Hovering 'round our misery, while in dungeons we have slept.
Long have we suffered from want of human care:
Long have we been bearded as the tiger in his lair:
Long have we went hungry for want of proper food,
And felt the sting of th' master's lash, as o'er our task we stood.
As the dark and gloomy cloud, that hovered o'er our past,
Has been wafted off by humane hands—'tis swept away at last.
We now emerge from darkness into a welcome light,
And live in brighter future hopes—a day made out of night.
We hail you, noble, honest men, whose hearts beat five as one,