THE power is vested in the people-
Though the men of office fall,
There’s a mightier power behind them,
Ready at the country’s call.
Traitors may betray the Union,
Brutus-like, may strive to kill,
Men of office, politicians,-
But “the people” never will!
Twiggs, like Arnold, stands a traitor,
Armstrong sunk without a blow;
But our land has William Conways,
To all treason, answering “No.”
These are brave and these are faithful,
When all others prove untrue;
Turns America unfearing-
She has faith in such as you.
Floyd may fail, and e’en Buchanan;
Bell may toll his parting knell;
Yet the banner of our country
Floats as widely and as well;
For the people bear it-onward,
From the pine-land and the hills,
From the lakes and from the prairies;
We shall have a Country still.
Kings may boast their standing armies-
Falling sometimes by their hand;
We’ve, thank God, a standing army
In the heroes of our land.
Farmer, merchant and mechanic,
Lawyer, millionaire, divine,
These shall make our Stripes a terror,
These shall be our Stars to shine.
These shall teach to-day crowned Europe,
Though may rise a traitor band,
That a country, through its people,
Shall have power to nobly stand;
Shall maintain its institutions,
That declare all men are free:
That true power lies in the people,
Let all Europe turn and see.
Should the thoughts of truth and virtue,
Leave the courts and camps of Kings,
And the halls of Congress echo
Only to strange murmurings;
Should the men of office fail us,
Virtue’s sunlight overcast,-
In the true hearts of the people,
We shall find its altar last.
Socrates, one of the people,
Taught them truths that live to-day;
Christ, from his own humble Nazareth,
Swept the shades of night away.
Cincinnatus, grand through virtue,
Won renown in ancient Rome;
Wise, far-seeing, bold Columbus,
Found a world beyond the foam.
Pilgrim Fathers, when their rulers
Sought to bend them to their nod,
Grew a strong and mighty people,
Built a home to worship God.
Washington, from out that people,
Shone a bright resplendent sun,
Giving back his country’s honors,
When its mighty work was done.
Abraham Lincoln, from the people,
Guides the Ship of State to-day, “
Like our Washington, O Father!
Like our Washington,” we pray.
And the people, upward springing
At the trumpet’s sudden blast,
He shall find them what he writes them
“True and faithful to the last.”
(Achsa Sprague)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, God Poems, World Poems, Night Poems, Mind Poems, Christianity Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Home Poems, Jesus Christ Poems, Wisdom & Knowledge Poems, Power PoemsBased on Keywords: arnold, institutions, vested, unfearing, far-seeing, armstrong, buchanan, floyd, twiggs, cincinnatus, brutus-like