The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-02-20
AN ODE TO THE FARMERS.
BY >. NJ. SMITH.

BY $. NJ. SMITH.
Friends who are in council, pause,
Brothers in common cause,
Soldiers of bloodless war;
Bring YOU goods news from afar'
still with courage, strong as fate,
DO YOU come with hearts elate,
Der work so well begun,
For battle almost won!
Or, to- day, do doubts appear,
When but late hopes skies were clear:
Looking back along the way
You have journeyed day by day
Does the faith once so steadfast.
Falter at some danger pasts
Or, while yet il can forsee
Triumph, faint at ills to be:
Never did men wronged enlist
Stronger power 10 resist;
Never people wait TO hear
Victory's shout in cause more dear;
And that cause will yet prevail,
Though an hundred times you fail,
Though disheartened, wearcd, sore,
The long contest you give DER,
Other hearts will God prepare.
Other hands your standard bear,
And the good fight still 20 on
Till all ldbOr'S 1fytts are iron.
0, remember, not alone
Do you battle Cor your own,
For better need Of toll,
For the tillcr OF the soil,
But for all whom daily strife
Wins but bare lease of life;
Wins the body's daily bread,
While the soul starvcs on unfcd,
Void Of even the hope that gives
Sunshine to your struggling lives,
Feeling, as the years 20 by,
Courage, faith, ambition, die,
Till, like slaves in dumb despair,
Coming wealth they may not share.
Even Freedoms heritage
Seems but an unmcaning page,
All its promises n lie,
Which their daily lives deny,
Thus to-day do millions strive,
Hopeless in the worlds great hive
While on every breeze are sent
Murmurs Of their discomfort,
Mutterings OF a tempest grand,
That may yet sweep sea and land.
Not few expect TO wait
While you here deliberate
Wait to hail the words you send
As the greeting Of friend.
Let no doubtful utterance
Mock them with its smooth prctence.
Be the words they this day hear,
Strong and earnest, bold and clear;
Words free men may fifty speak,
Words their foes shall not mlstekc,
Honest words, whose meaning lies
Open before all mems eyes.
Leave To those, whose highest aim
Is to play q UiHHia1 1ailc
though 1t be at hOnOr's cost,
Sounding phrase, and empty boast,
Fables for the public ear,
or pretcnder, far and near;
talschood small and falsehood huge,
Trick, deceit and subterfugc;
All the arts that truth abhors,
Allies Of failing cause.
Such are not the weapons strong
That must right apeoplc's wrong,
TrHcr Instruments has fate
For the cleansing Of state.
Be it yours, o friends, to know
Truth from falsehood, friend from foe;
Yours to seek and Ind, at need
strong, true men your cause to lead
Men whose faith gold cannot buy,
Whose fair words no deeds belle;
Men who, feeling labor's wrong,
Dare, in l0bOrs cause, be strong,
Though, on every wind that blows,
Slander rides, and all ears fills
with the poison il distills;
Men who see undyng rights
Final triumph in the fight,
And, though all the heavens grow black
With disaster turn not back.
o. may such strong purpose sway
All your couuscla here to-day;
Such conviction Of the right,
Keep that purpose clear and bright,
Till our cause no more shall seem
To the world an idle dream:
TIL its just demands provoke
something more than jcer and joke;
TIL men see brotherhood
No with one grand thought tmbucd,
Fashioned on SO broad plan,
Forward moving as one man
TO accomplish Gods bchcst
And uplift his sore Oppressed,
That its faith all hearts shall move,
And its very foes approve.
Look not back, then, gave to make
OF past failure or mistake
Present lesson that shall blcss,
Stepping stone 10 true success.
Wiser, better, for the past,
Forward let your gaze be cast
Forward press, with steady stride,
Gathering strength, till side by side,
step with step, and hand in hand,
All tolls sons uHitcd stand.
Then will victory draw near
Then the goal you seek appear,
Not till IN u, for you, o friend,
May brothers duty end;
Not till then your soul put by
It's responsibility,
Or an honest, truthful heart.
Say | have done all my pqr',
Then, while arieutly We pray
For the coming Of that day.
Let Us honor the command
To inorS also, each good hand
Doing that which ncarcst lics,
To secure ;Ur all the prize;
Every true, un,Citish soul,
Striving, sing'y, for the whole.