The record-union., 1895-10-26
For the Record-Union.l
THE FLAG OF LIBERTY.

house. near Auburn. October IL, 1851
Across the sea came Liberty,
Her lovely form bent now with care,
But still the sky shone from her eye,
And sunshine fingered in her hair.
o always youngl ever fart
Fresh as the fresh returning day,
Six thousand years have pressed thy hair,
And yet not one has turned to gray.
The nectar of the gods is thine:
The fountain OF eternal youth,
And yet thine eyes are damp with brine,
For thou dost fight the fight OF truth.
The old, old battle never lost
Though often SCARED in sore defeat,
And on LIES faithful pillows tossed,
Thy triumph still shall be complete.
For thou dost measure with Gods years,
And never shall be counted old
Up from the past burnt black with tears,
Thy story like psalm is told.
How beautiful, her Godlike form!
How bravely did she breast the storm!
When proudly thus across the sea,
In heavenly hope came Liberty.
From old priest.ridden, naughty Spain,
She came with the great Admiral
She helmed BIS ship across the main,
And uuttered In each Juggling sail.
She led De Soto's death-darkened march
Through forests DIM and Businesses,
To where the keystone Of the arch,
The mighty river greets the seas.
She spurned the Bourbon fleur-de-lis,
And with the Huguenots left France
With brave Coligny crossed the sea,
Yet backward cast her longing glance,
AS II she felt France was her own,
And some day true to destiny,
In spite o. priest and feudal throne,
She surely would at last be free.
From Faderlandt she journeyed forth
The home of Artevelde gave,
Her thousand souls as pure and white,
AS watch the knightly chiettain's grave.
She came with Jamestown's cavaliers,
And with the Mayfower Roundheads came
With Baltimore and Oglethorpe
The unnamed wilderness to claim.
With Penn she smoked the pipe of peace,
And graSped the native broad red hand
she sought no Argos golden fleece.
But natures ON unconquered land.
And all the forests welcomed her.
With wh1sperings and merry jests-
The NAPLES nodded to the pines,
The oaks laid bare their stately crests.
The rivers from their gurgling threats,
Gave cheerful salvos IN her praise
The birds gave chants in merry notes,
To welcome in those grand old days.
Years passed. and fields were painted red,
Beneath Gods western Sky of blue,
And DER the suffering and the dead,
GODS golden stars were shining through.
And from those fields so painted red
And from that sky so blue SO blue,
And from those golden. glittering stars,
Like eyes of angels looking through,
Great Liberty brought forth her flag
Her soul, like Christ SO pure and white,
Mixed her white ribbons with the red,
And borrowed Gods bright stars at night.
If ever flag was born of heaven,
Fast welded to the eternal years,
From LIES supremest manhood given,
With hallowed christening OF tears,
This surely more than all the rest,
That ever huttered in the air.
Grew up TO life supTemely blest,
Each stripe and star an answered prayer.
The flags against our own unfurled-
Forever alien let them rest
Only one flag in all the world
Should represent the mighty West.
The homage of o'erfiowing hearts,
No Serviie race before it bent
But equal love for all its parts.
Its destiny, the continent.
o mighty flag, of mighty race!
Thy stars are heavens unchanging stars
Upon thy blue the eye may trace
The print of many glorious sears;
Yet thou hast never known defeat
And surely thou wilt never know
Earth's measure is in thee complete
What more can future years bestow
But added honors; till thy sway
Shall Claim by the supremest right
OF liberty's vast loyalty,
God's own unnumbered stars at night?
A State to represent each star,
All clustered in one hammered SKY,
No more 10 feel the shock of war,
And never, in earths round to die.
HIRAM HOYT RICHMOND.