tread these sacred floors? Fallen by the hands of vindictive assassins, they swell the horrors of the sanguinary scene. Loyalty stands on tiptoe at the shocking recollection, while justice, virtue, honor, patriotism become suppliants for immoderate vengeance: The whole soul clamours for arms, and is on fire to attack the brutal banditti, we fly agonizing to the horrid aceldama, we gaze on the mangled corses of our brethren, and grinning furies glotting over their carnage; the hostile attitude of the miscreant murderers, redoubles our resentment, and makes revenge a virtue. BY heaven they die! Thus nature spoke, and the swoln heart leap'd to execute the dreadful purpose; dire was the interval of rage, fierce was the conflict of the soul. In that important hour, did not the stalking ghosts of our stern forefather's, point us to bloody deeds of vengeance? did not the consideration of our expiring LIBERTIES, impel us to remorseless havock? But hark! the guardian GOD of New-England issues his awful mandate. "PEACE BE STILL," hush'd was the bursting war, the louring tempest frowned it's rage away. Confidence in that GOD, beneath whose wing we shelter all our cares, that blessed confidence released the dastard the cowering prey: With haughty scorn we refused to become their executioners, and nobly gave them to the wrath of heaven: But words can poorly paint the horrid scene-Defenceless, prostrate, bleeding countrymen-the piercing, agonizing groans -the mingled moan of weeping relatives and friends: These best can speak; to rouse the luke-warm into noble zeal, to fire the zealous into manly rage; against the foul oppression, of quartering troops, in populous cities, in times of peace. Thou who yon bloody walk shalt traverse, there Those sacred rights to which themselves were born. Benjamin Church, An Oration (Boston, 1773), 18-20. 15. "Hail Happy Day When Fair Freedom Rose" (1773) By PHILLIS WHEATLEY A negro poetess, befriended by Washington. HAIL, happy day, when smiling like the morn, Fair Freedom rose New-England to adorn: The northern clime beneath her genial ray, Dartmouth, congratulates thy blissful sway: Elate with hope her race no longer mourns, Of wrongs, and grievance unredress'd complain, Should you, my lord, while you peruse my song, Was snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy seat: Phillis Wheatley, Poems on Various Subjects (London, 1773), 73-4. 16. "Divided We Fall, United We Stand" (1773) By THOMAS PAINE An English immigrant and one of the boldest advocates of independence. Later member of the French Convention. To Columbia, who gladly reclined at her ease, Your Freedom's at stake, Storms arise, your renown'd Independence to shake, Then lose not a moment, my aid I will lend, Roused Columbia rose up, and indignant declared, That no nation she had wrong'd, and no nation she fear'd, That she wished not for war, but if war were her fate, She would rally up souls independent and great. Then tell mighty Jove, That we quickly will prove, We deserve the protection he'll send from above; For ne'er shall the sons of America bend, But united their Rights and their Freedom defend. Minerva smiled cheerfully as she withdrew, Enraptured to find her Americans true, "For," said she, "our sly Mercury oft times. reports, That your sons are divided"-Columbia retorts, "Tell that vile god of thieves, His report but deceives, And we care not what madman such nonsense believes, For ne'er shall the sons of America bend, But united their Rights and their Freedom defend." Jove rejoiced in Columbia such union to see, And swore his old Farmer Should ne'er in his country see ought that could harm her, For ne'er should the sons of America bend, Minerva resolved that her Aegis she'd lend, A compound most rare, Of courage, and union, a bountiful share; |