Litchfield enquirer., 1865-11-30
1)odrp.
From the Evening Post. THE NATIONS BAPTISM

Rain is good for the roots of trees; blood is good for the roots of men !"-[ Henry Ward Beeeher atthe funeral cf Dahlgren.l fss5 f Years ago the waiting nations heard the shout f ing of child, Sounding o'er the rolling ocean, vii, h an ac.
 cent free and wild. 4~ .f~ S- Twas the voice of infant Freedom, borne
 across the surging flood, .* *.. T5'.5 Strong and lusty from it's christening, for the
 bowl was flied with blood .iz-.. 7. And the list'ning nations wondered at a voice
 so young and strong, ..... For they knew its tones would thunder out s against the tyrant, Wrong. s-' And in beauty grew tue maiden, born of dark st and bloody wars: ''aa While around her beaming forehead twined 8
 coronet of stars. ...a .>. ...-. And her robes were spun and woven of the
 misty morning light, Where auroral streaks of crimson mingled
 with the crystal white. s' And the nations gazed with envy as they wor- [ shipped from afar, -e- While the swift years floating downward, ad-
 ded many lustrous star.
 And the sons of Earth, dewn:rodden, fettered 2 in foreign land,
 Came to seek the souls unfolding on this ia
 vored freedom strand. sg t But one sin, dark. bitter, loathsome in
 the sunny maiden's soul, l-eg i. Grew and Hourished like canker, till it held
 entire control; "H " Till the heart and mind and spirit meath it's
 direful sway were crushed, And the noblest aspirations of the human soul were hushed. ... -.t... Till all noble Faith and Honor, and the guid. ing star of Truth, e 4. Sank beneath the specious seeming of our poi.
 soned, fettered youth.
 Father! send to us Thy healing, for al
 human powers are vain!
 Cleanse, 70 cleanse Thy suffering people, though
 our blood should flow like rain; Take the blightspot from our banner-take
 the stigma from our land.
 That our sons may stand unblushing on the
 utmost foreign strand; t..E That our country may stand proudly with no esss.~ spot upon her name, al a.s As @ beacon to the nations. all aglow with
 Freedoms flame
 And again a voice resounded OCT the ' land and Der the flood: A will send to you the healing but the bap-
 tisin will be-blood .s .5.s .-. f "Ye have sinned against me sorely, and repent
 ance comes st last; ~a Be it mine to pay the vengeance, be it yours
 to brave the blast.
 "For the groanings of my people from your favored land were poured, '2 All unnoted and unhseded: I must punish !''
 saIJn Lne DUru. So the tocsin-shot was sounded. Nations trem
 bled at the blast, And the world shall hear its echoes while our
 mighty mountains last.
 And the nations sin was cancelled in the rich
 est, fullest flood
 Since the rending of the temple-all baptized
 in it's own blood. .... - And the lowest, basest passions have beer
 drowned in this red sea, ,. And our husbands. sons and brothers in thei, manhood's truth are free '..-f Never low or selfish nature offered life blood for the truth: it,. .... Rise, then, from this holy baptism, rise, Col
 rmbia's noble youth . And your names, like thatof Dahlgren; through
 the ages shall go down, tsaG =. And upon your brows forever shall remain tn, hero's crown!
 Washington, D. c. MARY E. NEALY.