Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-05-24
PATRIOTIC REGULATIONS.
An American Exile,


An American Exile.
In Norfolk bay, long years ago., where
The nations flag from mizzen gaff
OF frigate. sloop and other war like
craft,
A group of naval officers, assembled
On h flagship's quarter deck, dis
With earneStness the act by which the
state
OF South Carolina %annulled
The tariff laws of congress-.
The presidents prompt act,
DiSpatching Scott to Charleston, order
The execution of the laws by force,
Had thrilled the nerves of those who
bore
Their cOuntry'S arms.
The naval service boosted many men
Who traced through veins as chiv-
alrous as their series
The blood of Sumter, PickenS, Hayne,
And other revolutionary patriots;
And, conscious of a lineage illustrious
From those who gave the grand repub-
lie birth,
Their minds were often filled with poll
iticS
OF state; and thus the acts of courts
And legislatures oft became their
tleine
In time of peace as much as warlike
OF Neptune.
One of these in this debate,
A handsome, sun bronzed officer OF
most
Commanding mien, became c%onspicu-
In warm approval of his states rash
And censure strong of president
And congress-. While his flashing eye
betrayed
The fierce emotions of his soul, his
Rang fearful maledictions: Curse the
II
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 if in frenZied rage: My swords
my own,
My heart is loyal to my native state:
And here l swear, this blade shall meier
be drawn
But in defense of rights his tyrant
thing
Called government, usurps, and those
it's threats
Would terrify. Its flag be trailed in
dust;
The fate of Carthage be it's cursed
doom;
The memory of it's present acts, with
Who gave them shape. go down in
blood and shame"
Such direiul imprecations shocked the
ears
OF those who heard; and ere the
speechless group
Recovered from their blank amaze q
Lieutenant felled the speaker sense
The deck; then, quick before the of
Commanding. preferred the charge OF
treason.
Court martial trials are speedy in re-
The sentence, moves in its terms, vas
heard
With unteigned haushtiness and scorr
by him
Wherl~it deprived of country:
The prisoner, hence, Tor life, shall
Ice consigned
To vessels cruising in a foreign sea-:
no tongue to him shall speak ms
country's name.
Nor tax to>him OF aught saw daily
wants;
And ever to his sight that country's
Shall he the token that it's powers
live
To carry out this sentence"
In far of seas, away from kindred
hearts
And native home. The years passed
slowly On;
But pride N stubborn vii! did not
desert
This TRANCE 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 ounGS hs
paced,
Alone amid a frigate's crew, of whom
Not n could speak to him a friendly
word,
Nor tell him of that wondrous growth
and fame
The Ian he cursed attained among
The nations of the earth. No cheering
His yearning heart in time could eel
expect
From stricken mother, weeping wife
and babes
BY him made worse than 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 its field of blue,
In gorgeous folds waved kindly DER his
head,
AS if .forgiving his ingratitude.
And now as other a rolled sadly
by,
And he was passed from ship to ship
as Zach
In turn went home, the lines of grie
and fccsts