Bolivar’s first expedition with his Haytian volunteers was a failure; returning to the island he procured reinforcements and made a second descent which was brilliantly successful. Haytian arms, money, and men turned Bolivar’s disasters to victory; and the spirit of Western liberty marched on to the redemption of South America. The liberation of Mexico and all Central America, followed as a matter of course; and the ground was thus cleared for the practical application of that Continentalism enunciated in the Monroe doctrine.
The black men of the Antilles who fought in the siege of Savannah, enjoy unquestionably the proud historical distinction of being the physical conductors that bore away from our altars the sacred fire of liberty to rekindle it in their own land; and also of becoming the humble but important link that served to unite the Two Americas in the bond of enlightened independence.
T. G. Steward, U. S. A.
Note: In the preparation of the above paper I have been greatly assisted by the Honorable L. J. Janvier, Chargè d’ affairs d’ Hayti, in London; by Right Reverend James Theodore Holly, bishop of Hayti; and by Messrs. Charles and Frank Rudolph Steward of Harvard University. To all of these gentlemen my thanks are here expressed. T. G. S.
Footnote:
[1]The presentation of this banner by the Moravian Nuns of Bethlehem forms the text of the poem by Longfellow beginning,—
When the dying flame of day
Through the chancel shot its ray,
Far the glimmering tapers shed
Faint light on the cowled head;
And the censer burning swung,
Where, before the altar, hung
The crimson banner, that with prayer
Had been consecrated there.
And the nuns’ sweet hymn was heard the while,
Sung low in the dim, mysterious aisle.
“Take thy banner! may it wave
Proudly o’er the good and brave;
When the battle’s distant wail
Breaks the Sabbath of our vale.
When the cannon’s music thrills
To the hearts of those lone hills,
When the spear in conflict shakes,
And the strong lance shivering breaks.
····
“Take thy banner! and if e’er
Thou shouldst press the soldier’s bier,
And the muffled drum shall beat
To the tread of mournful feet,
Then the crimson flag shall be
Martial cloak and shroud for thee.”
The warrior took that banner proud,
And it was his martial cloak and shroud!
Transcriber’s Note: