Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-07-20
CENTENNIAL POEM.
Written by Geo. NJ. Hood, and Read at the
the Grant County National Centennial
Celebration, at Lancaster,
July 4th, 1876,

Celebration, at Lancaster,
July 4th, 1875,
Hark hear the booming cannon
Proc lain to all the world
The day OF Independence.
Our banners are unfurled.
From north and south and east and west
The joyous shout Is heard
" Come celebrate this sacred day,
In memory reyered."
Bright star among the Nations,
Fair land OF liberty,
Thou heritage Of countless price,
Our hearts are true to Thee.
One hundred years ago to-day
The glorious deed was done.
Thy name indelibiy inscribed
By freedoms noble sons.
One hundred years have passed away
Since first our flag unfurled,
Displayed our glorious emblem
To the nations of the world
One hundred years that brave old flag
Has proudly hailed the light,
Der ocean waves In every cline,
An emblem OF eur might,
On many a hot contested field,
Borne by Columbia's sons,
J. 3 waved aloft, midst deafning cheers,
Aud the rattle of our guns.
And first upon our history's page
Is placed the name of one
A name each heart with rapture thrills
The name of Washington.
Yet bright amongst the brightest,
On our histOrV's Rage shall shine.
The name OF Abraham Lincoln,
That patriot sublime.
Four million human beings,
Bound down in slavery's chain,
Rejoice to-day as freemen,-
The work OF Lincoln's reign.
Oh, may their names forever live
On historys roll of fame,
And every patriot heart be warmed
BY freedoms Frightening flame.
Thus have Columbia's noble sons
Deep in their memory fixed
The deeds our fathers wrought,
Since seventeen seventy six.
But whilst our hearts with rapture thrill
At each succeeding stage,
A cloud o'9rspreads our nati,e land,
Secession's war Is waged.
And now amidst the gathering blast,
Which desolates our land,
We hear the steady marshalled tread
OF freedoms loving band.
And the words of Patrick Henry
Is the motto of each breast,
As they onward press to battle,
Give as " Liberty or Death"
And though many form lies mouldeiing
Beneath the quiet sod,
Our land is peace, and truly free,
Aud freedom TO worship God.
And where are they, that little band,
Who hailed witt first delight
The glorious dawn of freedom,
nation in her might.
They've gone to tread the unknowl shore,
A fairer land than this,
And of their joys no mortal tongue
Can speak such heavenly bliss.
Now of the present lot us speak.
How bright the prospects seem,
Our flags with those of other lands,
From countless mastheads stream.
This glorious Centennial year,
Which speaks a nations BIRTH
We with warm heart-welcomes greet
Each nation Of the earth,
And thus for our postcrity
Cement lasting love,
On this our anniversary,
Which time shall never move
We hore, must shortly pass away
To our eternal home,
A few, perhaps. may hail the day
hundred years to come.
May truth and beauty ever grow
In our admirihg gaze
The star of freedom brighter glow,
Into perfect blaze.
'Tis thus through joys and sorrows
One hundred years have fed.
Our monuments of liberty
The graves of noble dead.
And still does freedoms glorious emb lem
Yet proudly DER them wave,
True hearted soma of liberty,
Who died our land to save.
And when another hundred years
Shall circle with its train,
Sond this, o, Thou Almighty Gods
q Our noble dead died not In vain"