OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES UNION AND LIBERTY 1 Flag of the heroes who left us their glory, Wave o'er us all who inherit their fame; Up with our banner bright, Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, While through the sounding sky Loud rings the Nation's cry, - Light of our firmament, guide of our Nation, Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, While through the sounding sky Loud rings the Nation's cry, - Empire unsceptred! what foe shall assail thee, 1 Used by permission of, and by arrangement with, the Houghton Mifflin Company, authorized publishers of Holmes's poems. Up with our banner bright, Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, While through the sounding sky Loud rings the Nation's cry, Union and Liberty! One evermore! Yet, if by madness and treachery blighted, Dawns the dark hour when the sword thou must draw, Then with the arms of thy millions united, Smite the bold traitors to Freedom and Law! Up with our banner bright, Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, While through the sounding sky Loud rings the Nation's cry, Union and Liberty! One evermore! Lord of the Universe! shield us and guide us, Trusting Thee always, through shadow and sun ! Thou hast united us, who shall divide us? Sprinkled with starry light, Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, While through the sounding sky Loud rings the Nation's cry, Union and Liberty! One evermore! ABRAHAM LINCOLN ADDRESS BEFORE THE WASHINGTONIAN SOCIETY OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS1 [Extract] Although the temperance cause has been in progress for near twenty years, it is apparent to all that it is just now being crowned with a degree of success hitherto unparalleled. The list of its friends is daily swelled by the additions of fifties, of hundreds, and of thousands. The cause itself seems suddenly transformed from a cold abstract theory to a living, breathing, active, and powerful chieftain, going forth "conquering and to conquer." The citadels of his great adversary are daily being stormed and dismantled; his temple and his altars, where the rites of his idolatrous worship have long been performed, and where human sacrifices have long been wont to be made, are daily desecrated and deserted. The triumph of the conqueror's fame is sounding from hill to hill, from sea to sea, and from land to land, and calling millions to his standard at a blast. Of our political revolution of '76 we are all justly proud. It has given us a degree of political freedom far exceeding that of any other nation of the earth. In it the world has found a solution of the long-mooted 1 February 22, 1842. |