The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-02-24
From F,rney's Iieekly Press.
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
A CENTENNIAL SONG.
BY A. II. BENEDICT.

For causing all the land blaze and all the bells to
clang.
His flags caper in the air and his big guns to bang
Why this grand racket celebrates the falling-out you
know,
With fiery, brave old Johnny Bull, hundred years
ago!
Our grandsires from his oins were sprung nor shamed
their pedigree
And, to avoid row at home they crossd the raging
They thrashd the bears and catanounts the savages
to boot
And, often, at the Meeting house their minds were on
the shoot!
sturdy race their offspring were defyins frost and
snow
Who hraved the bowling wilderness, hudred wears
ago!
The lakes and river. were SO broad, the mountains
were grand,
As spread the growing colonies their motions" would
expand;
TILL in their latitude Of thought and longitude as
They chafed against Johns discipline, yet dreading
to rebsl.
He got Taxation on the brain began to rave and
blow!
And thought to toss them on his horns, hundred
years ago!
II might have managed them perhaps If he had been
content
To only ask for when they might REPRESENT;
But evil Couuellors prevailed twere meedlvss to
name,
Whose hot advice and loyal zeal his growing ire
infame,
Til he must undertake to send-to bring tn often
ders low
The Lion and the Unicorn hundred years ago!
We mes his stamp Act with a grosn he heard across
We raised the Dickens with his trade and tumtled
the tea!
Some got sher backs up very high, discussing many
right.
TIL Lstthe able-boded spelling for fight;
Nor did they wait very long expoctant of the foe,
Ere Briain's thunder woke them up hundred years
ago!
There 4 Thomas JcTeason, that knew thing
tEo,
And hc a saucy writing made-a DEcLARATIos drew
\ composition rather rough Johnny Bull We own,
For he'd wicked kuack indeed at taking oH" 4
Throne!
Another Thomas, too, We had, with COMMON SENSE,
10 throw
His frebrands Kissing through the land, hundred
years ago!
Ben Franklin and plucky host OF worthless could
cite
Who wrJte and voted speechihed ami labord day and
night;
4 Patrick Henry, fOEest-bOrn, who, like Demos
Themes,
Could rouse his elIowcouDtryInen as tempests re the
Could make the clash Of arms resound the crimson
rent fow,
As roId the torrent from his lips, hundred years
ago
We had Georgs-not George The Third of Con-
tuentsl grit
To organic. the recruits, and marshal armies fit
To cope with Bull and ByIzebub with death and terror
round!
Where barefoot regiments in rags held firm the bloody
ground.
Who 6ouzh, aud fell ike dernigods and, dying smild
TO know
The proud inheritance they left hundred years ago.
wide o er the cloud-enveoped plains Wars dreadful
engines roar!
The lands in mourning for the slain and deluged with
their gore,
Ere t. our brave Invincbles the Royal armies yield
Or them free and equal born and masters Of the
field!
Then wonder not that Uncle Sam is misbehaving so =
,is but to celebrate his BIRTH hundred years ago!
Us THAT is what's the matter, aud why the bells
have rung!
Why Yankee Doodle's in the veins, huzzas upon the
tongue
lis fitting VIC should jubilate," aud make joyful
noise
For Sans acheTd hOnored place among the mastar
boys;
Although the chap has only had a century to grow,
Was rock'd in FIRE aui birthstone too hundred years
ago!
We've fitted up mis- Mansions fne-we've made
famous place
Where eyrybody's welcome 10 reasonable space =
Where Princes Poets. Potentates Lords, Ladies Qud-
nuucs Queens,
May figure, frolc, illuminate, and show their new
lchines!
Them and help US carry on this most prodigious
Sno"'
Of which Rip Van Wrinkle dreamd, hundred
years ago!
ming Train,
No iron horse with thuBder clothed no steamship
pIough'd the main!
They had no Ocean Telegraph-that nerve beneath
the brine,
That ybrates with the price of Gold, movements on
the Rhine;
They had Crystal Palaces no nice machines TO Sc"
No big power presses shook the world hundred years
ago!
But yet they wrought the Union out-with force and
skill sublime
That ave has welcomd to its shores th' oppressed of
ev'ry clime
That in this glad Centennial Year, with temples vast
and grand,
Has cad the nations of the globe 10 view the goody
Land
Where men are brave, and women fair; where milk
and honey flow:
Where Indians whoop'd and panthers how'd, hun
dred years ago!
come in crowds, in caravans, our wonders TO
To sao ouy Iordy rivers roll and hear our cataracs
roar
The freedom, Of the Continent tender you to-day
Our mountains mines monster trees and grizzly
PETS survey
Scale the serras ragged edge hunt eagles, buffalo
Blaze round as did tho pioneers hundred years ago
0 come, 0 come great Johnny Ball there's music ID
thy roar