, 1889-05-02
THE vow or WASHINGTON.

THE vow or WASHINGTON.
NY JOHN oREESLEAP WHITTIER.
The sword was she.thed in Aprii's sun
Law green the fields by Freedom won,
And severed sections. weary oi debates,
Joined hands at last and were United
States.
q, City sitting by the sea
How proud the day that ddwned on thee,
When the new era, long desired. began,
And, in it's need, the hour had found the
mani
One thought the cannon salvos spoke;
The resonant beIl-towers vibrant stroke,
The vOicpiul streets, the plaudit.et hniDg
halls,
And prayer and hymn borne heavenward
from 81. Paul'sl
How felt the lard In every part
The strong throb OF a nations heart,
AS It's great leader gave, with reverent
awe,
His pledge to Union. Liberty and Lawi
That pledge the heavens above him heard,
That Vuw the sleep ~ centuries stirred;
In worldwide wonder listening peoples
bent
Their gAss on Freedoms grea experiment.
Could il succeed1 o. honor sold
And hoIes deceived all history told.
Above the wrecks that stIewed d the mourn.
frl past,
Was the long dream OF ages true at lastr
Thank Godi the peoples choice was Just,
The one man equal TO his trust,
Wise beyond lore, and without weakness
gond.
Calm III the strength of hiwless reetitude.
His rule Of Justice, order, peace
Madp possible the worlds release;
Taught prince and .erl that power IL but a
trust,
And rule, alone, which serves the ruled, is
just;
That Freedom generous Ia, bnt strong
In hate Of fraud and selfish wrnug.
i'rep Dse, tofBs Der boiy ava bs TO iiss,
Aud lawless license masking in her guise.
Land OF Lis loyei with one pIsd voice
Let thy great tisteThood rejoice;
a century's suns DER thee have risen and
get,
And, God be praised. we are one nation
yet.
And still. we trust, the years to be
Shall prove his hope WAS destiny,
Leaving our fia K with sil its added stars
unrent by fhction and unsl aimed by wars
Lot where with patient toll he nursed
And uaiptd the new'stt plant at hrst,
I he widtDing DTsrcb,s, stately tree
StIelCh from the sunrise TO the sunset sea
And in is brood and sbeltering shade.
sitting with none to make AFRAID,
Were we now silent, through each mighty
limb,
The winds of heaven would sing the prsi, 81
6f him.
Our first and best his ashes lie
Beneath his WIN Virpibisn sky.
Fo'g,ve, forget. o trne and just and brave
| The storm that swept above thy sacred
| For. ever in the awful strife
| nd dark hours of the nations life,
Through the fierce tum ult pierced his warn
| ing word
Their fathers voice his erring chiidre,
| heardi
The change for which he prayed an
In that sharp sgony was wrought;
M partial interest draws its alien line
| 'TwIxt North aud south, the cypress an
the pines
One people now, all doubt beyond,
His name shall he our Union bond;
| vs. lift our hands to heaven, and here an
now,
Take on our lips the old centennial vow.
For rule and trust must needs be ours;
Choospr spd chosen both are powers
Equal In service as in rights the claim
OF duty rests on each and oil the same.
Then let the sovereign millions, where
Our banner Hoats In sun and air,
From the warm palm lands to Alaska
cold,
Repeat with us the pledge u century oldi
At the conclusion of it's reading the a
semblv gave Whittier three cheers and
tiger.