Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-27
CARRIERS ADDRESS
TO THE PATRONS AND FRIENDS OF THE
DAILY AND WEEKLY JOURNAL.
Wilmington, ". c., Dec. 25 1867.

Times whirling wheels down Hfe's dark
track
Have rolled their ever-changing hoard,
And in their yearly course brought back
The blessed birth day of our Lord.
The sweetest season of the year,
Which cen to hearts as cold and scar
As autumn's withered leaves, which lie
Beneath November's leaden sky,
Brings by its holy mystic power
Such memories of hfe's better hour,
Exerts such sweetly soothing charm,
That, kindling with emotions warm,
They thrill and glow beneath the birth
Of feelings too sublime for earth.
Upon Judea's palmy plains
The Angels sang in heavenly strains.
When blessed Christmas first began
&c Glory to God, good will to man."
While in the east q blazing star
Proclaimed to all the world affair
g The Prince of Peace to man is given,
The Christmas-gift of earth from heaven :"
Alas the gentle Angels weep,
AS they their mournful vigils keep
To-day above our Southern land
On which an outraged people stand,
Beneath a fierce OppreSsOr's ROD,
Crying as Israel's Seer to God,
Sublime in trust and patience strong,
"Oh God our Sovereign Lord, how long:
How long shall Truth and Honor sleep
How long the sword of Justice keep
Within the sheath its shining blade p
How long the wicked be arrayed
Against the good? Oppression blight
The cause of truth, and wrong be right
Better ten thousand times by far
Our four short years of glorious war,
Lit by the hopes which led us Oh,
When even hope herself seemed gone,
Went on till time itself shall cease,
Than this abhorred and hollow peace
Our glorious war ! Oh never yet
Since man a little less was made
Than are the Angels, was there met
Such godlike strength as that DISPLAYED
BY SOUTHERN SOLDIERS Every part
Of dauntless courage, lnjghtly art,
Self-abnegation, patience, pain
They gave and gave not all in vain
Though conquered and forever furled
Our Flag which glorified the world,
While deep below earth's dewy mold
Sleep those who fought beneath its fold.
That Banner with its crimson bars,
And snowy field and golden stars,
A beacon and an idol yet
Within each Southern soul is set
And Southern hearts afford the grave
Where rest embalmed by love the brave
Who died the Southern land to save
Let WILMINGTON, whose stately head
Is bent in anguish DER her dead,
Recount with all parents pride
How her heroic children died,
And with a burst of sorrow tell
That her immortal WHITING fell,
Not on the field he loved so well,
But In foreign prison CELL
Soon may bis rescued relics rest
On Cardinals sheltering breast
Among her bravest and her best
n ON ~ EI14ID
Amid the great and glorious host,
That gid the glories of her name
And crown her flashing crest of fame
With new and never fading light,
The ever hOnOred names of WRIGHT,
NANBoKKELEN, WOOSTER, COwAN, MOORE.
ARMSTRONG and ELLIS, and score
OF noble souls, whose record grand
As long as time itself shall stand =
DEROssEr, RANKIN, BARR, MACRAE,
STEVENSON, PARSLEY, bright array
OF heroes, who wore well the grey
While beaming brighter from the tears,
Which keep it's mem'ry green, appears
With freshly mellow lustre, MEAREs
We cal them dead, but do not weep,
Remembering III our anguish deep,
sc God giveth His beloved Sleep"
And that all coming time shall shed
Eternal glory on each head,
On our thrice great CONFEDERATE DEAD.
But to the present back we turn,
And with faiths lindling eye discern,
ShCrn of the clouds around us cast,
A future, fairer than our past.
The darkest hour of all the night
Is that which heralds mornings hight
Then let us keep our Christmas day
With all tue happiness we may
In social mirth and genial glee,
Cheerful as chastened hearts can be,
Grateful for every blessing sent,
And to one common purpose bent,
With hand, and heart, and mind and mouth
10 DO OUR DUTY TO THE SOUTH
70 keep her honor ever pure,
And long as life and thought endure,
Cherish her fair and sacred sod,
And leave the rest to time and GoD