10
SOLDIERS' and sailors'
We'll love her, live for her, or die;
To fall for her is not to fail.
Our Flag! The Red shall mean the blood
We gladly pledge; and let the White
Mean purity and solemn truth,
Unsullied justice, sacred right.
Its Blue, the sea we love to plough,
That laves the heaven-united land
Between the Old and Older World;
From strand, o'er mount and stream, to
strand.
The Blue reflects the crowding stars,
Bright union-emblem of the. free;
Come, all of ye, and let it wave—
That floating piece of poetry.
Our fathers came and planted fields,
And manly law, and schools and truth ;
They planted self-rule, which we'll guard
By word and sword, in age, in youth.
VII.
Broad freedom came a.ong with them
On history's ever-widening wings ;
Our blessing this, our task and toil;
For " arduous are all noble things."
Till.
Let Emp'ror never rule this land,
Nor fitful crowd, nor senseless pride ;
Our master is our self-made law,
To him we bow, and none beside
Then sing and shout for our free land,
For glorious Freeland's victory;
Pray that in turmoil and in peace
Freeland oar land may ever be.
That faithful we be found and strong
When History builds as corals build ;
Or when she rears her granite walls—
Her moles with crimson mortar filled
THE MASSACHUSETTS LINE.
BY ROBERT LOWELL. -
Air—Yankee Doodle.
Still first, as long and long ago,
Let Massachusetts muster;
Give her the post right next the foe,
Be sure that you may trust her.
She was the first to give her blood
For Freedom and for Honor ;
She trod her soil to crimson mud,
God's blessing be upon her !
She never faltered for the Right,
Nor ever will hereafter;
Fling up her name with all your might,
, Shake roof-tree and shake rafter.
But of old deeds she need not brag,
How she broke sword and fetter;
Fling out again the old striped flag,
She'll do yet more and better.
In peace her sails fleck all the seas,
Her mills shake every river ;
And where are scenes so fair as these,
God and her true hands give her ?
Her claim in war who seek to rob ?
All others come in later—
Hers first it is to front the mob,
The tyrant and the traitor.
God bless, God bless the glorious State,
Let her have way to battle !
She'll go where batteries crash with fate,
Or where thick rifles rattle.
Give her the right, and let her try,
And then, who can, may press her;
She'll go straight on, or she will die,
God bless her ! and God bless her!
Dcanesburgh, May T, 1861.
THE SWORD, FLAG, AND PLOUGH.
Aie—Bed, White, and Bine.
Unsheathed is the sword of the nation I
Baptized in the blood of the brave,
The blade shall be Freedom's salvation
To break the last bond of the slave.
From river and mountain and valley,
Goes upward the patriot's vow,
And the legions of Liberty rally,
To follow the Sword, Flag, and Plough.
Cho.—To follow the Sword, Flag, and Plough,
To follow the Sword, Flag, and Plough ;
And the legions of Liberty rally
To follow the Sword, Flag, and Plough !
Unfurl the Free Banner wherever
The dawnings of victory gleam,
And perish the traitor's endeavor
To darken fair Liberty's dream !
The echoes of triumph are ringing
Where heroes are conquering now,
And the valor of Freedmen is bringing
Success to the Sword, Flag, and Plough !
Success to the Sword, Flag, and Plough,
Success to the Sword, Flag, and Plough ;
And the valor of Freedmen is bringing
Success to the Sword, Flag, and Plough !
The Sword is the last liberator
The Angel of Justice has sent,
And freemen were false to their nature
To rivet a chain that is rent!
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