The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-07-04
AN OLD FASHIONED
FOURTH OF JULY POEM.
A Poetic Address Delivered at NLau.
tua. (O.l July 4tla. 1915. by Anaza AZ
water, ESQ @tFI EEJ

Poetic Address Delivered at MAS
tuas co. Jaly 4tia. 1915. by AmN a
water, Esq- tFI EJ
Isl est Published by request.l
NY friends. at this important time.
wish to speak to you in rhyme.
find that We to-day have met
Important time to celebrate; 44
The day which gave our nation birth.
And fixed its residence on earth
We find from record it appears
To be but nine and thlrty years
Since independent declaration
Whence We become sep'rate nation.
Perhaps no happier one exists
Among the nations on the list.
None am cure that we should md
Tolsuit so well liberal mind.
II we our views could now extend
Unto the earth's remotest end.
I'll now cndeavor to rehearse
Some scraps 0i hist'ry in my verse.
ILseems our fathers were oppressed;
In various way 5. they were DISTRESSED.
They fed from Britain's hostile shore
Two hundred years ago or more
They crosr' d The wide Atlantic ocean
With hearts wed filed with true devotion.
They settled iii wilderness,
Aud very great was their distress. -
With ISerss.ycrance in their labors &
Presefv'd a peace among their neighbors;
For many years were bless'd with peace;
We find that they did fast increase;
Much by foreign emigration.
And some by natural population. ~
But war at length we lind broke out
Among the neighbors roundabout.
They were inyolv'd in it of course
Oblig'd to use their utmost force.
Their patience surely was well tried, -ssl
They'd savage foes ON every side. rsisf
They'd various scenes of peace and war,
But YET the Lord they did adore.
They pray'd to him-he gave them rest:
For many years we find them blest.
Again we find them much oppress'di
They flew to arms to be redressed
But first presented their petitions
In humble strains and repetitions:
Pray,d and impior'd in high degree
Both to the King and Deity r.-s.5a5
The Lord appears to have heard their prayer,
But king was deafas adders are.
his power was great compar'd with ours;
He avid the most of Enrope's powers
His pride was great, his Justice small,
Humanity shoR'd none at all.
& He sent his thousand vet'rans o'er,
They issued many prociamations
In fnlsome threatning declarations
But we had writers on our side, ifo.s sstH
With pens and talents well applied. j. i5
We'd MIN who wrote the rights Of man,
And laid them down on reasons plan.
A TrunlbHii wrote with much success,
Like Butler in his Hudibras.
franklin and others also wrote,
Some OF as great some of less note.
The people rous'd 10 expectation,
EIecnif'd throughout the nation
A seven years struggle did ensue.
The Lord in mercy brought Us through.
We'd many heroes in those days
Who well deservsd their coDntry's praise.
On Sullivan's isle we'd MoEltFie, ifa
Who drove the British feet te sea.
He bor'd them through 'twixt wind and water,
And made on board dreadful slaughter.
At Bennington we had Stark,
At Saratoga we d Gates. a sal 5..as
At Eutaw Springs we had Green.
At Stony Point we had Wayne.
In Indian Woods we had Snlliyan,
At the Cowpens we had Morgan. ~
Each with a small but gallant band
Put Britain's heroes to a stand TFT =
Dispersal or took them in each case, - = :
And gave the British much disgrace.
We'd Washington's superior skill
Elndes their force do what they will.
His calculation was superior,
Although his forge was much interior.
We find on Christmas eve at Trenton
In stratagem again at Princeton.
At the great battle of renown
With Lord CORVALLIS at Yorktown, fa
Outgenerard British calculation,
Though they commit much depreciation.
They struggled hard yet all in vain, ii
Though we had many heroes slain.
Till Britain's king in degradation ~ a5F
us sep'rate nation. -
Thus was onr independence gained,
May it forever be maintain'd.
Again tor nearly thirty years
Peace rais'd our hopes, allay'd our fears. -4f Z
Meantime the foreign depreciation
Encroachd upon the laws of nations. sL
The French DEGREES obstruct our trade, iai-
Britain issues paper blockade,
And rnbs oRr commcrce on high seas,
Enslave oHr seapie1 as they please, leasts.
Force them to serve on board their ships,
And beat them there with Scorpion whips.
Repeatedly to them applied.
For several years we surely tried
negotiations,
To stop these horrid depredations.
But they were deaf now as before, -i1.s.Ae
Depending on their mighty power,
Treats this republic with disdain, -
And think that freemen's rights are vain,
Their pride AND power was nqt allay'd,
And war and plqnder was their trade.
Our congress wen considered this
And all connection tnat exists. sssFSs
After mstnre de}ibeFatiop ssMzE
They made this solemn deear4tion, ssE@
That war exists between the powers
Great Britain and of ours.
From this both parties flew to arms,
And We had frequently aiarms,
We'd skirmshes of every sort,
And some hard battles have been fought,
With public rhips and privateers,
And on the coast and on frontiers.
And very great has been the cost, &
And many lives much treasure lost.
Some able statesmen we have had III
Both In oHr congress and abroad.
In frmness they haye been wen tried,
Their country s good their only guide.
Some heroes now think to name,
Our gratitude they surely claim
A Stewart, Bainbridge. Jones and Porter,
4! Rodgers, Morrice and Decatur.
! jackson, hlakeleF, lFa~n and Scott,
And others who'll not be forgot.
But will be placed on history's page,
to latest age
A Pike, a Lawrence, and a Burrows,
Among the slain, and many others
Whose memory win long remain.
And fill the feeling heart with pain.
We have Perry and MDonough,
who've done themselves and country honor,
Two British fleets on lakes they gain'd,
AND naval honoFs we!i mFaaintainea-
Securely PLACID those vast fFoptieFs, i
And eas'd the peoples iistug fears.
We've surely had goodly portion "a
Among the yicrries on che ocean. Hih
No honor to the British navy
With Peacock, Boxer. Frolic, Java,
With Maeedonian or the aHerrlere,
Although their Force was mneh superior
No honor surely did they gain
Upon lake Erie or Champaign. IL 4f
Indeed we find their advocates
Acknowledge they have had defeats
in eylry inetaHcs, as Of coDFse,
When we engaged an eqnpl fsrce. iflsi
Though each one knows. yet may tell,
Each seaman did his duty well;
Taught Britain an important lesson iii
70 be more CAUTIONS in aggression ;.......
That it may not be beat TO slight,
She sacred thing freegfan's plight