Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-10
HOPES EFFORT.
Some Extracts from the Yorktown centen-
NAL Poem.


Some Extracts from the Yorktown Centen-
NAL Poem.
James Barron Hope was the poet at York
town at the recent Centennial celebration,
His poem has been the subject of much re
mark. we present the readers of the RECORD
UNION with few extracts
THE SOUTH IN THE UNION.
An ancient chronicle has told
That, In the famous days of DID,
In Antioch under ground
The selfsame lance was found
Unbitten by corrosive rust
The lance the Roman soldier thrust
In CbrisE's side upon the tree,
And that it brought
A mighty spell
To those who fought
The infdel,
And mighty victory.
Aud so this day,
To you | say
Speaking for millions of true Southern men
In words that have no undertow-
say, and say again:
Come veal or woe,
Should this Republic ever fight,
By land or sea,
For present law or ancient right,
The South will be,
AS was that lance,
Albeit not found
Hid underground
But in the foreground Of the first advance.
Twill fly pennon fair
AS ever kissed the air.
On it, for every glance,
Shall blaze ma estic France
Blent with our hero's name
In everlasting flame,
And written, fair in gold,
This legend on its fold:
Give us back the ties of Yorktown
Perish all the modern hates !
For the safety of the Union
Is the safety of the States
PROLOGUE.
Full Furnished through long revolving years,
The piowshare of a century to-day
Runs peaceful burrows where crop OF spears
Once stood in wars array.
See hoary secrets wrenched from upturned sods-
Who, in their fancy, hear resound again
The battle cry OF gods.i
We now-this splendid scene before us spread,
Where Freedoms full hexameter began
Restore our Epic which the Nations read
AS far as its thunders ran.
see great shapes in vague confusion march
Like giant shadows, moving vast and slow,
Beneath some torchlit temples mighty arch
Where long professions go.
see these shapes before me, all unfold,
But meier can fix them on the lofty wall;
Nor tell them save as she Of Endor told
What she beheld to Saul.
TIE DEAD STATESMAN.
see in Shape Who should have led these ranks
Garfield see, whose presence had evoked
The stormy raptures OF nations thanks
His chariot stands unyoked.
Unyoked and empty, and the charioteer
To flames expanded arms has headlong rushed,
Ending the glories OF his grand career,
While all the world stood hushed.
The thunder OF his wheels is done, but he,
Sustained by patience, forttude and grace
Christian hero-from the struggle free
Has won the Christians race.
His wheel-tracks stop not in the Valley cold,
But upward lead, and on, and up, and higher,
Till hope can realize and faith behold
His chariot mount in fire.
Therefore, my countrymen, lift up your hearts
Therefore, my countrymen, be not cast down
He lives with those who we'll have done their part.
And God bestowed his crown!
THE GROUPS OF COLONIES.
NEW ENGLAND.
Soft ease and silken opulence they spurned,
From sands of silver, and from emerald boughs,
With golden ingots laden full, they turned
Like Pilgrims under VOWS.
For them no tropc seas, no slumberous Gains,
No rich abundance generously unrolled,
In place OF orange blossoms and feathery palms
They fronted long.drawn cold
The more it showed the more they would moi
freeze.
And when crops failed on sterile hill and vale
They went to reap the seas
Far North, through wild and stormy brine they ran
With hands a-cold plucked winter by the locks
Masterful, mastered great Leviathanl
And drove the foam as focks
THE MIDDLE GROUP OF COLONIES.
Midway between the ardent heat ami cold
They spread abroad, and by homely spell,
The iron of their axes changed to gold
AS fast the forest fell
Doing the things they found to do, we see
That thus they drew mighty empires charts,
And, working for the present, took in fee
The future for their marts
THE SOUTHERN GROUP.
By enterprise and high adventure stirred,
From half-moon fort ard sentry guarded croft
They hawked at empire and, as on they spurTed,
Fate's falcon scared alofti
Fates falcon scared aloft full and strong and free,
With blood on talons, plumage, beak and breast
Her shadow like storm shade on the sea-
Far-sailing down the West
Swift hoofs clang out behind that falcons flights
Hoofs shoa with golden horseshoes catch the eye
And as they ring we see the forest knights
The cavaliers ride by
VIRGINIA.
Midway between the orange and the SHOWS,
AS some fair plant rounds up from the sea,
Eldest of all the central powers arose
In vague immensely.
She stretched from Seas ir sun to Lakes in shade,
o'erstepped swift Rio Escondedo's stream
Her bounds expressed, as by the Tudor made,
An Alexander's DREAM
And liberal Stuart granted broad ard free
Bound'ries which still the annslist may boast
Limits which ran throughout from sea to sea-"
And far along the coast;
A mighty shaft through Raleigl's fingers slipped.
Smith shot it, and continent awoke!
For that great arrow with acorn tipped,
Planted an English oak
THE SENTIMENT OF ENGLAND.
But for those scenes time long ago has made amends
The ancient enemies present friends;
Two swords in Massachusetts,, rich in dust,
And, better still, the peacefulness of rust,
Told the whole story in its double parts
To one who lives in two great nations hearts.
And late above Old England's roar and din
STORYTELLING bells spoke sympathy of kin.