The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-05-04
TIE VOW or WASHINGTON.

N1ONfSOEi, La, MA q, 1883.
THE VOW OF WASHINGTON
The following poem, written by John
Greenleaf Whittier, was read in New York
to-day at the centennial celebration of the
Inauguration of George Washington as the
first President Of the United States:
The sword was sheathed; in April's sun
Lay green the fields Dy Freedom won;
Aud severed sections; weary Of debates,
Joined hands ut last and were United States.
O CITY sitting by the sea!
How proud the day that dawned on thee,
When the new era. long desired, began,
One thought the cannon saiyos spoke;
Tho votceful streets, the plaudit-echoing
halls,
And prayer and hymn borne heavenward
from st. Paul's
How felt the land in every part
The strong throb Of nations heart,
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 people bent
Their gaze on Freedom's great experiment.
Could It succeedf OF honor sold
And hope deceived all history told.
Aboye the wrecks that strewed the mour-
Was the long dream of ages true at last?
Thank God! the peoples choice was just.
Tho one man equal to his trust,
Wise beyond lore, and without weakness
Calm In the strength Of flawless rec,itude {.
His rule Of justice, order, peace,
Made possible the worlds release;
Taught prince and serf that power is but
Aud rule, alone. which serves the ruled, is
just;
That Freedom generous is, but strong
In hate OF fraud and selfish wrong,
Pretenss that turns her holy truth to lies
And lawless license masking in her guise.
:, Land of his Lowell with one glad voice
Let thy great sisterhood rejoice;
A century's suns DER thee have risen and
And, God be praised. we are one nation
yet.
And still, we trust, the years to DO
Shall prove his hope was destiny,
Leaving our flag with all its added stars
Unrent by faction aud unstained by wars !!
Lo! where with patient toll he nursed
And trained the new-set plant at first,
Tho widening branches OF n stately tree
stretch from the sunrise to the sunset sea.
And In its broad and sheltering shade,
Sitting with mono TO make afraid,
Were we now silent, through each mighty
The winds OF heaven would sing the praise
Of him.
Our first and best Ibis ashes Ito
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 in the nations life,
Through the fierco tulnult 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
'TwiAt 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 Alaskn's
Repeat with us the pledge century old!
Oak Knoll, Danvers, Mass.