New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-29

VI
For suddenly al us thoughts are bent
. On shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens 70 meet the bay
line of black, that bends and floats
On the rising the like bridge Of boats.
Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Booted and sJirred, with heavy stride,
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere
Now he patled tis bones eide,
Now gaZed Oh the landscape far and near,
Then impetuous stamped the earth,
And turned and frightened bis saddle-girth;
Bat mostly be watched With eager search
The beliry-tower of the old North Church,
AS 1t rose above the graves the hill,
Lonely, and spectral, aud somber, and still
And loi as he looks, on the belfry's blight,
A gGmmer, and then gleam Of light
He springs TO the saddle, the bride he turns,
But hn8ers and gAzes, till full on his ii hit
second lamp IN the belfry burns!
A hurry Of hoofs in village-street,
A shape in the moonlight, bulk In the dark
And beneath from the pebbles, in passing spark
Struck out by steed that flies fearless and feet:
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the
light
The fate Of nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed In bis fight,
kindled the land iuto flame with It's heat
Il wss twelve by the village clock,
When he crossed the bridge iutO Medford town.
He heard the Growing Oi the oOck,
.. And the barking Vt the farmers dog,
And felt the damp OF the river fog,
That rises when the sun goes down.
1. was one by sbe village clock,
When be rode into Lexington.
He saw the eilded weatuercock
Swim in the moonlight rs 10 passed,
And the meeting house windows blank and bare,
Gaze ut bin with spectral glare,
As if they they already stood aghast
at the bloody work they would look upoa.
hwas two by the village clock,
When be came 10 the bridge in Concord town.
He heard the tleating Of the flock,
And the twitler Of birds among the trees.
And felt the breath Of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadows brown.
And ons was safe and asleep in his bed
Who at the bridge would be first 20 fall,
Who that day would be ying Dead
Pierced BY British unusket-bsu.
You know the rest. In the books you have reed
How the British regulars fired and fed
How the farmers gave them ball for ball
From behind each fence and tarmysrd wall,
Chasing the red-coets down the lane,
Then crossing the fields 10 emerge again
Under the trees at the turn OF the road,
And only pausing 10 fire and load.
50 through the night rode Paul Revere;
And 30 through the night went bis cry Of alarm
To every Giddlssex village and farm
A cry of defiance and not Of fear
A voice in the darkness, y knock 81 the door,
And word that shall echo forevermorel
FOR, borne on the nisht-wind Of the Past,
Through all our history u the last,
10 the hour Of darkness aud peril and need,
The people will waken aud listen to hear
The hurryiug booi-btat II that steed,
And the midnigbt-message Of Paul Revere.
The "Question of the Hour" is discussed in
reasonable paper. by Prof. j. r. Lowell, Of which
hc spirit may be inferred from the following
extract:
The subservence on the question Of Slavery, which
ias hitherto characterized both the great parties OF the
ounsry has strengthened the hands Of the extremists
1 the South and has enabled them 10 get the control
public opinion there by fostering false notions OF
southern superiority and Northern want OF principle.
Ne have done % much 10 make them believe IN their
Importance TO us and given them 80 little occasion even
sustect our importance 10 them that we Rave taught
hem 70 regard themselves the natural rulers Of the
ouutry sd TO look upon the Union as favor granted
our weas ness whose withdrawal would he our ruin
Accordingly. they have gewn more and more exsctng,
III at length the hack politicians OF the Free States
ave become 30 imbued with the notion of yielding,
nd so incapable OF believing In any principle OF ac-
ION higher than temporary expeaionts TO carry an
lection or any object nobler than tho mere posses
ion OF Office for is own sake, that Mr.. Buchanan
rayely proposes that the Republican party should
scify South Carolina by surrenderng the very creed
lal called II into existence and holds together, the
DIV fruit OF its victory that made victory worth hsV-
w. Worse than this, when the Free States by over
Theling aloties have Just expressed their conVlc-
3D. that Slavery, as the creature Of local bsw, can
aim 30 legitimate extension beyond the limits Of that
w, he asks their consent 10 densionalize Freedom
I'd 70 nsiioualize Slavery by an amendment OF tho
FEDERAL Constitution that shall make the local law OF
20 Slave States paramount throughout the Union
r. Buchanan would stay the yellow fever by atost-
" the Quarantine Hospital aud planting good viru-
ut case or two IN every village in the Land.
We do not underestimate the gravity OF the present
-is;s and we alTeo that nothing should be done 70
t; but the people the Free States have
en- taught anything by the repeated lessons Of bitter
Sperence il has been that subnison ia not the seed
concliatiou. but Of contempt and encroachment
80 roIy nsvar goes for nation 10 the mastif II is
;a Zine tbst il should BE- understood that Freedom
slso sn institution deserving soms attention IN a
odeI Reoublc that decline Ia stocks 70 more tolera
= and more transient than Que in public spirit and
at material prosperity Tas never y, p 1H9@ morality nc
be fsr M the Free States in the eyes OF the sonh Is
!, cog i csa be atoued for BY any yielding o. SPo'