Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-05-25

: PATRIOTIC REGULATIONS.

\
An American Exile.
In Norfolk bay, long years ago, where
waved
The nations flag from mizzen gaff
or frigate, sloop and other war like
craft,
A group of naval officers, assembled
On the flagship's quarter deck, dis
cusSed
With earnestness the act by which the
state
OF South Carolina annulled
h tariff laws of congress.
Ihe presidents prompt act,
Dispatching Scott to Charleston, order
ing
h execution of the laws by force,
Had thrilled the nerves of those who
Their country's arms.
h naval service peasted many men
who traced through veins as chiv-
alrous as their series
n blood of Sumter, Pickens, Hayne,
n other revolutionary patriots,
ANA, conscious of a lineage iliustrious
From those who gave the grand repub-
lie birth,
Their minds were often filled with poll
iticS
81 oeotS, III liluS lHe aClS VI COuIlS
AND legislatures oft became their
theme
In time of peace as much as warlike
deeds
OF Neptune.
One of these in this debate,
A handsome, sun bronzed officer Of
Commanding mien, became %conspicu-
In warm approval Of his states rash
act
And censure strong of president
And congress-. While his flashing eye
betrayed
The fierce emotions of his soul, his
voice
Rang fearful maledictions: Curse the
country
Whose flag from yonder mizzen floats:
the men
Be cursed, who in the name of govern
ment
Ignore the rights my native state has
held supreme"
Then drawing forth his rapier
AS II in frenZied age My swords
my own,
And here l swear, this blade shall ne'er
be drawn
But in defense Of rights this tyrant
thing
Called government, usurps, and those
it's threats
Would terrify. Its flag be trailed in
dust;
The fate OF Carthage be its cursed
The memory Of it's present acts, with
Who gave them shape, go Town in
blood and shame"
Such direfal imprecations shocked the
ears
OF those who heard; and ere the
~speechless group
Recovered from their blank amaze a
young
Lieutenant felled the speaker sense
less to
The deck; then. quick before the Of
Commanding, preferred the charge of
treason.
Court martial trial are speedy in re-
suits:
h sentence, novel in it's terms, was
With unfeigned haughtiness n scorn
by him
Whom it deprived of country:
The prisoner. hence, for life, shall
be consigned
To vessels cruising in a foreign sea;
No tongue to him shall speak his
ccuntry's name,
Nor ak to him of aught save daily
wants;
And even to his sight that country's
flag
Shall be the token that it's powers
live
To carry out this sentence"
In far off seas, away from kindred
hearts
And native home, the years passed
slowly on;
But pride and stubborn will did not
desert
This strange misguided man; his fate
he seemed
To cherish for the cause he still be-
lieved
Would triumph in the end.
Yet to and fro his narrow bounds he
paced,
Alone amid a frigate's crew, of whom
Not one could speak to him a friendly
word,
Nor tell him of that wondrous growth
and fame
The land he cursed attained among
The nations of the earth. No cheering
His yearning heart in time could e'er
expect
From stricken mother, weeping wife,
and babes
BY him made worse thar orphans, who
might blush.
To call him father. Still, above,
around,
In sportive play, the flag he madly
cursed, as star
By star was added to it's field of blue,
In gorgeous folds waved kindly DER his
head,
AS if %forgiving his ingratitude.
And now, as other years rolled sadly
by,
And he was passed from ship to ship,
as each
In turn went home, the lines Of grief
and frosts
OF g bore silent evidences of slow
decay.
In time his face was marked with pen
sive cast,
A harbi,ager of sad, %repentant thought.
A sailor. unperceived. took note of
him,
And oft observed him watch the way
ing flag
With strange emotion. And once his
lips
Were seen to move: Thou ever
present curse,
Reminding me of what I am, Of what
I've lost. Thou Nemesis of natures
wrongs!
For that I've sinned against NV birth