The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-08
mistellanp.
The Vow OF Washington.

We give below the poem written by John
Greenleaf Whittier and read In New York,
April 30, at the centennial celebration OF
the Inauguration of George Washington,
the first president of the United States
The sword was sheathed: in Aprils sun
Lay green the fields by Freedom won;
And severed sections, weary of debates,
Joined hands at last and we're United States
o City sitting by the Seal
How proud the day that dawned on thee,
When the new era, long desired, began,
And, in its need the hour had found the mani
One thought the cannon salvos spoke;
The resonant bell.towers vibrant stroke
The voiceful streets, the plaudit echong halls,
And prayer and hymn borne heavenward from St
Pausi
How felt the land in every part
The strong throb of a nations heart,
As its great leader gave. with reverent awe,
His pledge to Union Liberty and Law.
That pledge the heavens above him heard
That vow the sleep Of centuries stirred;
In worldwide wonder listening peoples bent
Their gaze Freedoms great experiment.
Could it succeed? OF honor sold
And hopes deceived all history told
Above the wrecks that strewed the mournful past
Was the long dream of ages true at last?
Thank God the peoples choice was just
The one man equal to his trust,
Wise beyond lore and, without weakness, good,
Calm in the strength of hawless recttudel
His rule of justice, order, peace,
Made possible the worlds release;
Taught prince and serf that power is but trust,
And rule, alone, which serves the ruled, is JUST
That Freedom generous is, but strong
In hate of fraud and selfish wrong,
Pretense that turns her holy truths to lies,
And lawless license masking in her guise.
Land of his love- with one glad voice
Let thy great sisterhood rejoice;
centurys suns DER thee have risen and set,
And. God be praised, nation yet,
And still, we trust, the years to be
Shall prove his hope was destiny,
Leaving our flag with all its added stars
Unrent by faction and unstained by wars
Lol where with patient toll he nursed
And trained the new-set plant at first,
The widening branches of stately tree
Stretch from the sunrise to the sunset sea-
And in its broad and shetering shade,
Sitting with none to make afraid,
Were we now silent, through each mighty limb
The winds of heaven would sing the praise o him.
Our first and best his ashes lie
Beneath his own Virginian sky.
Forgive, forget, o true and just and brave,
The storm that swept above thy sacred grave!
For, ever in the awful strife
And dark hours of the nations life,
Through the fierce tumul pierced his warning word
Their fathers voice his erring children heard!
The change for which he prayed and sought
In that sharp agony wrought;
No partial interest draws its alien line
'Twixt North and South, the cypress and the pine
One people now. all doubt beyond,
His name shall be our Unionbond;
We lift our hands to heaven and here and now
Take on our lips the old Centennial vow.
For rule and trust must needs be ours;
Chooser and chosen both are powers
Equal in service as in rights; the claim
OF Duty rests on each and all the same.
Then let the sovereign millions, where
Our banner floats in and air,
From the warm pamlands to Alaska's cold,
Repeat with us the pledge a century old