The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-23
THE RISING OF THE PEOPLE.
Poem Delivered before the Pal Beta Kappa Society
of Harvard University.
BY ETHRlDGE JEFFERSON CUTLER.

The drums wild roar awakes the land the
fife is calling shrill
Ten thousand starry banners blaze on town,
and bay and hill
Our crowded streets are throbbing with the
soldiers measured tramp;
Among our bladed cornfelds CLEAN the white
tents Of the camp.
The thunders of the rising war hush labor's
drowsy hum,
And heavy to the ground the first dark drops
of battle come.
The souls of men fame up anew, the narrow
heart expands;
And woman brings her patient faith to nerve
her eager hands.
Thank God we are not buried yet, though
long in trance we lay.
Thank God the fathers need not blush to own
their sons to day.
Oh sad and slow the weeks went by each
held his anxious breath.
Like one who waits in helpless fear for some
sorrow great as DEATH
oh scarcely was there faith in God, nor any
trust in man,
While fast along the Southern sky the blight
ing shadow ran.
1t yelled the stars, one after one it hushed
the patriots song,
And stole from men the sacred sense that
parteth right from wrong
Then red flash, the lightning across the dark
ness broke.
And with a voice that shook the land the guns
of Sumpter spoke;
Wake, sons of heroes, wake The age of
heroes dawns again;
Truth takes in hand her ancient sword, and
calls her loyal men.
Lo! brightly DER the breaking day shines free
dom's holy star.
Peace cannot cure the sickly time. All hail,
the healer, war
The calling was heard by Plymouth Rock !;
twas heard in Boston Bay;
Then up the Piny streams of Maine sped on it's
ringing way
New Hampshire's rocks, Vermont's Green hills,
it kindled into flame;
Rhode Island felt her mighty soul bursting
her little Frame
The Empire City started up, her golden fctters
rent
And meteor-like, across the North, the fiery
- message sent;
Over the breezy prairie land, by bluff and lake
it ran,
Till Kansas bent his arm, and laughed to find
himself man.
Then on by cabin and by camp, by stony
wastes and sands,
1t rang exultant down the sea where the Col
den City stands.
And Thercsoe err the summons came there rose
an angry din,
AS when upon q rocky coast stormy tide
comes in.
Straightwaythe fathers gathered voice, straight
way the sons arose.
With flushing cheek, as when the East with
days red current flows.
Hurrah the long despair is past our fading
hopes renew
The fog Is lifting from the land, and 10, the
ancient blue
We learn the secret of the deeds the sires have
handed down.
To fire the youthful soldiers zeal, and tend
his green renown.
Who lives for country through his arm feels
all his forces flow,
'TiS easy to be brave for truth, as for the rose
to blow.
Oh Law, fair form of Liberty, Gods light is
on thy brow.
Oh Liberty, thou soul of Law, Gods very
sell art tnOu
One the clear rivers sparkling flood that
clothes the bank with green:
And one the line of stubborn rock that holds
the water in
Friends, whom we can not think apart, SEEM
ing each others foe
Twined flowers upon a single stock with equal
grace that grow.
Oh! fair ideas, we write your name across our
hanperic fold
For you the sluggard's brain is fire for you
the coward bold.
Oh daughter of the bleeding pastl Oh hope
the prophets saw
God gives us Law in Liberty, and Liberty in
Law.
Full many heart is aching with mingled JOY
and pain,
For those who go so proudly forth and may
not come again;
And many heart is aching for those it leaves
behind,
AS thousand tender histories throng in up
on the mind.
The old men bless the young men and praise
their bearing high
The women in the doorway stands to wave
them bravely BY
One threw her arms about her boy, and said
"Good bye, my son,
God help thee do the valiant deeds thy faith
er would have done"
One held up to bearded man a little child
to kiss,
And said "T shall not be alone for thy dear
love and this"
And one, rosebud in her hand, leant at a
soldiers side;
"Thy country weds the frst," she said, "be
thy second BRIDE"
oh mothers, when around your hearts ye
count your cherished enes,
And miss from the enchanted ring the flower
OF your sons; 9
oh wives, when, DER the Graded child ye
pend at evenings fall,
AND voices which the heart can hear across
the distance call,