The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-01-21
OUR NATIONS HERO.

SoluInpld ever DOaSl6 some 1n6 Ideal, ~
High, noble, good, such as becomes her state,
So that her sons, in seeking it, may grow
10 manly wisdom, blest in heart and mind
With all that makes the freeman more man.
And as the years run on and many try,
At various epochs and in divers spheres,
Some win at length this high ideal and stand
The center of q nations lofty hope,
Full crowned with honor and with reverence
SO stood our Washington-the beacon star
That Freedom followed thro' Red sea strife
Until her footstep touched happier land
The type our country calls the highest, best,
So firm in duty, loyal to the truth,
Above those petty meannesses that Turk
About the ways to public prominence.
So, too, that patriarch in deed and name,
Who proved a second Father to this land,
Who brought our rebel children to the fold
And broke the chain and made people free
Forever dear among our honor.d dead,
Lincoln will live-the noble, pure and good.
And thus, in every sphere of God like deed,
From Historys fold flash out our splendid
names "a
Like stars that glitter when the cloud hath
passed,
Luring to higher realms the lowly eye. s-.I
AS in the years agone, all hopes were fed,
All hearts were won, by those ideal lives, r
So, now, to him who holds the civic seal
All look and find their aspirations crowned,
Their spirit, age and aims full characterize:
In him we find the Statesman keen and bold,
A trusty helmsman of the ship of state,
Who sees the best-saw it when the old foe :
Would steal our treasure in the Northern deep,
I'm hoo Da,, Iii 80
Saw it when Commerce spread a useless sail
Ger all the Southern seas, till at his word
The bond was broke, and lo her magic wand
Knits land to land throughout hemisphere
In peace and mutual Offices of good.
I Long had the barrier frowned that made them
Ills now no more-a ready open mart =
Pours into each free traffic's golden stream 5
And all rejoice in new prosperity; ~
! Sterling American the type that lived -
In days colonial when tyrannic power :.
. Was dared to battle. met and overcome;
Sterling as they who died in those dark years
To break our chains, to down the ancient lie i
That freedom is mockery and dream,
And man must needs swear fealty to crown
Ii he would live apart from anarchy;
Sterling as he who in our council hall, .s.=
The staunch defender of the Union bore
The Southern hiss while trampng on the head
OF coiled rebellion: with tongue afiame
Our Webster wrought-so his successor now.
!. Ideal character he seems to us,
In whom mind heart and spirit all are great,
! Uplifting high our peoples honest pride
Far higher than their treasure in the mart;
For what is wealth beside gifted mind r..
Or noble heart or true, heroic soul? g..
The eye that beams a large intelligence z
Outdazzles gold itself; the heart that wins
A nations sympathy, esteem and love
Is more than gold immeasurably more
And, so endowed, he stands before the world
A true exemplar of its nobest race;
Among Americans central sun
Round which the marshaled spheres in order
move.
For one thus brilliant, thus beloved of all,
The highest honor in our power to give
Must seem most meet, year now it should be
given,
So let the cry 60 forth from deep to deep,
From lake to gulf and far encirclng sea,
Till pine and redwood tremble at the sound
And vale and'mountain echo loud and long:
Make president the gifted son Of Maine
- -WSlli0n1 Sher01e.