Daily national Democrat., 1861-07-06
OURTH OF JULY POEM.
BY SOAH BROOKS

In time like these, when terrors shake the lard, |
And fearful portents rise on either band,
When ireadful Treason lifts its hateful head,
nd Sites resound with armies martial tread, /
When red Rebellion banner taunts on high,
I'd fiery won ers light the midnight sky.
When death-doomed error, wrestling with Its
Sad rsig the nation, and would wreck the
| The task r., -
How shall We and exceeding hard
How ralse the sonsn your humble bard.
| While half the land isian' natal day.
| And kin meet kin in hostiTeq boastful Law?
| Here we, secure by bright PaciiWar's alarms,
Hear but the faint le.echo of the ronrms!
Which, surging madly by Atlantic's SIDE
browns Life, Love, Hope, beneath its wheh.
tide
The storm which seems to sweep our hopes ava
But vets our foreheads with its scattered spray
! The boom of cannon which we hear to-day
Is blent with glad hurrahs and music gay;
| But in our sister States its sulen note
| Resembling hoarsely from its brazen throat
Proclaim's a brothers blood untmely shed,
A brothers soul to its long errand sped.
The martial strains have fearful import there;
| Here they rise Joyous on the peaceful air.
| There labor waits and busy trade stands STILL
And industry but half her fields can till;
Here, undlsturbed, secure from day to day,
Each man pursues the tenor Of his way,
While we in this fair garden Of the earth,
Mark the glad day which gave the nation birth,
Brothers, who dwell in interlacing lands,
Strike fierce and hard, with unfraternal hands.
How dark the picture, and how sad the sight
When fellow beings meet in bloody fight;
But when descendants from a common stock
Their arms in hostile combat interock,
No heart so hard, no vengetul hate so deep,
But breads the scene Ger which kind Heav'n mus
weep.
And is there, then no CLEAN of hopeful light,
No rhn thouuLt rn 6n,vpiprr Via hi
In all this waste and Wilderness of woe
Does not some flower of consolation grow?
Yes, though the conflict be both sharp and long,
Its blows are struck for Right againstthe Wrong
Our country bids each patrot-soldier draw
His blade to fight for UNION and the LAW
And though the battle shock the finer sense,
1t is not fought for conquest but defense
Though law shall triumph when the fight is done
Y ct mad Rebellion fired the opening gun.
And while humanity deplores the wreck of life
God and our country bid us meet the strife,
The wrestling powers which this sad war pro
long,
Are cnangeless Right against seditious Wrong.
Oh, ask me not what pangs the patriots feel,
As sad, yet firm, they draw the sacred steel;
While meek-eyed Pity pleads for Love and Life,
Stern duty bids them bare the cruel knife
Here, on this day to Freedom consccrate
The glorious birthday of a mighty State,
While we have met onr thankful songs to raise
And lit to Heaven our due of heartfelt praise,
That we are spared from scenes of bloody war,
Enjoying still Peace, Liberty and Law
Our patriot-army takes the unwelcome field,
(Which, having taken they will never yield,
To fight for what our fathers fought and died
The unbroken Unon-and the tide
Of dark rebeilion's angry waves
In vain around their phalanx raves.
Secure in Right in Truth and Justice strong,
The end is certain and the fight not long.
,pt not iUuOblp manly
Nor calm content our loyal vigor sap;
For, though remote trome scene of conflict dire
We scarcely note the flash of war-like fire.
Our love of country is the mighty band
That firmly binds us TO onr slster.land
Here let US then, still to our country true,
Pledge to the Union all in honor due
Our hopes, our prayers, our substance and cur
lives
And these beiug spent, our honor yet survives.
OF California shall it ne'er be said
She failed in duty IN the hour of dread
Oh California wild, yet passing fair,
Rich, rich in gold, profuse with jewcle rare,
So bright so free, Queen Of the suusetand,
Strong in thy gate by peaceful breezes famed,
Home Of the homeless. shelter of the poor.
No wandering stranger seeks in vain thy door:
True to the Union, to its banner true
Columbia calls, and calls with trust on you.
Bid all your sons to duty now awake,
All party names and party ties i0rsake,
And for the Union and the nations laws
Unite with feryor in one common cause
And may our State so bountfuI and free.
Lavish with gifts and rich with offerings be.
So shall the day the glorious day arise,
Its spleudor flashing III the Eastern skies,
The Southland basklug in its blessed light,
And white SieIras kindling at the sight,
When DER the land from North to South shal
Cow
One cush of friendship, like to Heaven below,
Oh, speed the day when from Penobscot's shore,
Where wild, dulk pines their solemn anthems
roar
To Pascagouas sunny hey and Mexico's warm
wave
From where Atantc's pillows hcarsely rave,
To where Pacifc's heaving, peaceful tide
Laves onr long coast, aud winding rivers glide,
The Stars and Stripes, proud banner Of the free,
Shall wave from every fortress tower and tree.
And, hushed once more the dreadful din of war,
The nation dwell in peace, protected by the Law,