Part 3 (2/2)

Last of the Signers! a good night to thee!

Alas! that such brave spirits must depart: Peace to thy ashes--to thy memory A monument in every living heart.

It gives the spirit strength, endurance, pride, A lofty purpose, unto thine allied, To muse upon thy glory--'tis to stand, As 'twere, upon thy hearth, and hold thee by the hand.

LXX.

And hear thee tell of thy ill.u.s.trious peers Who stood beside thee, for our country, there, Fearless, amidst a host of pressing fears, And calm, where even Courage might despair.

Ye staked, with this high energy indued, ”Life, Fortune, Honor,” for the public good, And made your ”Declaration” to the world, And, to the tyrant's teeth, defiance sternly hurl'd.

LXXI.

Alas! the omen--in this awful hour, While Discord and Disunion rend the land!

Did'st thou take with thee Freedom's priceless dower?

Did'st thou resume the gift of thine own hand, And bear the affrighted G.o.ddess to the skies?

Are there no mourners o'er thy obsequies?

None, who, with high resolves, approach thy grave?

Or--flits a spirit there, that frights the modern brave?

LXXII.

Say, has our Capital no tarpeian height[8]

From which to hurl the traitor? Standing now, Where once he stood, in patriotic might, With the fresh laurel wreath upon his brow, And Freedom burning on his lip of flame; Does Pity plead forgiveness for his shame?

Then bear him thence, like Manlius, and be just-- Or go to Vernon's shade, and desecrate its dust.

LXXIII.

Soon must I mingle in the wordy war, Where Knavery takes in vice her sly degrees, As slip, away, not guilty, from the bar, Counsel, or client, as their Honors please.

To breathe, in crowded courts, a pois'nous breath-- To plead for life--to justify a death-- To wrangle, jar, to twist, to twirl, to toil,-- This is the lawyer's life--a heart-consuming moil.

LXXIV.

And yet it has its honors; high of name And pure of heart, and eloquent of tongue, Have kindled, there, with a most holy flame, While thousands on their glowing accents hung!

And be it mine to follow where they've led, To praise, if not to imitate, the dead-- To hail their l.u.s.tre, like the distant star Which the sad wayworn bless, and follow from afar.

LXXV.

My friends! how often, in our social talk, Have we called up these names of spell-like power, As, arm in arm, we took the friendly walk, Or lingered out the evening's parting hour-- Or met at the debate, with joyous zest, To test our strength, and each to do his best; While pun and prank we gaily gave and took, With friends.h.i.+p in each heart and pleasure in each look.

LXXVI.

I recollect it well, and lov'd the time, When we were wont to meet: when last we met, I parted from you for this western clime, With the deep feeling never to forget.

In the quick bustle of the busy throng, I feel that I shall miss ye, O! how long!

The generous hearts who mann'd my spirit on-- Who sooth'd me when I lost, and cheer'd me if I won.[9]

LXXVII.

Away! why should I muse in unsooth'd sadness!

While the gay sky is smiling upon earth, Like a young mother, o'er her infant's gladness, Blessing the early promise of its birth.

The opening day-dawn breaks along the land, Like glorious FREEDOM, as her hopes expand; While the far mountains tower to meet the glow, The altar fires are lit, burning on all below.

LXXVIII.

Oh! light up every land, till, far and free, Their brave hearts come from mountain and from plain, While, with the shout of onward liberty, Old Earth to her foundation shakes again.

The night is gone!--thus Tyranny recedes!-- The sky is cloudless!--FREEDOM!--like thy deeds: A gladness beams o'er earth, and main, and Heav'n-- Thus look the nations up, their chains, their chains are riv'n.

LXXIX.

Kingdoms are falling! thrones--that have withstood The earthquake and the tempest in their shock, And brav'd the host of battle's fiery flood, Making of human rights the merest mock,[10]

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