’Tis here, for his home, and the pleasures it brought, Our ancestor, Haik, so courageously fought; And Vartan, that champion of sweet liberty, Broke asunder the chains of foul slavery. O Freedom, thou blessing that nations have craved, How long has thy ensign and emblem here waved! How many Armenians, so noble and brave, For thee have gone down to a premature grave! Though fortune has struck it with terrible blows, And left alone Armenia a prey to its foes, Though subdued, yet unconquered, our nation still lives, To break the slave bonds that a base tyrant gives. Armenia still lives, and out to the world Her flag of distress she now has unfurled; In torture and pain she utters the cry, “With freedom to live; with slavery to die.” Oh, why should our strife be rewarded with pain, And the blood of our bravest be poured out in vain! Oh, why should our country’s most sorrowful wail, Have stirred noble souls to a cause that must fail! Oh, why should this effort of unceasing pace, These brave souls, be given without even a trace! For this can it be that our country fares worse, And even must bear with this terrible curse? Nay, never! Thank God, the day’s soon at hand When victory shall marshal our patriot band! For this we have prayed--but alas! ever so, Our prayers are unanswered as years come and go. But if ever thus the fates may decree, Then welcome we death that our souls may be free; Let kind Mother Earth to her bosom enfold The corpse of a nation, all bloodless and cold. The nations, astonished, may view her dark grave, And see the ruined homes they neglected to save; And thousand of hearts with repentance may grieve For the lost Christian nation they failed to relieve. FOOTNOTES: [104] Literally, “Loose-headed,” in the sense of undisciplined volunteers. [105] Norman, “Armenia and the Campaign of 1877,” p. 372. [106] This deputation consisted of Bishops Mugurdich, Khrimian, Khorene NerBey, DeLusignan and Prof. Minas Tcheraz. [107] Appelton, Annual Cyclopædia, 1880, p. 689. [108] Greene, “The Armenian Crisis in Turkey,” p. 78. [109] _The Westminster Gazette_, Dec. 12, 1894, reprinted in the _Armenia_, London, Jan. 1, 1895. [110] The following is part of Burke’s address quoted by Bryce: “I have never before heard that the Turkish Empire has been considered any part of the balance of Powers in Europe. They despise and contemn all Christian princes as infidels, and only wish to subdue and exterminate them and their people. What have these worse than savages to do with the Powers of Europe but to spread war, destruction, and pestilence among them? The ministers and the policy which shall give these people any weight in Europe will deserve all the bans and curses of posterity.” Quoted from Bryce’s. [111] Bryce, “Transcaucasia and Ararat,” p. 519, 4th ed. [112] II Peter, 2:22. [113] Reprinted in _The Ararat_, New York, July 30, 1891.