Decorah-posten., 1889-05-08

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THE VOW OF WASHINGTON.
The sword was shcathed: in Aprils sun
Lay green the fields by Freedom won:
And severed sections, weary Of debates,
Joined hands at last and were United States.
o City sitting by the Seat
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 belltowcr's vibrant stroke,
The voiceful streets, the plaud,-echoing halls,
And prayer and hymn borne he~avenward from St Pauls
How felt the land in every part
The strong throb of nations heart,
As its great leader gave, with reverent awe,
His pledge to Union, Liberty and Law!
The pledge the heavens above him heard,
That vow the sleep of centuries stirred;
~ INV Oiuc nstcIihs pcIpIcs e
Their gaze on Freedoms great experiment.
Gould it succeed? Ofhonor 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 Cod 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 rectitude!
His rule Of justice, order, peace,
Made possible the worlds release:
Taught prince and sert that power is but a trust,
And rule, alone, which serves the ruled, is just:
That Freedom generous is, but strong
In hate Of fraud and selfish wrong.
Pre,ense 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;
A cenlury's suns DER thee have risen and set,
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 flag with all its added stars
Unrent by faction and unstained by wars.
10! where with patient toll he nursed
And trained the new-sct plant at first,
The widening branches of a stately tree
Stretch from the sunrise to the sunset sea.
And in its broad and sheltering shade.
Sitting with none to make afraid,
Were we now silent, through each mighty limb.
The winds Of heaven would sing the praise Of him.
Our first and bestl-his ashes lie
Beneath his own vrsinian 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 tumult pierced his warning word,
Their fathers voice his erring children heard,
The change for which he prayed and sought
In that sharp agony was wrought;
No partial interest draws its alien line
'T~iN North and South, the cypress and the pine,
One people now, all doubt beyond,
His name shall be our Union bond:
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 sun and air.
From the warm palm-lands to Alaska's cold,
Repeat with US the pledge a century old!
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