Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-07-03

heads upon the block; bless the axe as
it falls-the axe you sharpened for the
poor mans neckl
"Such is the message of that Declara-
tion to Man, to the Kings of the world!
And shall we falter noto7 And shall
we start back appalled, when our feet
press the very threshold of Freedom?
Do you see quailing faces around you
when our wives have been butchered,
when the hearthstones of our land are
red with the blood of little children?
"Whatl are there shrinking hearts or
faltering voices here, when the very
dead of our battlefield arise, and call
upon us to sign that Parchment or be
accursed foreverI
"SIGNl if the next moment the gibbet's
rope is around your neckl SignI if the
next moment this hall rings with the
echo of the falling axel SignI by all
your hopes in life or death as husbands
fathers AS men-sign your names to
the Parchment or be accursed forever!
"Sign-not only for yourselves, but for
all ages. For that Parchment will be
the textbook of Freedom-the Bible of
In0 TllSUJS OI Mali lOTeNOI!
"Sign-for that Declaration will go
forth to American hearts forever, and
speak to those hearts like the voice of
GodI And its work will not be done,
until throughout this wide continent
not single inch of ground owns the
sway of a British King.
"Nay, do not start and whisper with
10 oorf-
witness it-God proclaims it-this con-
tinent is the property of a free people,
and their property alone. God, L say,
proclaims it! Look at this strange his
tory of band of exileS and Outcasts
suddenly transformed into PEOPLE
look at this wonderful exodus of the
Old World into the New, where they
came, weak in arms, but mighty in God
like faith-nay, look at the history of
your Bunker Hill-yOur Lexington
where band of plain farmers Knocked
and trampled down the panOply of Brit
ish arms, and then tell me, If you can,
that God has not given America to the
free!
at is not given to our poor human in
tellect to climb the skies, to pierce the
counsels of the Almighty One. But me-
thinks l stand among the awful clouds
which veil the brightness of JehOvah's
throne. Methinks l see the Recording
as an angel is pale, weep
ing as an angel can weep-come trem-
bling up to that Throne, and speak his
dread message:
"'Fatherl The Old World is baptized |
in bloodl Father! it is drenched with the |
blood of millions, butchered in war, in |
in slow and grinding Op-
pressionl FatherI-look with one glance
of Thine Eternal Eye, look over Europe, |
Asia, Africa, and behold evermore, that |
terrible sight, man trodden down be-
meath the OppressOr's feet-nations lost
in bloOd-murder and superstition walk
ing hand in hand over the graves of
their victims, and not single voice to
whisper hope to mani
He stands there, the Angel, his hand
with the black record of hu-
man guilt. But harkl The voice of
Jehovah speaks out from the awful
there be light again. Let
there be New World. Tell my people
the poor-the dOwn-trodden millions,
to go out from the Old WOrld-to build
up my altar in the New.
"As God lives, my friends, l believe
that to be His vOicel Yes, were my soul
trembling on the wing of Eternity, were
his hand freezing in death, were the
voice choking with the last struggle, l
would still, with the last wave of that
hand, with the last gasp of that voice,
mplore you to remember the truth
God has given America to the FREE!
es, as sank down in the gloomy shad
,ws of the grave, with my last gasp, L
would beg you to sign that Parchment
n the name of One who made the Sa-
7ior, who redeemed you in the name of
he millions whose very breath is now
lushed, in intense expectation, as they
ook up to you for the awful words
You ARE FREEp"