Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-29
PRESENTATION DAY
CONTINUED from page 80

| irAsiis position among the great nations
Of d he Garth. Such was our condition as
viewed from the outside. but within there
We're evils which were sappirg the life
| blood Of the country. While OH the banks
of the Merrimac could be heard the hum
| OF industry. and while our country was
stretching out the borders. Of It's ciyiiiza-
| ton toward the West. from the South
there arose the crack OF the slave mas
| ter's whip. and the bark OF the blood
| hound In pursuit of human prey.
The curse OF slavery still clung 10 the
garments of a free people and dragged
| the nations honor To the dust.
| 70 still my country. Ger thy plains
| Blackened with sidvery's blight and ban.
That human chattel drags his chain.
An uncreatcd man.
And stili, where'er to sun and breeze
My country, Is thy flag unrol ed,
With scorn the gazing strang sr secs
a stain on every fold.
A feeling against slavery. however was
rlsinKi and many brave hearts were stir
| red II action as they heard from the
South that cry Of agony, which echoed
| among the hills, and along the valleys
CT the patriotic North. We know what
the outcome of IL all was we know now
that cry was answered ard how millions
OF orr coun1rymen were released from
the bonds of slavery. But not TO MN
who signed the Emancipation proclana-
ton belongs all the honor. nor are those
whose thrilling words rang throughout
the land from pulpit and platform, 10 re-
ceive all the praise. In the early days OF
inc anti-sIavpry movement. when an
aboiitonist was spurnad and hated by the
people Of a great nation, and when one
who spoke against slavery did p ~ the
peril OF his life. there came voice from the
BILLS of our own New England whicn
rang with no uncertain sound. i came
as a trumpet blast. snnimoning the pep
pie who believed in liberty and justice. TO
the struggle against the institution OF
slavery,
"Oht rouse. We ere the storm comes FORTH
The gathered wrath of God and man,
Like that which wasted Egypt's eartn,
When nail and fire above IL ran,
Hear ye no warnings In the air?
Feel We no earthquake uuderneathF
Up. up, why VIII " slumber where
The sleeper only wakes ia death
with these words we are brought face
to face with apostle Of true liberty, ihat
hero Of emancipation. John Greenliei
Whittier. His WAS the voice which rang
from these New England hills, and
swayed the whole With the mighty I'M
pulse Of feeling. His burning words Tell upon
the ear of the Southerner as the death
klcll of slavery. The crafty politician.
proof agains; the words of Phillips and
{; arrison. sank In shame and dtshonor be-
fore the shifting rhymes OF Whittier. His
verses came from tire depths OF his inner
most soul. Every line bore the marks oil
firm conviction and heroic courage
His was a life of sacrifice, priVaton,
and suffering. The desires of his younger
days for political office were east aside
that he might champion the cause OF ms
down trodden fellow creatures. Ills am
nitfon was to malSeta free man OF every
slave In the United States and to TINS
end ne bent all the energies OF his younS
| manhood. The struggle ne knew would
| he long one, and bitter one. bht Win
herosm characteristic OF the true patflot,
and with zeal born OF his duty TO God.
and his fellowmen. he suffered for thirty
years living martyrdom. Now he act
ed as secretary to anti-siaNery cohNeh-
tons: now he wrote letters ana edlto-
rails; now he went forth preaching the
gospel of emancipation: now he faced
raj cling mohs. This silent. shy, peace
loving Quaker had become fiery pdru-
SAN Through his poetry and his polit-
| zeal power he exerted an influence against
| slavery equalled only by Abraham LIN
! colin or William Lloyd Garrison. In the
early years of the struggle his voices OF
| Freedom like hammer-strokes followed
one another in rapid succession. Ihey
beat with Irresistible force against the
| ninty rock of prejudice and crushed II 10
| powder They served to prepare the son
| from which in after years sprang that
great national party. which stood as
hulwark for the safety of the nation
! They stirred the whole country from
Maine to the Rocky Mountains HIS was
| the voice for which Il few had long been
waiting but at the same time ii shocked
and terrified the country The moneyed
| Influence was stung to defiant rage while
| fhe slave-h holder with bitter hate cursed
the poet. who with such unerrng aim
nointed out the horrors of slavery.
Whittiers Poems of these perilous days
are criticised as lacking in finish and ell
egance Such indeed they are. but 1t
must be remembered that Whittier never
looked upon poetry as an art To him
poetry was a means to an end. an instru-
ment by which he gave his thoughts TO
the world. Many of the verses were
struck off at a white heat, ana these
show that fervor and pathos. that depth
of feeling. which reveal to us not the po-
etic art hut the true soul. Their mission
was divine. their effect marvellous TO
the weak they gave strength. 10 the as
couroged their ringing words Drought
confidence; but to the upholders OF slaN-
cry they brought terror and dismay Inn
mediatcly previous to and during the
war. Whttier's influence in Massachu-
sets was powerfully felt Through MN
Caleb Gushing was compelled to take his
seat in Congress as an anti-slavery rep
resentatve Through him Charles sum
ner. that statesman OF the slave, obtained
his election to the Senate. Through him
Massachusetts became strong anti
slavery state. and hard in hand they la
bored for the emancipation OF the slave.
While from the South Kentucky brought
before Lincoln The claims of slavery,
from the North Massachusetts,, with
every nerve alive to the momcntous ques-
ton at stake. brought to bear upon him
an irresistible force. Her demand was
Needed: the emancipation proclamation
soon followed the victory was won.
Thus the object for which Whittier sac
riliced the best years of his life was ac-
complished. the goal of his ambition was
reached the slave was free. The strug-
gle had been long and bitter. discourage
ment had followed disbursement in
rapid succession: all had looked dark and
foreboding; but now the end had come.
and today the name of John Greeniief
Whittier stands preeminent in that long
no rIyaI Nv for q
abolition of slavery.
Whittier. the man. has left us; but his
memory and his influence still remain
With loving. tender hands We wreathe for
him the choicest laurel. and with hearts
hateful for the mighty work which he so
nobly accomplished. we crown him
Hero Of Emancipation"
Miss Alice lena Cole. who is also the
class poet, followed with:
.sThe Master for q Certain Theme"
The first view OF pa Vinci's picture |