me TO my wonted rhyme,
IND badc me sing, to willing patrons ear
The history of another year of Time:
,ut all untaught to frame the Poets Lay
| touched the lIarp's wild trembling strings
80 music echoed to my boyish play lin vain;
And discords grated thro' my doubtful strain
Despair my spirit seized, when gently knocked
An aged stranger at my lonely doori-
badc Lin enter, and was something shocked
To see him shivering on my chamber floor.
His form by age and weary toll was bcntJ
His hoary locks with winters snow were blent,
And on his massive frame, he careless wore
A sanity mantle of the days of yorc.
lie bowed not-spokc not, but with kindlirg look
The Harp from out my trembling hands he took
And DER its strings his withercd fingers flung
And to their notes thus wildly, sadly sung
blessing gentle boy be thine
A Pilgrims blessing on thee rest,
Nor fear this haggard form of mine
Ey travel worn and toll oppressed.
A wandcrer DER the land and sea
From year TO year long have passed,
Whilst nations in their sure decay
Their mouldcring ruins round mo cast.
The starry skies look down tonight
In beauty, as in centuries gone,
l., ,,I lo;
My weary pilgrimage begun:
All else is changed, - the power and pride
OF Kings and Empires, on the tide
OF Desolation's dark k'ning stream
Have floatcd downward like dream,
Leaving Of Grandeur, Wealth and Fame,
But crumbing ruins and name.
The glorious land Of Palestine
With olives crowned and pastures green,
Now like n desert bleak and bore
Lies blasted by the curse of war;
And cen our loved jerusalem,
That sat cnthroncd Oh Zlon's HILL
Now sits widow lone and still,
Weeping by Kcdron's mournlul stream.
Grcccc-land Of science and the brave,
Whose very dust is Glorys grave,
Is but the shadow now alone
OF greatness and of glory gone;
And Romc Il saw her in her prime
Beneath tho Imperial Cmsars swny),
Now fingers on her Hills sublime
In living death and dotngc gray,
And rude barbarians only known
AS Roman scrls, to Empires grown
With Cohqucsts banners wide unfurlcd
Now stretch their sccptrc DER the world.
Long have I watched the living tide
Of nations rise, then sink away,
And often o'cr their madness sighed
Or mockcd their folly and decay.
Twice have my eyes the strife bchcld
OF nations rising in their pride,
And saw the purple tide that wclled
From the red field where thousands died.
Europe from Russians frozen soil
To Italys fur benmiug skies,
Called on her burlcncd sons of toll
To grasp their arms and nobly rise.
And Earthquake seemed to rock the thrcnc
OF ancient power and fcudal might,
And sccptcrcd tyrants hailed with groans
The dawning star of Freedoms light.
But as somc wandering ghostly fire,
That duwning star lurcd on to death
The patriot saw its beans @xpirc
And bowed him 10 his glorioas path.
The sunny plains Of Franco were free,
And twice her monarch's throne was river
And Bourhon's sons OF royalty
To exile homes nfar wcte driven;
But rs if ever doomed to lie
Beneath dcspot's CALLING chain,
France saw the fires of Freedom die
And reared tJrant's throne again.
Italy long in slumbcrs nursed
TO own Imperial Austria's sway,
Awokc, and like Titan burst
The chains that bound her ruins grey.
The world stood gaspng as for breath,
Watching the ancient fields of death,
Whore triple nations in their might
Mnrshalcd their hosts to fearful fight;
But soon the cannon's thundcrs cease,
Armies retire, and doubtful Peace
Again resumes her sway
And Italy again bows down
To foreign sccptrc and to crown,
Nor struggles to be free.
Safe from Wai dread destroying woes
The western world had sweet rcposc,
And scarcely one chnstising hand
Seemed resting on this favored land;
As il the sovereign Of the skies
His shield Of power had DER il cast,
And guarded ms n sacred prize
Times 'mghticst empire and her last"
Butrapinc, treason, crime and wrong
Nurtured on Freedoms soil too long,
Grown desperate in the Goddess strife
Struck home with deadly vengeance rife,
Raised the black flag of Treason high
To conquer meath its folds or die.
No foreign foes your shores invade
No dcspOts threaten Freedom here,
But parI cidal hands are laid
On glittering sword and murtlerous spear;
And those, who once in battle stood
Together, and whose kindred blood
Commingled in the holy strife
For country, liberty ard life,
Now stand opposed, in hostile might
Waiting the onset and the fight,
As if ny fend or madness driven,
Abandoned both by God and Heaven.
DIsuhIOS-oncc n hated.word,
BY patriots banned, accursed, abhorrcd,
Now burdens every passing gale
And makes the stars Of Freedom pale.
Dcmcntcd race have Iiistory's tones
Ne'cr echoed dying nations eroans?
Nor told how severed Empires lay
In scperatc, quiverinG agony?
Whilst fields of slaughter and of blood
But marked the ground where Empires stood
DisuSIoT means not Glory-rcaco,
Or honorcd nations on your soil,