CHAPTER IV.
The American Revolution—Its effects upon other nations—French Revolution—Revolution of Greece, Poland, &c—Present prosperity of the United States of America—Present state of the Indians—Indian prayer.
Meantime the Gentiles break their foreign yoke,
While tyrants tremble at the dreadful stroke,
Assert their freedom, gain their liberty,
And to the world proclaim Columbia free.
O'er ocean's wave triumphant in the breeze,
Her banner floats o'er all the distant seas,
Where dire oppression, long with tyrant sway,
Had ruled mankind, and led them far astray.
With admiration seized, the nations all,
Filled with delight Columbia's deeds extol;
And gazing still, they catch the sacred fire,
And love of liberty their souls inspire.
While nations oft in their extended plan;
From slumber wake to claim the rights of man,
Empires o'erturned, and tyrants headlong hurled,
The voice of freedom echoes round the world.
First, France arose, in triumph led the way,
Till love of conquest led them far astray;
And dire ambition seized the helm of state,
Through seas of blood, where millions met their fate:
Till they reluctant give the struggle o'er,
And rest content with rights enjoyed before.
And next the Greeks their ancient spirit caught,
From long oppression roused they bravely fought,
They burst the Moslem chains emerging free,
Through seas of blood obtained their liberty.
Poland in turn received the sacred fire,
Her noble sons for freedom did aspire;
And struggling long at length they bravely fell.
But cease, my muse; the tale forbear to tell,
And turn again unto the favored shore,
Where freedom's genius kindly hovers o'er,
See states and nations joyfully extend,
Their wide domain almost from end to end;
From the far eastern shores of rugged Maine,
To wild Missouri's rich and flowery plains,
The harvest fields with rural plenty crowned;
And flowery gardens flourish all around;
The humble cottage and the lofty dome,
Each crowned with plenty form an equal home
See on her lakes, and on her thousand streams,
Her vessels float impelled by sail or steam.
While busy commerce floats along her seas,
With sails expanded wide before the breeze;
Far o'er the wave her rich produce they bear,
And in return bring every kind of ware,
To clothe her sons, her daughters to array,
In linen fine and silk and purple gay;
Thus peace and plenty crown Columbia's soil,
A rich reward of industry and toil.
Lo! the poor Indian, if he chance to roam
O'er the wide fields he once could call his own;
Where oft in youth he sported in the chace,
Mourning the change, he scarcely knows the place;
With bursting heart his streaming eyes survey
The sacred mound where lies his father's clay.
O'erwhelmed with grief to heaven he lifts his eyes
Before the throne his prayers like incense rise:
Great Spirit of our fathers lend an ear,
Pity the red man—to his cries give ear,
Long hast thou scourged him with thy chastening sore,
When will thy vengeance cease, thy wrath be o'er;
When will the white man's dire ambition cease,
And let our scattered remnants dwell in peace?
Or shall we, (driven to the western shore)
Become extinct and fall to rise no more?
Forbid, great Spirit; make thy mercy known,
Reveal thy truth, thy wandering captives own,
Make bare thine arm of power for our release,
And o'er the earth extend the reign of peace.